<strong>Hero Points:</strong>1 (Romana);<strong>Conditions:</strong>None<br/><br/>“So is it here?” one of the figures asked.<br/><br/>“They wouldn’t send us out on a wild goose chase, not when they’re stretched thin as is,” responded another. “It’ll be long, messy work, so we may as well start now.”<br/><br/>The car’s trunk popped open, and various tools were taken out of it. Heavy things too, by the sounds of some of them.<br/><br/>“Ugh, I hate this, Carson,” groaned a third, his voice much raspier on account of one too many years of cigarette-smoking. “Too close to the highway and-”<br/><br/>“Shut up and do your job. Wait, hear that?”<br/><br/>Romana knew how to keep out of sight, and in most causes would easily avoid untoward attention. However, the unknown figures were more on edge more than usual. Whether it was a brief flash from the city’s ambient lights or the telltale shuffling of grass, one of the figures heard her.<br/><br/>As though on cue the group lit up flashlights, and Romana could get a better detail of them. All men, ranging in years from twenty-somethings to a pair of older middle-aged guys who seemed to be calling the shots. Slicked hair, chain and tear-drop tattoos, shoes too expensive to be wearing out in the muck, and the butt end of a Glock pointing out from a pants pocket indicated that they were no mere nature-lovers or horny teenagers. One of the older men had on a jade necklace that shone oddly in the light.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Perception DC 20</div><div class="spoiler_body">Romana can make out a tiny silver vial as the necklace’s centerpiece.</div></div><br/><br/>“Someone else is here,” he said.<br/><br/>“Fuck, is it one of the Cryptids?”<br/><br/>“Don’t matter,” the leader intoned as he gave a signal with his hands. The rest of them began to spread out around the area. Two started to ascend the hill while two others stood guard with the leader by the trunk.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Romana doesn’t have any appropriate Senses to discern fine detail in the dark, so she cannot identify the equipment being taken out of the trunk unless she gets a closer look.<br/><br/>Four out of five men are Minions. The man with the necklace is a properly-important character who won’t go down so easily. Minion Defenses are Dodge/Parry 2 (AC 12), the leader Dodge 7/Parry 6 (AC 17/16).<br/><br/>Opposed Perception 28 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=152393)<br/>Opposed Perception Minion, 20 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=152394)<br/><br/>Didn’t expect 2 natural 20s in a row. At least we’re getting them out of the way now. :P<br/><br/>However, not all of them have means of seeing in the dark, so Romana gets one more opportunity to move out of view via another Stealth check. They do know that someone else is there, they just can’t pinpoint her yet.</div></div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Cloak &amp; Dagger</span></span></div><br/><em>Perhaps Romana isn't the violent type. Maybe she doesn't want to delve deeply into danger without knowing the capabilities and intentions of her pursuers. A few environmental stunts are provided below for her to use to her advantage.</em><br/><br/><strong>Into the Light:</strong>Romana can use the ambient light from the nearby highway to shine off of a reflective surface such as her dagger, potentially blinding someone. Treat this as an alternative rank 8 Affliction made as a ranged attack (Impaired, Disabled, Unaware). This will make Romana more illuminated than usual, and impose -5 on her Stealth check.<br/><br/><strong>Sudden Movement</strong>Via a successful DC 20 Acrobatics or Powers check (Leap/Speed are appropriate), Romana can move fast and evade any attempts to get a bead on her, even if spotted. Doing this is a move action which causes all of them to become vulnerable (defenseless on 25 or higher) vs her next offensive action.<br/><br/><strong>Unbalance:</strong>Romana can throw an object, either as a distraction or to trip up one of the figures, effectively a ranged attack vs their Dodge. Doing this on one of the ascending figures can do nonlethal damage as they fall down the hill.