[OOC] Sudden Payback

Yeah, sorry -- K = blacK. Problem with two dice that both start with BL. :)

Thanks for the recap! From the IC channel:

OOC:
So, all roads lead to this prison guard. You had all flirted with the idea of catfishing him somehow, so that may be an option. Going through law enforcement is possible (but again, one of the givens of this setting is widespread corruption). You have also learned that he works a regular cleanup detail somewhere in the Sticks. And the kidnapping victims are still out there, just not in the first warehouse.

If we look for his work detail in the sticks or the warehouse, we may have to do more asking around on the streets. Not really sure how we'd find him otherwise.

I still like the idea of catfishing him. Maybe we could get Fatima's number from the Pantones and have "Lance" text her about a potential alliance. If her phone is still on, we could potentially trap Petrovich while he's setting a trap for Lance. Open to whatever, but that's my first thought to make catfishing work.

Well, finding his work detail shouldn't be difficult. Max can just ask around the precinct. My intention was actually to have already given you this information. Didn't the Pantones reveal where Fatima was released from? Jimmy and Lance had to have been let go from somewhere, too.

Finding the warehouse would require some asking around, yes. Streetwise checks, say, now that you know a bit more about the operation.

You also befriended Tasha, the Pantones' second-in-command, so she might be useful in a catfishing scheme, too. Remember that their boss got nabbed because they refused to go along with Petrovich's kidnapping scheme. Maybe Tasha could contact him and say she's willing to play ball.

Just helping spitball ideas. Key clues and connections sometimes get lost in the shuffle in play-by-post!

So, what's the plan, folks? :)

I'm totally lost on most of this since I wasn't around for the first session. I think finding the warehouse would be what my character would do since he doesn't know these other NPCs mentioned.

Realistically, I don't think catfishing is a Hank kind of plan either. I like the idea of luring Petrovich out, hopefully without the whole gang that's holed up at the warehouse.

Last time we went to the warehouse, we ended up just scaring them away. So if that's the plan, we'll need a better approach than "Hey, can we come in?"

Um... because we already tried that.

For the benefit of nezzeraj, the plot as you have uncovered it:

A Russian-sounding prison guard named Petrovich struck a deal with three prisoners: I'll let you go, if you do me a favor down the road. He let them go during work details in the Sticks. When he or his forces followed up later, they told the released convicts to start kidnapping people and bringing them to a warehouse. Two of the three convicts said no (the leader of the Pantones vigilante gang, and the owner of the One-Two Gym, your pal Lance Mikowski). Grinning Jimmy of the Havoc Hounds agreed to play ball. Meanwhile, Petrovich decided to exact payback on the two convicts who turned him down -- the Havoc Hounds, on his orders, nabbed Fatima, leader of the Pantones, and made an attempt on Lance (which the PCs foiled). More recently, he's cut off Jimmy of the Havoc Hounds, too, for their failure to nab Lance.

In uncovering this information, the PCs have befriended the Pantones, who are keen to get their leader, Fatima, back. Meanwhile, Lance has gone into hiding so as not to put you all in undo danger. (You've done that on your own. ;) ) You've found the warehouse, but the bad guys had already abandoned it to find a new one by that point.

We're barreling toward the finale of this "movie," so another way to think about this is where do you want the battlefield to be? The side of the highway in the Sticks? The warehouse? Somewhere else of your choosing, assuming you can lure the foe out?

That was a great summary, thanks! With that info, I think laying an ambush would be cool. Have Jimmy and Lance meet somewhere public, and try to lure out Petrovich. He probably still wants to try to kidnap Lance and get back at Jimmy for his failure, or maybe even get scared that Jimmy has spilled the beans to Lance and now he stands a chance of his plot getting uncovered.

That's a solid plan. I'm a big fan of having player actions bear fruit (or consequences), so also remember that you all have befriended the Pantones, too, and their leader is currently kidnapped.

Y'all let me know what the plan is, and we can montage any preparatory work.

Yeah, I like that. Bringing Lance back in gives him a chance to get payback, and it even gives Jimmy a chance to get his crew back from Petrovich (if we care about that).

How about this: We put the word out on the street that Lance wants to meet with Jimmy to share some information about a mutual friend. That should be ominous enough to make Petrovich want to get involved. We set the meetup for the Old Elektria Factory in Pillsville (https://gamersplane.com/forums/thread/14552/...neutral ground, badass place for a final confrontation), and stake it out beforehand so we and the Pantones can be hiding and ready for things to pop off.

I like it

I like it too. Only question in my mind is whether or not Lance is willing to come back and put himself on the line seeing as he skipped town. Hopefully if we get ahold of Petrovich we can help find Tasha, which will give the Pantones a good reason to stay loyal.

OK, so based on this description and the one IC, it seems like the plan has these steps:

1. Spread word that Jimmy is planning to make a move against Petrovich. Maybe the rumor is that he'll be meeting with Lance. Make sure word gets spread to where Petrovich will find out (like the prison).

2. Get the Pantones come along for the ambush.

3. Lure Petrovich somewhere to deal with Jimmy and Lance.

4. Ambush him with aid of Pantones.

That sound right? If so, I'll throw out some difficulties and we can montage things to get us there.

Oh, and Happy May! 5 XP to everyone. Let me know if you spend it; otherwise feel free to bank it.

Yep sounds like the plan I had in mind!

I'll bank. And that is exactly what I was thinking.

I'd like to take Animal Companion but that would require stating a police K-9 Dog or Counterstrike.

We can just use the Dog (Rival) stats from the Expanded Player's Guide:

Brawn 2, Agility 3, Intellect 1, Cunning 3, Willpower 2, Presence 2

Soak 2, Wounds 5, Defense 0

Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Charm 2, Perception 1, Survival 1, Vigilance 2

Talents: None.

Abilities: Pack Fighter (if this creature makes a successful combat check, the next ally making a combat check against the same target during the same round adds 2 Advantages to the results), Silhouette 0.

Equipment: Bite (Brawl; Damage 4; Critical 3; Range [Engaged]; Knockdown).

Well that was easy looks who's playing Dead to Rights the RPG now.

*Taking Animal Companion*

banking mine for now