Jessica St. John stands at the teller counter in Iron City Bank, visiting her friend Mara, a young adult woman with a sturdy build, copper curls, and a blue teller vest.
The vault doors shriek open. Retrograde strides through the dust, an elderly man in brass-trimmed charcoal armor, with a curled white mustache and a humming clockwork backpack.
Retrograde
Nobody move. I require uninterrupted access to the funds necessary to expose a government conspiracy.
A piston-braced gauntlet catches Mara and holds her against the counter. Security shutters slam down, trapping customers and staff inside the banking hall.
Mara
Jessica, stay back! He has the whole lobby locked down!
Retrograde wheels a brass device toward the vault. Its needle sweeps across a display of encrypted accounts while alarms pulse red across the marble floor.
Retrograde
Remain undisturbed, and this city may finally learn what its government has hidden.
✓ Quest Accepted
Rescue Mara from Retrograde
Director's notewhole tale
I rush to pull Mara free from Retrograde
“In the panic and commotion caused by Retrograde's entrance, Jessica opts to take advantage of the confusion and slip through the crowd to the bathroom where she changes guises into the awe inspiring Galaxy Gal! She flies back to the lobby far swifter than she departed...”
SUCCESS (Poor Stealth, rolled +4)
Jessica slips through the panicked crowd and reaches the bathroom unseen. Behind the locked door, her ordinary guise gives way to the awe-inspiring form of Galaxy Gal.
A burst of cosmic light floods the corridor as she launches upward, crosses the lobby in an instant, and drops beside Mara with the floor trembling beneath her.
Galaxy Gal seizes the piston-braced gauntlet and pulls Mara free in one decisive motion. The machine releases her, its metal fingers forced harmlessly against the counter.
Mara
Galaxy Gal! I knew someone would come!
Retrograde staggers back, brass backpack whining as his curled mustache bristles. The bank’s frightened customers find a clear path toward the emergency exit behind Galaxy Gal.
Retrograde
You were not part of my calculations. Stand aside, powerhouse, and history may yet thank you.
His device flashes a fresh readout: encrypted transfers routed through Iron City’s municipal emergency grid. The information is exposed before him, while Mara remains safely behind Galaxy Gal.
✓ Quest Accepted
Stop Retrograde from accessing the funds
Quest Complete
Rescue Mara from Retrograde
Skill Upgrade: Stealth Poor→Mediocre
Director's notewhole tale
I attempt to clobber Retrograde as it is believed if Retrograde loses consciousness, at the very least, there won't be any further attempts to transfer funds
“"Buddy, first of all - you cut in line...RUDE! Second, a withdrawal doesn't include tellers!" Galaxy Gal snarls in response before cracking her knuckles. "...and three, the only thing your getting out of this bank is a boatload of pain and misery.".”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled -1)
Galaxy Gal
Buddy, first of all, you cut in line. Rude! Second, a withdrawal doesn't include tellers! And three, the only thing you're getting out of this bank is a boatload of pain and misery.
Galaxy Gal cracks her knuckles. The sharp reports carry across the lobby, cutting through the alarms as her cosmic radiance hardens around her compact, powerful frame.
Retrograde
Pain and misery? You mistake theatrical bravado for leverage, young woman.
His brass device stutters. The needle jerks away from the encrypted accounts, and the clockwork backpack emits a strained, uneven whine.
Mara
I think he understands you, Galaxy Gal. Look at his machine.
Retrograde
That strength is not a bluff. If she strikes, the transfer ends, and so does my advantage.
Retrograde
Very well. No further withdrawals. But if you intend to make good on that threat, powerhouse, do it before the city learns what I uncovered.
Director's notewhole tale
I seek to arrest Retrograde and bring him to the local police department for detainment.
“Galaxy Gal looks flabbergasted for a moment, "Wow, really? That's it? You give up?" Galaxy Gal wipes her brow and whistles, "Whew, was worried I was going to have to get physical there. Okay, first things first...gonna need to take this thingy, evidence and all that." Galaxy Gal hoists the brass device on her shoulder as if it were nothing more than a pillow. "Now, I'm supposed to read you your rights and stuff like that, but to be honest - you caught me on my lunch break. I'm not even getting paid for this...so you can either come down with me to the PPD without a fuss and we get all this sorted, or I can bring you down the to PPD after I've beaten you unconscious with your little toy here...and then get everything sorted." She gives the brass device a light tap with a sly grin, "Just saying...options."”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +0)
Galaxy Gal
Wow, really? That’s it? You give up? Whew. I was worried I’d have to get physical.
Galaxy Gal wipes her brow, whistles, and lifts the brass device onto her shoulder like a pillow. Its gears click nervously beside her ear.
Galaxy Gal
First things first, I’m taking this thing as evidence. You can come quietly to the PPD, or I can bring you in after using your little toy to knock you out.
She taps the device with a sly grin. The emergency transfer freezes, encrypted figures locked on its display while the alarms continue pulsing.
Retrograde
You are remarkably casual about municipal evidence seizure. Still, your terms are clear, and I concede the immediate contest.
Retrograde
I will accompany you to the PPD without resistance. The device is yours for now, but its contents concern a conspiracy far beyond this bank.
Retrograde slowly raises both hands, his backpack ticking down to a subdued hum. Mara steps from behind the counter as customers cautiously begin filing toward the exit.
Quest Complete
Stop Retrograde from accessing the funds
Skill Upgrade: Investigation Poor→Mediocre
+ New Item Acquired
Brass Device