SWLRP Writing Prompt Week 1

This was originally posted on SWLRP. You can find the writing prompt thread here. If you want to comment, please use the OOC thread.

Given the nature of this prompt, it is not considered canon. It took me quite a while to figure out Rovena’s opposite. She is very moderate in der actions so an opposite was hard to find. Until I realized that the main thing about her is that she plans things very well and acts very considerate of the situation. The opposite, is going in blind without a plan. And of course in a situation like prompted, that leads to failure.

The Prompt as posted by Tetris :

Alright, so Rovena actually provided a link in another post to a series of writing prompts that could really help people flush out their characters. It gave me an idea for this first writing prompt that should be a good introduction to the concept for the first time, while also proving to be entertaining. The scene is this: You have been hired/sent by your employer (or faction) to obtain a package that was stolen from them recently by Phoenicians. Before I’m labeled as discriminatory, if your character is a Phoenician feel free to pick a faction of your choice. The package is being held in a remote facility in the countryside that is guarded by a dozen or so Phoenicians (or enemy faction members). They are currently attempting to blackmail your employers and you have been sent to procure it by any means necessary.

A fairly easy, basic set up. You have the freedom to determine where the location is, what sort of security they have, what they are asking for, why you were hired to deal with it, how you handle it, how it ends, and even what the package itself is. Here is the condition for this weeks challenge though. After you have set the scene plan out specifically how your character would choose to handle the situation… and then do the opposite. I mean complete opposite. If your character is the type to just discretely pay a ransom and resolve it without drawing attention you had better walk into this place guns ablazing and leaving it a smoldering crater with a message written in the ruins that says your character was here.

One reason I think this aught to be fun for everyone is they think they know who their character is at this point. Some are probably re-rolling the characters they played in TSW, some are playing new ones, while yet more are just translating them from TSW straight to SWL without a skip. Whatever you are doing you’ve been thinking about how to do it and what it means. So, consider this another way to do that, albeit unconventionally. Figure out who your character is by figuring out first who exactly they are not. Feel free to post a spoiler with a brief description of your character and how they would really resolve it if you want, but focus on playing anti-you for the week.

The Setup

They had met half an hour ago in the Roof Gardens in London at a discreet private table. After the mixed starters had been served he began talking about business.

The raven haired woman in her grey business outfit gave the man sitting across her at the table a weak smile once she finished her seafood starter. “Alright, so a group of mercenaries in purple uniforms stole a painting from a delivery trunk enroute to you villa and now are threatening to destroy it if you don’t give them the information they want?”

He sighed and rolled his eyes at her summary but nodded. “Yes, Dr. Treublatt. The police officer handling my case was not confident at all they could help me, but they gave me your card. Can you help me?”

Rovena nodded “I might. But I need to know what information they want exactly, everything you know about the painting and a written statement for the authorities that I’m working on your behalf. Also, there is the matter of the fee….”

An hour later, after a the main course and two deserts for Rovena, they parted their ways again. An agreement has been made, information had been exchanged.

The Preparations or What would Rovena actually had done

OOC: Usually Rovena is working highly prepared and professional, she comes up with multiple plans and different option for how to deal with variable situations.

In general she would

Rushing in instead

Only a few hours after the meeting Rovena was on her way to the small farm the Phoenicians used to hide in with their booty. She was taking the last few miles by foot to not raise attention. A vehicle would surely trigger alarms.

The German was wearing a custom tailored BDU style uniform in a digital camouflage patter that was suited well for the area. She was not heavily armed, just two pistols on her thighs and a bullwhip at the small of her back. Most of the time, if she needed heavy weapons, the mission already was a failure.

Once in sight of the farm, she hid behind a bush and took a short moment to watch the guards. The Phoenicians were doing well, they patrolled in irregular patterns in pairs of two and even had a few dogs with them.

This would be tough. Rovena drew one of her pistols and screwed on a silencer. But even with the subsonic ammunition a shot would be pretty obvious in a quiet environment like this. She took a moment longer and eventually found a hole in the guards movement pattern and rushed towards the house.

Rovena pressed her body against the wall and just in time spotted the camera that covered her area. If she was lucky, the guy monitoring the feeds did not see her yet. A quick beam with a powerful laserpointer and the camera was history.

She moved towards the door and positioned herself next to it and not even a minute later two Phoenicians stepped out to check what was going on with the cameras. They were in their purple armor and their faces hidden in the gasmasks their group and the Illuminati were well known for.

The first of them dies quickly and quietly when Rovena snapped his nack from behind him, the other raised his assault rifle and the pop of her pistol sounded right when he was about to shoot her.

His blood painted the grass behind him red and a dog started to bark. A second later alarms sounded. Of course the dogs had heard the shot, smelled the blood and most likely the mercenaries had their vital signs monitored. Rovena would have if it was her team.

She turned towards the door and moved in front of it to get as much of a view of the inside as possible before stepping into what looked like what formally has been a cozy entrance hall. It was no anymore. There were wards painted on the walls and floor, the doors seemed to have been reinforced and sealed.

While Rovena started to work on one of the doors electronic locks, the main entrance shut close. A moment later someone in the other rooms channeled their magic into the wards, hindered the German’s own powers. A door opened for a split second and a gas grenade was thrown into the room. Beekeepers smoke mixed with sedatives.

A few hours later when Rovena woke up again, the house was empty, the agents, painting gone and it smelled like cleansing agents.