Adventure Overview
Players: Mr. Rhyze, Morton.
Enemies: Mobsters and the Red Wings.
Started: After the conclusion of Gang Wars.
Ended: As the heroes escaped from Gangsta's Paradise.
We rejoin our heroes in that wretched lair of villainy known only as Gangsta's Paradise. Some time had passed since Morton Ragnarson (otherwise known as Magnus Magnusson) had tasted defeat in the Gang Wars tournament. The pilot had spent most of this time sleeping and recovering from the vicious pounding he had taken from the man named Shaimus. Of course, even these wounds didn't prevent Morton from further exploring their current location. And it certainly didn't stop a 'player' like Mr. Rhyze. Both he and Fayde had also been touring the seedy station, gathering useful information and spending lots of money. Because that's what players do.
Gangsta Gossip: This criminal hangout is a great place to gather information on many topics. In fact, with your reputation as a player, people are often more than willing to share their information with you, especially if the price is right. As such, you've spent a bit of time learning the word on the street. Mob Contacts: Obviously, learning the local gossip requires the services of several informants throughout the station. Your reputation as a 'player' and your extravagant tips have allowed you to compile the following list of contacts. Personal Notes: Mini-Objective:
-Rumours abound about the possibility of tunnels beneath the Moosejaw hotel. According to unreliable sources, these secret tunnels stretch underneath the entire station. Their purpose is unknown, but some claim that there is gold hidden in the tunnels of Moosejaw.
-It seems you're not the only newly arrived 'player' on the station. People in the Monte Carlo casino report the presence of Lucky Pierre, the famous and wealthy lawyer. Apparently, he earned his title due to his incredible luck at any form of gambling. From what you've heard, Flat Top is none too pleased with Pierre's performance at the Casino.
-Jimmy the Shoeshine Boy: Jimmy seems to know everything about the mob politics on Gangsta's Paradise, and will tell anyone willing to get their shoes shined.
-The Dancing Girl: One of the dancing girls at the Monte Carlo casino, she seems to have no name. But she does have useful information about highrollers and some less useful information about prizefighters and tournaments on Deksiil.
-The Supplier: You haven't actually met this man, but you've heard that he is able to supply any sort of item for the right price. Apparently, it is quite difficult to arrange a meeting with the elusive and much-sought supplier.
-You are quite enjoying your reputation as a player on this station. Becoming a player seems to involve little more than spending vast quantities of money. Under normal circumstances, you would avoid spending money at all costs. But since you intend to write all expenses off to Commander Zaya in your upcoming report, you might as well continue to establish yourself as a real player. In fact, this job seems almost as good as being a communications officer, but for the lack of abundant Blitzball information.
-Increase your reputation as a 'player' by spending alot of money, which you can later claim as mission expenses.
Gangsta Space Fleet Status: While strolling through the 'parking lot', you got a chance to observe the main fleet docked here at the Paradise. Of course, this is not including the private docking areas used by some of the mob bosses. From what you could see, most of the ships appeared to be run-down and unarmed transports. There were a few APCs, as well as several Falcon fighters. However, none appeared to be in too good condition. They clearly wouldn't stand a chance against a professional space fleet, or one with good pilots like yourself.
Gangsta Gossip: This criminal hangout is a great place to gather information on many topics. In fact, with your reputation as a fighter, people are often more than willing to share their information with you, especially those who bet on you. As such, you've spent a bit of time learning the word on the street.
-Several gangsters are worried that cops may have infiltrated their paradise. Although many attribute the recent disappearance of a major mob boss to the New Guy in Town, there are others who claim it was the work of the police. In particular, these mobsters seem worried that some investigator named Dick Tracy might be preparing to bust the criminal hangout.
-You can personally verify the fact that the Star Wolf squadron is currently docked at the station. They apparently have quite a reputation at this station as the best pilots that money can hire. Obviously, these gangsters haven't taken the Deksiilan starfleet into account! Still, it is always useful to know your enemies, and so you've been listening to all the gossip related to Star Wolf. Unforunately, no one seems to have any information that you haven't heard before, and no one seems to know who the squad is working for at the moment.
Personal Notes:
-Excellent! Your performance in the Gang Wars definitely proved your dominance over both these mobster fighters and Mortal Kombat itself. Of course, you didn't quite manage to win, but that was probably somehow due to blocky controls…or something like that. In any case, you never trusted the man named Shaimus in the first place, and you intend to get even with him sometime. In the interim, it's time for Magnus Magnusson to enjoy his few minutes of fame. After all, you made many people lots of money, and they're surely grateful for it.
-Fighting in the tournament has really built up your appetite. A huge man like yourself needs a huge meal, and the skimpy food served at the casino and nightclub simply doesn't cut it. As such, you have a problem. It can only be satisfied by Papa John's pizza. Surely your newfound fame can be parlayed into the perfect pizza?
Mini-Objective:
-Order and obtain the Perfect Pizza from Papa John's pizza.
The action resumed as all three Epsilon envoys gathered in their room at the Moosejaw Hotel. Fayde noted that they were supposed to meet 'The New Guy in Town' in three hours, leaving them time for their own devices. Morton had finally recovered to full capacity, but discovered that he had a problem of an entirely other sort. After having analysed the situation, he took the appropriate action and called up The Papa. Papa John was pleased to receive the phone call, and even more pleased to hear that Morton was hungry. Morton declared his intention to order a pizza, and the Papa responded in his usual fashion by asking where Morton was calling from. Anxious to avoid a visit from the Papa John's delivery boys, Morton stalled for a few moments before declaring he was in the lobby of the Moosejaw Hotel, and that the Papa could use the oven there to cook the pizza. This was apparently what Papa John had in mind, and would have done with or without Morton's permission. Finally, the Papa asked Morton what kind of toppings he wanted on his pizza. Being a big, burly man, Morton demanded meat of any sort. Of course, the Papa didn't have any of that in stock. In fact, Papa John's did not appear to have any toppings at all. However, the Papa was more than willing to provide Morton with a list of toppings that they didn't have. And if Morton could find some of these toppings, they would be more than happy to put them on the pizza. Morton's growling stomach indicated his agreement with this plan, and he quickly set off to find some pizza toppings.
Not surprisingly, it appears that Papa John's does not carry its own supply of toppings. Thus, you will have to acquire the toppings for the pizza you ordered yourself. The following toppings are officially part of the Papa John's menu, and can thus be included on your 'perfect' pizza - provided you can find them. The pizza you ordered can include up to four of these toppings.
Fayde and Mr. Rhyze also intended to further their own explorations of the station, but they could not nearly match Morton's hungry enthusiasm. As such, the pilot was the first to reach the Chicago Nightclub, where he had a chilling encounter with Big Boy Caprice. Mainly because the mob boss was eating oysters, which was certainly disgusting. Caprice was upset that Morton had beaten his fighters in the tournament, and warned him not to get in his way again. Morton agreed not to in a rather anticlimactic fashion. Shocked that anyone would agree to such a warning so easily, Big Boy sat back down to eat some more oysters. Entering the kitchen, Morton requested to purchase some ingredients. Initially, this earned him only several autoblasters pointed his way. The Gangster chefs were quite upset that he had trespassed onto their turf. However, their opinion changed quickly when Morton offered them a significant cash bribe. With money at stake, the chefs revealed that they did indeed have both bacon and ham, and were persuaded to part with it through more bribes. However, they had no idea where Morton could obtain either pepperoni or Italian sausage. As he exited the nightclub, Morton noted that it would have been easy to obtain seafood from Big Boy Caprice, but it was not an appetizing notion considering the disgusting nature of the oysters involved. Only moments could be spent contemplating this idea before Morton's attention was drawn to a rather strange man standing at the entrance to the club.
Frederique Hernandez Frederique was quick to accost Morton and exclaim excitedly about the gold under the station. In fact, the old miner was willing to share it if Morton helped him dig through the admorite floor. Not at all interested in this ridiculous labor, Morton declared that his search for pizza toppings was far more important than gold. Rather than dissuade Frederique, this instead seemed to send him into a jumping frenzy. According to him, there were also mushrooms under the station, and he meant to get them! Mushrooms hadn't appealed to Morton in the first place, and the sorts that might grow in the alleged tunnels underneath the station were likely less than top quality. After Morton declined Frederique's second offer, the miner returned to his work and began hitting the floor of the nightclub with his pick. A bouncer was there in moments to remove the crazy old man and his requisite mule. This gave Morton the chance he needed to visit the Monte Carlo casino. He was disappointed to find that the kitchen had nothing more than the one at the Chicago Nightclub. However, he did run into Flat Top. The mob boss was impressed with Magnus Magnusson's performance in the tournament, and was willing to help with his pizza order. Flat Top insinuated that getting some of the ingredients might require the help of the one known only as the Supplier. A local legends around the station, this supplier could apparently provide any sort of item for the right price. Contacting him could often be difficult. According to Flat Top, the correct way of doing so was to take a big briefcase of money into the Chicago Nightclub and count it very visibly at one of the tables. After winning the required briefcase from Flat Top in a highly dishonest game of dice, Morton began hatching his plan to meet the supplier.
Race: Unknown
Occupation: Self-Proclaimed Miner
Frederique Hernandez certainly doesn't present a very impressive image. He's old, toothless and loud. To go along with that, he sports a long, grey beard, a red jumpsuit and a straw hat. In addition, he always is always accompanied by both a pick and a mule. He had come to Gangsta's Paradise in search of gold, which he was sure could be found underneath the station. In fact, he seemed to spend most of his time jumping up and down while exclaiming that there was gold in the tunnels under the station, and he meant to get it. Considering his rather primitive mining techniques, this did not seem very likely.
Mr. Rhyze had also decided to pay a visit to the Monte Carlo casino, though for very different reasons. After doling out some generous tips, Mr. Rhyze soon found himself seated next to Flat Top. The mob boss tried to convince the new player to do some high-powered gambling, though Mr. Rhyze declined. Apparently, Flat Top was eager to recoup some of the losses that his casino had recently suffered. Mr. Rhyze correctly identified the source of these losses as Lucky Pierre, the intergalactic lawyer. Much to Flat Top's dismay, this talk actually summoned forth its subject, and moments later, Lucky Pierre approached the two.
Lucky Pierre Lucky Pierre had picked up on Mr. Rhyze's reputation, and offered this new player his business card. Clearly, someone so rich could use some legal support. Thus, Mr. Rhyze was certainly 'lucky' that Pierre was around to provide just such a service. Alternatively, Lucky Pierre was also up for any sort of gambling. Mr. Rhyze said that he would consider both offers, but for the moment had other pressing business to attend to. Of course, this player's pressing business turned out to be a conversation with one of the Dancing Girls. This girl had formerly worked on Deksiil, so Mr. Rhyze was eager to hear her opinion on the Deksiilan Crescent Moons and their chances in the upcoming Blitzball tournament. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to know much about blitzball, but she did seem to have extensive knowledge on underground Deksiilan fighting tournaments.
Morton was more successful in his mission. Now that he had a briefcase, he simply needed to fill it with money. He figured the best way to do this would be to convert a bunch of marks into pesos so he could be seen counting vast amounts of this lower denomination. Finding an ATM proved easy, and convincing the nearby mobsters who were waiting to rob anyone who withdrew money to go check a different ATM machine was also fairly simple. Once he had converted some money, Morton was ready to meet the Supplier. After getting a table in the Chicago Nightclub, Morton began to ostentatiously count the money in his briefcase. This attracted the attention of Big Boy Caprice, and all the other mobsters in the room. It also served to summon the elusive Supplier. The wall of the Club opened up, and dozens of burly gangsters rushed in, firing autoblasters randomly in the air. Their leader strolled into the club slowly, and paused dramatically before seating himself at Morton's table.
Vestrada Apparently, part of meeting the Supplier involved a painful headlock and a can of Vanilla Coke. Once Morton had dealt with these dangers, he was able to communicate his needs to Vestrada. Rather smugly, the latter declared that he indeed had both pepperoni and Italian sausage. To prove this point, Vestrada opened his trenchcoat to reveal a bunch of sausages hanging from small hooks. In fact, the Supplier was offering a special deal on Italian Sausage, since he was, himself, Italian. For some reason, it seemed important for him to point this out as much as possible. Even with this discount, Morton had to pay a large sum to obtain the two desired toppings, but Vestrada assured him that the quality of the meat would prove well worth the cost. That said, the Supplier and his men exited the club, and the wall closed behind them. Now, Morton was almost ready to dine. But first, his experience with Vanilla Coke had only further encouraged him to reach for the real thing. Running over to a nearby vending machine, the pilot purchased a bottle of Coke to supplement his pizza. All the supplies gathered, Morton returned to the hotel to place a call to the Papa.
James Coburn, owner of the Moosejaw Hotel, was not overly pleased with Morton's intention of calling the Papa's men to the lobby. But he couldn't refuse for fear of a broken oven. Before long, the delivery boys had arrived. After slapping Morton's toppings on the pizza, they stuck it in the oven to cook. And then demanded both payments and tips. Eventually, Morton agreed to pay them the high price for the first pizza in the order. Of course, if he had wanted subsequent pizzas, they would have been much cheaper. But he would still have to provide more toppings. In the end, the delivery boys were satisfied by drinking Morton's Coke, and departed without a fight. The pizza itself was good, and could almost have been called 'perfect' if only it had included a nearby Coca-Cola classic. Still, Morton was satisfied, and was able to consume the entire pizza before either Mr. Rhyze or Fayde returned to the room.
Race: Arsan
Occupation: Famous Lawyer and Really Lucky Guy
There's not much bad that could be said about Lucky Pierre. That's likely because if you did find some sort of negative comment, Pierre would surely sue you. And he always wins his cases. Lucky Pierre wore a green robe, an orange scarf and some sort of blue hat. He had something of a french accent. Of course, his main characteristics were his incredible luck, wealth and ego. All of these three things were frequently on display when he gambled in the Monte Carlo casino. Even the slot machines could not quench the luck of this lawyer. He was also known for winning some very high profile cases that some experts considered hopeless. His methods, aside from pure luck, remain a complete mystery.
Race: Italian
Occupation: The Supplier
Vestrada was known by many names, including his own, The Supplier and Gullano. He was primarily characterised by the fact that he was Italian, and by the fact that none of his associates seemed able to decide whether to call him Vestrada or Gullano. Especially since he would respond to both names. Vestrada had neatly combed grey hair, an Italian suit and sunglasses. He also wore a trenchcoat, from which he could produce any item - for the right price. Except for Vanilla Coke, which he would freely give to anyone persistent enough to find him. His prices weren't low, but if you had the money, Gullano could get you the stuff you needed. Even if it was only pizza toppings.
The time had finally come for the meeting with the New Guy in Town. Fayde explained that they were supposed to gather outside the New Guy's Turf, at which point they would be guided inside. Now that his stomach was full, Morton was ready to meet this new mob boss. Mr. Rhyze was also prepared, and after one more adjustment of his black hat, to ensure it hid his eyes, he led the way from the hotel. When the three reached the corridor leading into the New Guy's turf, they found Flat Top and Big Boy Caprice waiting for them. Apparently, they were receiving first class guides. Both mob bosses were armed; Flat Top cradling a Tommy Gun, and Caprice with a big plate of oysters. After a few warning comemnts, Caprice led them past the idling guards and along a long hallway, lined with warehouses. Eventually, they were brought into a large room containing only a desk, a chair and a bank of TV monitors on the wall. Further inspection revealed that no one was sitting in the chair. Big Boy Caprice was quite upset, and complained that New Guy often made people wait to see him. However, he had barely finished this statement when a secret passage opened in the wall. Moments later, the New Guy entered the room, gun blazing. An autoblaster, to be exact. And it was in the hands of the one Morton and Mr. Rhyze knew only as Gangster #1. He was followed closely by Mallistayre the Red.
After several more volleys of gunfire, Gangster #1 declared that after the heores had killed Jabba the Hut, he had risen to become leader of Jabba's gang. And now he was going to take them down. His plan for killing them was, as usual, uselessly elaborate. It involved giving them cement shoes and launching them out into space. Mr. Rhyze's questions about the effectiveness of this plan only caused Gangster #1 to order his boys to attack. Unwilling to disobey the New Guy, both Big Boy and Flat Top prepared to attack. They were joined by Mallistayre, who was ready to take Morton down, while Gangster #1 hung back and fired his gun ceaselessly. The battle began with Big Boy eating some oysters in an extremely disgusting fashion. This seemed to bother everyone but Morton, who smashed Flat Top with a DFW. Meanwhile, Flat Top began firing his Tommy Gun madly, doing considerable damage. Mr. Rhyze and Fayde retaliated by laying a smackdown on Flat Top. Meanwhile, Mallistayre hit Morton with some Street Brawl of his own. Things were looking grim for the heroes, but dropping Flat Top before he could shoot again considerably increased their odds. Fayde's Fade Out also allowed him to avoid Big Boy's eyegouges. However, Caprice made use of his Big Villain ability to resist most non-dramatic damage. Of course, not much could be more dramatic than a DFW from Morton, and eventually, Caprice went down for the count.
This left only Mallistayre and Gangster #1 himself. During the confusion of battle, the latter had managed to grab the fallen Flat Top's Tommy Gun. Now, Gangster #1 was unleashing a vicious volley from both autoblasters at once, though he didn't seem to have much control over where he was aiming. However, before the battle could intensify, a loud alarm started beeping. This was accompanied by the flashing of red emergency lights. A gangster's voice crackled over the intercom to inform the Boss that the station was under attack. All combat ceased as Gangster #1 switched on one of the video monitors. It showed a view of space, and of many Drakkhaan fighters approaching Gangsta's Paradise. These fighters were blowing apart any nearby gangster ships. As they approached, Morton and Mr. Rhyze could finally discern the symbol of a Red Wing on the sides of the ships. Moments later, another gangster reported that the enemy had landed within the station. Gangster #1 switched to a different monitor, which showed Captain Ataris disembarking in the parking lot. He was flanked by dozens of Spheran Red Wings, equipped with Cyber-suits and lazer rifles. Ataris wasted no time in declaring that this lair of villainy should be shut down permanently. And since the gangsters could not be trusted, his men should shoot first and ask questions later. Morton used the distraction of this video in an attempt to mug Gangster #1, but it only resulted in him punching through one of the monitors. Mallistayre tried the same tactic on Morton, but with the same lack of success. Deciding that it was time to escape, Gangster #1 used his special hit and run to make the heroes leap for cover while he and Mallistayre the Red made their exit through the secret door.
Considering the instructions Ataris had given to his men, Mr. Rhyze thought that it would be best if they left the station as soon as possible. Both Morton and Fayde agreed, and the three crept from the room back down the corridor leading out of the New Guy's turf. As they moved through the corridors, the three could hear sounds of fighting and gunfire from other portions of the station. They soon found themselves involved in one of these conflicts. When they turned one of the corners in the corridor, they came under fire from a pair of Red Wings. Morton's bullets proved no match for the Red Wing lazers, and the three were forced to pull back. Fayde suggested looking for a different route back to the Parking Lot. To the sounds of pursuing Spherans, the heroes backtracked ('cause it's better than Branch and Bound) down the corridor until they came to a warehouse they had not yet explored. Upon entering, they found the ship that had brought them to this station. The Croissant had been stripped down, and was being stored in this hangar. It appeared that the New Guy, Gangster #1, had indeed been responsible for its theft. This disappointed both Mr. Rhyze and Morton, since they had suspected the problem had been caused by Papa John. Mr. Rhyze quickly pulled out his digital camera and took several pictures of the ship. He had only just finished this task when four more people burst into the room.
It was a gang of four mobsters, searching for loot amidst the confusion of the raid. All were armed with autoblasters, and didn't hesitate to bring them to bear when they discovered that the heroes had defeated Flat Top and Caprice, thus surely making them loaded. Weakened from the previous fight, Morton dropped rather quickly under a hail of bullets. Mr. Rhyze was also in bad shape, though he and Fayde managed to drop two of the gangsters. However, it looked like the last two would blast down the communications officer as well. Fortunately, they never got that chance. The darkened warehouse was subtly illuminated by black psi-fire which brought both opponents down. The source of this fire was apparently a man in a black trenchcoat, who had entered unnoticed during the battle. Noting that the Red Wings were probably on their way to this area, the blond-haired stranger suggested they leave through the method that had brought him to this area, by taking the Tunnels of Moosejaw. After waking Morton up, Mr. Rhyze and Fayde followed this newcomer to a hatch in the corner of the warehouse. Soon, all four had lowered themselves into the dark tunnels. With no questions asked, all three heroes followed the man in the trenchcoat through the network of tunnels, and into almost certain danger.
There were tunnels under this station, and lots of them. Apparently, they spread to all corners of Gangsta's Paradise. Before long, even the man in the black trenchcoat was willing to admit that he was lost. However, their aimless wandering eventually brought them to a lighted chamber. And this chamber was occupied. Its occupants included a surly mobster and many kegs of rum. Apparently, this was the center of a bootlegging operation that had been set up in the Tunnels of Moosejaw. As such, the mobster was guarding a large amount of Crown Gold, the locally brewed booze. When asked why all this alocohol was hidden underneath the station, the mobster explained that several of the mob bosses had been expecting prohibition to be initiated on Sphere at any moment. At which point, this supply of booze would be worth more than gold. And who would suspect that the bootlegging operation was centered underneath the Moosejaw Hotel? This explaination didn't much interest Morton. He simply wanted to know the way out of the tunnels. Grumpily, the mobster replied that if he knew the way, he would have left long ago. In the end, the protagonists proceeded on their way after only taking a couple kegs for the road.
Go to page two for more details on the Mob Hits, see?
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