Jump to content

Mavnn

HERO Member
  • Posts

    219
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Mavnn

  1. Tifa! This is a GM sheet rather than a full character sheet, so some of her disads are incorrect (some of them as the same as Nemo's at the moment).

     

    Tifa

     

    Player: NPC

     

    Val Char Cost

    15 STR 5

    20 DEX 30

    16 CON 12

    10 BODY 0

    13 INT 3

    14 EGO 8

    18 PRE 8

    18 COM 4

     

    7 PD 4 Resistant: 13/21/r6/14

    7 ED 4 Resistant: 13/21/r6/14

    5 SPD 20

    6 REC 0

    32 END 0

    26 STUN 0

     

    6" RUN 0

    2" SWIM 0

    6" LEAP 0

    Characteristics Cost: 98

     

    Cost Power

    12 Limit Breaks: Multipower, 60-point reserve, all slots: (60 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost 10x END (-4)

    1u 1) Beat Rush: Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6, Autofire (5 shots; +1/2) (15 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) (uses END Reserve)

    1u 2) Dolphin Uppercut: Hand-To-Hand Attack +6d6, Variable Special Effects Water or Physical (+1/4), Double Knockback 2x KB (+3/4) (60 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2) (uses END Reserve)

    10 Limit Gauge: Elemental Control, 30-point powers, all slots: (15 Active Points); Shared Absorption Max (-1/2)

    11 1) Absorption 3d6 (Physical), Can Absorb Maximum of 30 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes) (+1/2) (31 Active Points)

    11 2) Absorption 3d6 (Energy), Can Absorb Maximum of 30 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes) (+1/2) (31 Active Points)

    3 Mana Reserve: Endurance Reserve (20 END, 4 REC) Reserve: (6 Active Points) REC: (4 Active Points); Only While In Deep Sleep (-2)

    3 Anime Leap!: Leaping +3" (6" forward, 3" upward) (uses Personal END)

    7 Bracers and Shoulder Pad: Armor (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); Activation Roll (Covers Hands) 8- (-2), OIF (-1/2)

    Powers Cost: 59

     

    Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

    Zangan-Ryu Martial Arts

    4 1) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort

    4 2) Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; +10 STR to Disarm roll

    4 3) Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

    5 4) Flying Kick/Roundhouse Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +4d6 Strike

    4 5) Punch/Elbow/Knee: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, STR +2d6 Strike

    3 6) Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, STR +v/5, Target Falls

    3 7) Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, STR +1d6 Strike, Target Falls

    Martial Arts Cost: 27

     

    Cost Skill

    3 Acrobatics 13-

    0 Acting 8-

    3 Analyze: Style 12-

    3 AK: Midgar (INT-based) 12-

    1 AK: Nibelheim (INT-based) 8-

    3 Breakfall 13-

    3 Bureaucratics 13-

    3 Climbing 13-

    0 Concealment 8-

    0 Conversation 8-

    0 Deduction 8-

    3 KS: Zangan-Ryu Martial Arts (INT-based) 12-

    1 KS: Shinra's Dirty Secrets (INT-based) 8-

    3 Persuasion 13-

    0 PS: Martial Artist 11-

    3 PS: Bar Maid (PRE-based) 13-

    3 Seduction 13-

    0 Shadowing 8-

    3 Stealth 13-

    0 TF: Custom Adder, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles [Notes: Custom Mod is Everyman Skill]

    8 +1 with All Combat

    5 +1 with HTH Combat

    6 +2 with Zangan-Ryu Martial Arts

    Skills Cost: 54

     

     

    Cost Talent

    12 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

    Talents Cost: 12

     

    Total Character Cost: 250

     

    Pts. Disadvantage

    10 Distinctive Features: Mako Eyes (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures) [Notes: Listed as 'Not Distinctive In Some Cultures' as only people with a military background would realise the significance.]

    5 Distinctive Features: Handsome Enough to Remember (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

    25 Hunted: Unknown 11- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence)

    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence; Limited Geographical Area)

    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish)

    15 Dependent NPC: Unknown 11- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC; Group DNPC: x2 DNPCs)

    15 Susceptibility: Unknown 1d6 damage, per Phase (Uncommon)

    Disadvantage Points: 100

    Base Points: 150

    Experience Required: 0

    Total Experience Available: 0

    Experience Unspent: 0

  2. Thought I might as well give some character sheets as teasers while you're waiting - firstly, our hero as he currently stands. (In keeping with the FF computer games and the plot I've chosen, I'm giving frequent and fairly large xp awards).

     

    Nemo

     

    Player: Tim

     

    Val Char Cost

    20 STR 10

    17 DEX 21

    18 CON 16

    15 BODY 10

    13 INT 3

    14 EGO 8

    18/23*PRE 8

    18 COM 4

     

    9 PD 5 Totals: 15(25)/r6(16)

    9 ED 5 Totals: 15(25)/r6(16)

    4 SPD 13

    8 REC 0

    36 END 0

    34 STUN 0

     

    6" RUN 0

    2" SWIM 0

    7" LEAP 0

    Characteristics Cost: 103

     

    * Value after slash includes bonus from Cape

     

    Cost Power

    12 Limit Breaks: Multipower: Each use of a Limit Break power uses 30 Limit Gauge Points

    1u 1) Cleave!: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 3d6 +1 (4 1/2d6 w/STR); plus Leaping +10" (16" forward, 8" upward); Must spend END on both Killing Attack and Leaping

    1u 2) Upwards Spiral: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (2 1/2d6 w/STR), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Area Of Effect (2" radius; +3/4)

     

    32 Limit Gauge: Absorb (Physical and Energy) 3d6 to Limit Gauge

    (The first time you are hit in a segment, roll 3d6. You can absorb that many points of BODY over the course of the segment to your 'Limit Gauge'. Once you've absorbed 30 points, you can activate a Limit Break. You can't absorb more than 30 points, and the points fade at a rate of 5 per 5 mins - unlike FF7, you don't keep your charge indefinately. Absorption is applied before defenses (you can absorb BODY from attacks that do not hurt you), and does not reduce the damage you take.)

     

    5 Mana Reserve: Endurance Reserve (40 END, 4 REC) Reserve: (8 Active Points) REC: (4 Active Points); Only While In Deep Sleep (-2)

     

    3 Anime Leap!: Leaping +3" (7" forward, 4"; included in total above)

     

    14 Big Ass Sword: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (2d6 +1 total w/STR), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (45 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Min 15 (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)

     

    6 That Sword's Big Enough to Hide Behind!: Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) (15 Active Points); OAF (Focus (Big Ass Sword); -1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)

     

    8 Bracers and Shoulder Pad: Armor (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Activation Roll (Covers locations 7-9) 8- (-2), OIF (-1/2)

    (Your armor pieces are strong, but don't cover much of your body - they only add to your defenses on a 8- dice roll)

     

    2 Big Red Cape: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); OAF (-1)

    (You are both harder to impress, and more impressive while wearing big capes. You like your safety blankets :) )

     

    Powers Cost: 84

     

     

    Cost Skill

    (Skills with 0 cost are 'Everyman' skills, that all characters get for free)

    0 Acting 8-

    3 Analyze: Combat 12-

    3 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 12-

    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-

    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-

    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-

    3 Breakfall 12-

    3 Climbing 12-

    0 Concealment 8-

    0 Conversation 8-

    0 Deduction 8-

    3 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 12-

    1 KS: The Shinra Military (INT-based) 8-

    1 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 8-

    1 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 8-

    3 Paramedics 12-

    3 Persuasion 13- (14-)

    0 PS: Unknown 11-

    1 Seduction 8-

    0 Shadowing 8-

    3 Stealth 12-

    3 Tactics 12-

    0 TF: Custom Adder, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles [Notes: Custom Mod is Everyman Skill]

    8 +1 with All Combat

    5 +1 with HTH Combat

    12 +4 with Swords

    4 +2 with Cleave!

    Skills Cost: 63

     

     

    Cost Talent

    12 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)

    (Combat Luck represents your luck and experience in combat. Game mechanics wise, it functions exactly as Armour - but only when you're actively fighting. Being ambushed, being completely immobilized, etc will stop the power functioning. The special effect of the power is that while you're fighting nothing quite connects with you solidly.)

    Talents Cost: 12

     

    Total Character Cost: 262

     

    Pts. Disadvantage

    10 Distinctive Features: Mako Eyes (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures) [Notes: Listed as 'Not Distinctive In Some Cultures' as only people with a military background would realise the significance.]

    5 Distinctive Features: Handsome Enough to Remember (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

    25 Hunted: Unknown 11- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence)

    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence; Limited Geographical Area)

    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish)

    15 Dependent NPC: Unknown 11- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC; Group DNPC: x2 DNPCs)

    15 Susceptibility: Unknown 1d6 damage, per Phase (Uncommon)

     

    Disadvantage Points: 100

    Base Points: 150

    Experience Required: 12

    Total Experience Available: 12

    Experience Unspent: 0

  3. You get to wait a week while the player goes on holiday ;).

     

    Tim, who plays Nemo is dissappearing off with his lovely lady this coming week, and inconviently leaving us half way through a turn.

     

    There should be an update fairly soon after that, including a moment of plot revelation (dun dun dah!).

     

    And maybe some angst, depending on Nemo's mood.

     

    Michael

  4. I could be wrong, but wouldn't this construction require you to take an action resetting the trigger every time it goes off? Or does persistant avoid that problem? (I'm bookless at the moment).

     

    Of course, that might be deliberate, but I got the impression from the description that it should function without conscious effort.

     

    Michael

  5. There and Back Again

     

    The tunnel was dark, dank, and dismal. The faint smell of hot metal

    drifting down the tunnel towards them from the train wreck they'd just

    left didn't really help either.

     

    Nemo stood to one side as Tifa checked Aeris over, and a brief pantomime

    went one between the two girls until Tifa clicked. "Of course," she

    said. "Silence. Knowing Aeris was capable of using materia, they decided

    to play it safe." The girl next to her nodded.

     

    "But you're OK otherwise?" Tifa asked. Aeris nodded to her. Tifa smiled

    in relief, and then turned back to Nemo.

     

    "OK, what's the plan?" Tifa looked both pleased and pensive. "Your plan

    to get Aeris back was great, and saved us I don't know how trouble from

    security in the station - but I don't know this part of the tunnels at

    all. We must be well above ground level now. Do you want to try and

    retrace our steps, or break out of the tunnel."

     

    Nemo looked around. "Let's find the nearest maintenance hatch and get

    out into the city. I don't want to be here when Shinra come looking for

    us."

     

    Tifa and Aeris both seemed to agree heartily with that one. The small

    party headed off, keeping a close eye on the tunnel walls until they

    reached a maintenance hatch. The hatch opened to a series of hand holds

    on the outside of the tunnel, leading out to some of the pipes between

    the upper and lower city. Soon the three of them were out among the web

    of conduits and pipes that hung from the upper city like the tendrals of

    a jelly fish.

     

    Progress down was slow, and Nemo was glad more than once he didn't

    suffer from vertigo. The train had travelled fast, and they were quite a

    way above the slums. It was from this viewpoint that they saw the

    security alert begin - all across the lower city, alarms started

    flashing on the tops of security stations, and Shinra grunts began to

    scurry around like ants below them. A system of road blocks and security

    cordons was being put in place with frightening speed.

     

    Nemo looked concerned. "We're going to need somewhere to hide when we

    get down there. Do you have anywhere prepared that we should aim to get

    down near?" he asked Tifa.

     

    Tifa shook her head. "We do, but I don't think we'll be able to get to

    it with the city like that. I've never seen this kind of security

    response - I can't believe the escape of a slum prisoner could get them

    so worked up."

     

    "I think it is reasonably clear that there is more to young Miss

    Gainsborough than meets the eye." Said Nemo as he cast a critical glance

    at Aeris. "In the mean time we need somewhere to lie low." Nemo started

    scanning the city for likely locations to hide.

     

    Aeris smiled at Nemo, but didn't comment. Nemo wasn't sure from her

    expression wether she would have done had she been able to.

     

    Then they all heard it - the slow wail of alarms from above them

    starting up as well.

     

    "The upper city..." said Tifa. "They _never_ put the upper city on

    alert. It upsets the inhabitants too much." She looked at Aeris who

    shrugged helplessly.

     

    Nemo looked up from the city below. If they were going to hide, the

    dangling confusion here looked a better bet than the teaming city below.

    But if they'd put the upper city on alert, they would likely get round

    to searching here too.

     

    "Right. Let's find somewhere to hide up here. If we can wait out the

    alert we can then try to get back to the lower city." Said Nemo,

    beginning to move again.

     

    The trio had barely taken three steps, when Nemo caught a flash of

    flying movement out of the corner of his eye. Leaping down from upper

    city to lower, in huge, tremendous leaps, was a figure. Dressed in

    black, trailing silver hair and a shining sliver of metal 7 feet long,

    Nemo didn't get a clear look at the figure - but he didn't need to.

     

    Sepheroth. The hero of the Wutai wars, who'd dissappeared so years ago.

     

    "Well bugger me gently with a chainsaw." Nemo exclaimed softly. "I

    don't think the alert up here is for us. I think it's for him." he said,

    pointing at the departing form of Sephiroth. "Let's get hidden and wait

    for him to lead them all away from us.

     

    The three of them took cover in the the tangled web between cities, and

    watched as security continued to scour the city beneath them. It looked

    like at would take hours, and after a while Tifa laid down on the

    conduit they were standing on. "Unless you have any bright suggestions,

    I'm going to take a nap."

     

    "Good idea." Agreed Nemo. "You two get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

    Having said this, Nemo went back to watching the security forces in the

    city below scurrying like ants.

     

    Hours stretched past. Eventually, the new day dawned over the city. Not

    much light made it down to the undercity, but enough for the change to

    be obvious. People began moving around in greater numbers as the morning

    rush hour began to get underway. The three of them had taken it in turns

    to nap, and now all of them felt slightly more refreshed.

     

    "We could try and slip into the rush hour crowds," Aeris suggested.

     

    Nemo nodded. "Good idea. Glad your voice has recovered by the way." Nemo

    smiled at her before turning to Tifa. "Where are we aiming for? The more

    of the journey we can do up here the less time we have to spend avoiding

    guards in the city."

     

    Aeris smiled. Tifa looked thoughtful. "We've got a safe house in Sector

    5. Barret will have left any messages at a drop point nearby - maybe

    he'll be able to tell us what's going on, if nothing else."

     

    "Sounds good." Nemo agreed. "Let's get this over with, the advantage of

    rush hour will be gone if we move to slowly." That said, Nemo started

    moving towards sector 5.

     

    Progress was swift, and the trio soon arrived above their destination.

    They picked their way down to a street level alley, and then Tifa turned

    to the others. "It might be best if you two wait here for a moment. I

    think I'm probably the least recognizable of us, and I'd like to see

    what Barrett's left in the drop box."

     

    Nemo agreed, and Tifa left him and Aeris behind. Nemo then turned to

    Aeris, "So then Miss Gainsborough, I'm sure you've been expecting this

    question, and I'm fairly certain what the answer is, but I'd like to

    hear it from you. Are you guilty of the murder charges against you?" He

    asked.

     

    Aeris looked far away, and her voice was sad. "No. Of course not." Her

    eyes came up to meet Nemo's, and something about them tugged deep

    inside them. They had no Mako taint, but they had power, none-the-less.

     

    She kept his gaze. "At least one of the deaths wasn't a murder at all."

     

    "Interesting." Said Nemo. "I'd like to hear more on that, but right now

    I'm concerned that there may still be a murderer wandering around the

    city." Nemo paused. "I said before that either Shinra capitalised on the

    existance of a serial killer who was already operating, or they arranged

    the deaths themselves. I was rather hoping you would be able to

    enlighten me as to which?"

     

    "I don't know," she said, her voice soft. "I know that the person sent

    to murder me died, and I didn't know who he was or where he came from.

    He carried a short, straight edged sword and wore a black suit and hood

    with a cloth across his mouth as a mask."

     

    As she talked Nemo felt the stirrings of a memory and collapsed under

    the painful assault of knowledge.

     

    ...he was standing in a forest glade, the night dark and raining.

    Lightning flashed down nearby, impacting close enough that the ground

    beneath his feet shock. He was bleeding from several wounds, and

    twisting back and forth in the middle of the clearing trying to look in

    all directions at once.

     

    In the forest around him, black shapes slipped back and forth, and then

    suddenly, as the next lightning bolt hammered down, the shapes leapt

    into the clearing as one.

     

    6 figures, all clothed in black, carrying short straight edged blades.

    Moving in lazyily crossing circles, they surrounded him, slowly closing.

    He knew that he wasn't good enough to take all of them, and with the

    calmness of imminent death he raised his sword into fighting position

    one last time.

     

    And then, down from the sky plummeted his dues ex machina. Sephiroth

    dropped, hair billowing behind him, Masamune outstretched in his hand

    with materia studded around it's hilt.

     

    "Ultima." said the Soldier.

     

    There was a flash of green...

     

    ...and Nemo's eyes snapped back open. He was lying on the floor of the

    alleyway, Aeris standing over him anxiously.

     

    "Are you alright?" she asked.

     

    Nemo stood, ignoring the question. "I've encountered assassins like the

    one you describe." Said Nemo. "Six of them tried to kill me once. They

    would have succeded too, if Sephiroth hadn't arrived to help me." Nemo

    looked up at Aeris, smiling grimly. "Still, no point in dwelling in the

    past when we have more than enough to worry us in the present. Do you

    know why anyone would want to kill you?" He asked.

     

    Aeris shook her head. "The only thing I have to go on is what the media

    were speculating - that he was killing people for materia. People know

    that I do have access to some, so..."

     

    "That still doesn't explain why Shinra took an interest in you." Nemo

    said. "I'm missing something here." Nemo shook his head in irritation.

    "Sephiroth. What is Sephiroth doing here? If he's been called in to help

    find you, then we are in big trouble..." Nemo paused and a thought

    struck him, "Are any of your materia particularly unusual or rare? That

    might explain why Shinra would want you."

     

    She shook her head. "I don't think any of my materia would interest

    them. Hojo's been interested in me for a while, but I've been careful

    not to give him any excuses to take me up to the upper city. Until

    now... Fortunately, the Turks learnt what was going on, and sent Rude to

    get me rather than letting one of Hojo's .... experiments ... do it. And

    then you rescued me anyway, so I don't have to worry about wether the

    Turks have enough political clout to keep me out of Hojo's hands."

     

    "The Turks might have enough power to keep you safe, but sooner or later

    they would be given a direct order to hand you over to Hojo." Said Nemo.

    "You're sure you have no idea why Hojo is interested in you? He asked

    again. "

     

    Before Aeris had a chance to answer, Tifa came back round the corner.

    "We've got problems, boys and girls. Big problems." She shook her head

    slightly as if not quite believing something. "They've put out our

    descriptions on the streets, with a reward. They're claiming we killed

    President Shinra."

     

    Aeris gasped.

     

    Nemo just stared at Tifa in incredulity for a moment before snapping out

    of it. "Right. We have to get out of the city, and we have to do it

    fast. I don't want to end up being someone's scapegoat." He said.

    "What's the best way out of the city?" he asked Tifa.

     

    Tifa looked down at her feet, concentrating hard. "They will have locked

    down the lower city gates as soon as the news was put out. Only thing I

    can think of off hand would be to try and climb over the wall or try and

    head up into the upper city and leave by road or air. Both options will

    be guarded, though."

     

    "I suspect that showing our faces in the upper city would be something

    akin to suicide." Nemo said. "We'll be better off trying to find a way

    over the wall. Any idea where is going to be the easiest place to scale

    it?" He asked Tifa.

     

    It was Aeris who answered, to Nemo's surprise. "I think I might know a

    way out of the city," she said, "It won't be guarded by Shinra, I don't

    think, but it won't be safe either."

     

    Nemo looked at Aeris. "Right now Miss Gainsborough, I can deal with

    dangerous if it gets us out of the city undetected." He said. "What's

    your plan?"

     

    "This city is built above an area of high Mako concentration. There is a

    way down into the Mako caves under the city, and they are large enough

    to have exits outside of the city walls - but the Mako levels down there

    are dangerously high. The creatures who live there have been mutated by

    the mako exposure - they cannot leave the caves as they require the

    ambiant mako energy to survive in their mutated state, but they will

    probably try and stop us travelling through." Aeris finished her

    explaination and looked straight at Nemo. "I don't know if it would be

    any safer than facing Shinra security going over the wall, but it would

    be another option."

     

    "If we go out through the caves it may be more dangerous in the short

    term, but it will mean we can leave the city without Shinra knowing.

    They'll still be searching for us here whereas we will be long gone."

    Said Nemo. "They've blamed us for killing President Shinra, if they

    catch us leaving the city, they're going to chase us down no matter

    where we go. I say we go with the caves."

     

    Tifa nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. Aeris, where are these caves?"

     

    "We need to get to the church in Sector 7. There's a way into them from

    the church basements - the church is older than Midgar, one of the only

    buildings to survive the creation of the city."

     

    "All we need now is to find a way to the church without being seen. It's

    a bit of a trek, so it might be safer to climb back onto the conduits to

    get there. Unless you two ladies happen to know a sneakier way?" Nemo

    grinned at them.

     

    The two of them looked at each other and shook their heads. "Over the

    top it is," said Tifa, cracking her knuckles together.

     

    The journey back across the city so uneventful as the trio climbed

    through the pipes and conduits hanging down from the saucer above.

     

    "I think it might have been Sephiroth who killed President Shinra," said

    Tifa softly as climbed along. "The description put out was for a man in

    black with a sword, and I think they've mixed the two incidents

    together. But I can't see why Sephiroth would have done it - he was the

    hero of the Wutai war, the symbol of Shinra's military."

     

    Nemo thought back quickly. So far, the only two people he could remember

    from his former life were Hojo and Sephiroth. Hojo probably wasn't going

    to be much help, but Sephiroth might be able to tell him about his past.

     

    "I don't know either." Said Nemo, "But the easiest way to find out would

    be to ask him. Besides if he's being hunted by Shinra as well, it might

    help us if we stuck together. I'm willing to bet he's out of the city by

    now, so our best bet is going to follow him once we escape."

     

    They continued their climb down towards the church building in Sector 7.

    Dropping down onto the roof from a nearby conduit, they made their way

    inside through a window, and set off towards the floor of the church.

    Nemo was surprised to see a carefully tended flower bed in the middle of

    the church, a patch of ground where the floor boards had been ripped up.

     

    Aeris gestured towards the flower bed. "That's what I use my materia

    for, Nemo. I don't think flower growing materia are high on Hojo's

    priority list."

     

    "Hojo is a sadistic madman. I don't think I want to try and second guess

    his reasoning." Said Nemo. "If there is anything here you want to take

    with you, then grab it, and let's get out of here.

     

    Aeris moved into a back room and rummaged briefly, returning with a

    small pack. "I'm ready." Given she was about to leave her home and

    everything she'd ever known behind, she was remarkably calm.

     

    The party moved off towards the back of the church, Aeris leading them

    into the vestry and then down through a trap door into a basement. The

    rocky room was bare and cold, and the back wall looked like at had been

    smashed forwards into the basement at some point in the past. Nemo was

    impressed - something must have hit the wall pretty hard from the other

    side to have that kind of effect.

     

    Tifa came through the trapdoor last, swinging it shut behind her, and

    all three of them spent a moment looking at the eerie blue-ish green

    glow flooding in from the hole in the wall.

     

    "No need for lights, at least," said Tifa. She didn't sound

    outstandingly happy.

     

    Nemo stepped through the hole in the wall and looked around. "Rather

    beautiful, isn't it?" He said, then looked back at Aeris, "I can see why

    you like it. Which way do we need to go?"

     

    The cavern was formed of smooth, flowing, rock formations, as if they

    rock had been poured out and then frozen in place before it had a chance

    to settle. The strange light reflected some it's smooth surfaces, and

    all around the cavern little sparks of light marked crystal structures.

     

    Aeris looked around and then turned back to Nemo and smiled. "I don't

    know, I'm afraid. I know that the caves come out in some places outside

    the city, but I've never explored very far into them. The creatures down

    here can get a bit aggressive on occassion."

     

    As if to punctuate her speech a small red furred rodent like creature

    scurried out of a side tunnel and stopped to glare at them. After a

    moment to opened it's mouth wide, and breathed a jet of flame about the

    size of a cigerette lighters, obviously expecting some response to it's

    mighty display of power.

     

    "Well, this one certainly has the attitude." Nemo said with a small

    smile. "It's almost cute, but I'm sure he's not the top of the food

    chain down here so keep an eye out." Nemo looked around the cave. "That

    way looks as good as any." He said, pointing to a passageway and

    starting to walk. "Let's see if we can't find a way out."

  6. Easy in, easy out?

     

    Nemo followed Tifa as they crawled up the sloping maintenance, trying

    hard not to concentrate too much on the interesting view. Getting a bed

    for the night hadn't been a problem with the money he'd picked up from

    the mugger, and the two of them had meet up without the problems the

    next night. Wedge was back at the Seventh Heaven ready to run

    intererence on the surveillance systems in the security station, and

    Tifa had then lead Nemo here, to the entrance to the supply tunnels.

     

    It only took a couple of moments to make it up to the supply tunnel

    proper (which the trains ran through), and Tifa climbed back to her

    feet, shaking her muscles out a bit. She'd changed out of her bar maids

    outfit from last night, and was wearing a black jump suit, and a pair of

    gloves that looked to Nemo to contain a materia slot each. At his best

    guess, the two slots would probably act as paired. A glittering green

    jem sat in one of the slots, with a pale blue companion sitting in the

    other.

     

    She turned to look at him. "Right, we're about half a mile from the base

    here. If you hear a train coming, drop down into the service pit between

    the lines and stay there till it's gone - you won't get much time to

    respond, as they travel pretty fast." She reached into a pocket, and

    drew out two more materia. "I also thought you might find these useful."

    She passed the two stones over.

     

    Nemo took each in turn and 'felt' at them. One was the Fira stone from

    last night, the other felt like a barrier spell - good for defending

    from physical attacks.

     

    "Thank you." Nemo said as he clipped the two gems into his sword. "Let's

    get moving, we don't want to be here any longer than we have to be." He

    said as he started moving along the tracks towards their target.

     

    Tifa nodded as they headed down the tunnel towards their goal. They

    travelled for a while, and Tifa was just pointing out the tunnel exit in

    the distance that they would be using when there was a whistling noise

    from the tunnel behind them.

     

    "Down!" Tifa's voice was sharp, but Nemo had already realised what was

    happening, and dropped along with her. Moments later a blur passed over

    head and came to a stop at the entrance ahead of them.

     

    "Damn." Tifa's voice was low now, but her tone carried weight. "That's a

    passenger train, not one of the automated supply vehicles - they must

    have moved the transfer forward."

     

    She turned to Nemo, "What's the plan? We can't get through that entrance

    easily with a ruddy great train parked on it, and we need to act

    fast..."

     

    "The way I see it, we can go through the train itself, or under it."

    Nemo paused. "If we go through, we stand a good chance of losing the

    element of surprise, so going under would seem like the best option."

     

    Nemo considered for a second, then moved towards the hatch. He tried to

    remove the hatch as quietly as possible, before sneaking into the

    carriage.

     

    The door barely made a noise as Nemo lifted it, then slipped through the

    opening into the carriage. No-one else was around, and the door into the

    Security Station stood open. Tifa quickly slipped through the hatch

    behind him, and the two of them stood silently for a moment in the

    train.

     

    A voice could be heard drifting in from the security station, the deep

    in tone and used to being in command. "I don't care what your time table

    says, little man. I have the correct papers here, signed by Tseng

    himself. We've come early to pick up the girl to avoid any possible

    rescue attempts."

     

    Nemo and Tifa glanced at each other, and seeing the recognition, nodded.

    They both knew Tseng's name - he was the head of the TURKs, Shinra's

    elite unit of trouble shooters.

     

    Nemo quickly signalled to Tifa to get hidden while doing the same

    himself. He figured that if they waited until the train was moving to

    make their move then the girl would already be on the train and the

    guards would have difficulty calling for reinforcements.

     

    The two of them rapidly took cover in the back of the carriage, where

    they would be out of sight of the doors.

     

    After a couple of minutes a squad of 5 Shinra grunts entered the

    carriage, with a tall woman standing among them. She was tall, wearing a

    simple one piece dress with long brown hair. Following close behind was

    a huge man in a dark blue suit, bald headed and wearing sun glasses.

    "Damn flunkies!" The big man exclaimed as the doors closed.

     

    The grunts, the woman and the man all took up seats near the door way of

    the carriage, out of sight of, and apparently unaware of, Tifa and Nemo.

     

    Nemo and Tifa waited until the train had been up to speed for a full

    minute before starting to move...

     

    Nodding to each other, the two then sprang forwards, Nemo to the right,

    Tifa to the left. Nemo's sword came slashing round in a horizontal arc,

    catching one of the grunts square on the side of the head, and

    ricocheting his face off the window. The helmet probably saved his life,

    but he was still badly wounded and Nemo reckoned he wouldn't be getting

    up for a very long time.

     

    On the other side, Tifa's foot swept round in a practice perfect

    roundhouse, catching her opponent dead in the solar plexus. The armour

    robbed the kick of it's killing force, but the grunts eyes rolled up

    into his head as he slipped off his seat none the less.

     

    In front of them, the remaining Shinra troops scrambled to their feet,

    while the Turk slowly rose, his shades flashing in the floursecent

    lighting. "Zangan-Ryu style. And a Soldier trained swordsman.

    Interesting."

     

    He stood back, watching and calculating as the fight with the grunts

    continued.

     

    Tifa's foot lashed out again in a side kick, but this time her new

    opponent was ready for the blow. It caught him on the hip as he slipped

    to one side, obviously causing some pain, but failing to drop him.

    Meanwhile, Nemo's sword cut across on the backswing, impacting with the

    chestplate of the grunt in front of him with tremendous force. The

    chestplate shattered under the assault, saving the life of it's wearer

    but not his consciousness.

     

    The swordsman facing Tifa flung his sword in a desperate arc as he

    staggered backwards, the blade clipping her and leaving a thin trail of

    blood as the surprise angle of the blow slipped through her defenses.

    The only other standing grunt, seeing his friends going down like ten

    pins, flicked his rifle to fully auto and pointed the muzzle at Nemo.

    "Eat lead, scumball!" he cried as he pulled the trigger.

     

    The rifle roared in the confined space, spitting bullets at Nemo as he

    continued forwards up the carriage. Nemo slipped aside from the line of

    fire with ease. Off to his side, Tifa continued her assault on the other

    conscious grunt, who tried desperately to dodge out of the way. Too slow

    for the boxing bar maid, he crashed to the floor - still conscious, but

    looking more than a little woozy.

     

    Nemo's sword swept round again, carrying on it's continuous motion,

    clipping the gunman as he frantically ducked. The grunts shoulder armour

    crunched under the impact, but saved him from the brunt of the blow and

    he brought his rifle back up to bear as best in could in the close

    quarters.

     

    Out of the corner of his eye, Nemo could just catch a glimpse of Tifa's

    foot lashing out several times at her prone target, taking advantage of

    his lack of mobility. The sound of three hefty blows landing could be

    heard. Unfortunately his attention was taken up elsewhere as his

    opponent pulled the trigger for a second time.

     

    Too close to dodge all of the bullets, Nemo felt a path of fire burn

    along his left hand side. The wound wasn't deep, but the pain was

    excrutiating, and for a moment his vision clouded over red. As his

    vision cleared, he saw that Tifa had already closed with the gunman - he

    looked to be staggering from a blow, but managed to barely sidestep the

    followup kick.

     

    Behind the three fighters, the large bald man firmly but gently moved

    Aeris round behind him, taking a moment to test that the handcuffs round

    her wrists were still solidly attached.

     

    Shaking off the pain, Nemo brought his sword done in a final overhead

    stroke, smashing the gunman to the floor with a gaping wound in his

    chest.

     

    (Good armour,) thought Nemo. (Even that last one doesn't look fatally

    wounded.)

     

    The Turk clapped slowly. "Not bad, not bad. But I've been boxing since

    before you two were born. Don't make me lay the smackdown on you."

     

    Behind him stood Aeris, who looked surprisingly calm given the

    situation. For a moment, she caught Nemo's eye, and he thought she was

    about to say something - but nothing came out.

     

    "That's very nice for you." Nemo said with a polite smile. "Just out of

    interest, did you personally go out and kill all those people just so

    you could kidnap the young lady behind you, or did you just capitalise

    on the activities of a genuine serial killer?"

     

    The Turk grimaced as if Nemo had hit a nerve. "I ain't the guy waving

    the giant pig sticker around, neighbour. And just so you know - she

    ain't being kidnapped."

     

    "Terribly sorry. 'Arrested'. My mistake." Nemo grinned at the bald guy

    before glancing back towards the girl. "Excuse me, my dear, did you

    volunteer to be used in painful medical experiments by Hojo, or are you

    being taken against your will?"

     

    Before Aeris could speak, the Turk cut in. He ground out the words like

    crushed rocks. "She's not going to Hojo."

     

    Aeris smiled calmly at Nemo.

     

    Nemo looked back to the bald guy with obviously feigned surprise,

    "Really?" He asked, "Where, pray tell, is she to be taken then?".

     

    "A trial. A public trial. The kind of public trial Hojo can't steal

    people from." The Turk's scowl looked like it had been chiseled into his

    features now. "I wouldn't give a rabid dog to Hojo!" He spat out.

     

    "Well. Colour me surprised. A demonstration of integrity and basic human

    decency from a Shinra poodle. I'm truly impressed!" Nemo perfomed a

    little mocking bow as he spoke. "Unfortunately I'm far from convinced

    that the type of trial you speak of can actually exist."

     

    "OK, kid. It looks like you're not one of Hojo's lab experiments like I

    thought from the eyes. But I've got a job to do here, and I plan to do

    it. Either we slow down for a moment and you two get off nice and

    peaceful like, or I smack both of you down and roll you unconscious out

    the doors." He smacked his fists together. "Your choice."

     

    "I think I'll take the third option thanks." Nemo said, smiling evilly

    before attacking.

     

    As Nemo spoke, a wind whipped up around him, carrying him slightly off

    the ground, and a glowing circle of force appeared around his feet. The

    Turk cursed as he recognised the signs of Materia usage, and then hoped

    to one side as Tifa came in low, looking to take his legs out.

     

    Still off balance, he continued back pedalling as the Fira spell erupted

    from Nemo's sword, the stream of fire passing in front of him and

    blowing a hole in the front of the train. Aeris hunkered down behind the

    front seats, dodging the odd piece of flaming debris.

     

    Tifa continued without pause, her other leg sweeping forwards in a

    second attempt to throw her foe to the ground, but he was ready now -

    casually hopping over her leg, he dealt a swift left cross in to her

    jaw, snapping her head to one side, but not connecting cleanly enough to

    do serious damage.

     

    Nemo swiftly took advantage of the Turk's distraction, his sword

    slashing forwards and taking the big man high in the chest. The force of

    the blow smashed him backwards into the wall at the front of the

    carriage, leaving a large bleeding scar.

     

    The big man looked up, his scowl still firmly in place. "Have you any

    idea how much these suits cost? Tseng's going kill me for this!"

     

    Pushing off the back wall, he propelled himself at Nemo, who barely

    dodged the flying fist. Stepping round between the Turk and Aeris, Tifa

    then firmly planted a foot in the man's back, staggering him once more.

    To her surprise and frustration, he kept his footing, and somehow

    managed to twist so that he could keep his eye on both opponents.

     

    "Hmm... not bad little girl. Your Zangan-Ryu skills are good, but you

    lack the power of a real fighter!"

     

    Tifa snorted in contempt at him.

     

    Nemo's sword swept round again, but the boxer slipped under the blade

    and his fist swept forwards towards Nemo's face.

     

    The impact was incredible. Nemo just about managed to bring his bracers

    up to protect his face, but the blow smashed both arms back into his

    head, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying 4 metres back

    down the carriage. Somehow, he managed to both keep hold of his sword

    and roll back onto his feet. Tifa was still slamming punches into the

    man's back, but he seemed to be paying almost no heed to them.

     

    As Nemo charged back into the fight, the Turk calmly stepped forwards,

    brushed Nemo's arms (and therefore sword) aside with his right forearm

    and prepared to deliver a left to the gut. Even as he did so, he angled

    his body just enough to take minimal damage from a kick Tifa slammed

    into his back.

     

    His fist sunk deep into Nemo's gut, leaving the swordsman gasping on the

    floor, barely hanging on to consciousness.

     

    "Nemo!" Tifa's voice rang out, and a whirlwind sprang up around her.

    Green light flashed out over both her and Nemo, and Nemo felt his wounds

    closing and his breath return - but the action wasn't without it's cost.

    As Tifa cast her magic, the Turk stepped forwards once more.

     

    "That's enough of that, miss." he grated, his fist plowing into her, and

    driving her to one knee. Her head span and her vision went black for a

    moment, only recovering as she saw his fist flashing towards her once

    more. Desperate, she lurch to one side, avoiding the blow. Behind the

    Turk, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the newly healed Nemo shake

    off his injuries and kippup back onto his feet.

     

    "I'm going to mess you up *real* good!" growled Nemo as he moved towards

    the turk.

     

    A powerful battle aura flared up around Nemo, and the whole compartment

    appeared to go dark as he lept forwards through the air. A crackling

    afterimage of white light streamed behind his sword blade as he brought

    it sweeping round in a vast arc of blazing light.

     

    The Turk took one look at the sword and dived sideways as the blade

    descended. With a noise like a thousand cat's attacking a black board,

    the sword continued through the space there the Turk had been, continued

    through the floor of the train, and swang round completing the circle

    and sliced through the walls and ceiling too. The corner of the train

    the Turk had dived into, supported now by only one wheel span off the

    track and dissappeared behind them and ricocheted off the tunnel wall,

    carrying the suited man out of sight - while the rest of the train, now

    with only three wheels started grinding to a slow halt, a huge shower of

    sparks erupting through the now open front of the carriage.

     

    "Ladies, I think it's about time we made an exit." Nemo said, while

    looking in concern at the remains of the train carriage. "We need to

    slow this thing down enough to jump off." He continued as he headed for

    the driver's cabin.

     

     

     

     

  7. Originally posted by Susano

    Logan... yer playing in an FF7-styled HERO System campaign? I officially hate you. :P

     

     

    www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10757 and www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10619 if you're interested :). It's mainly a trial at the moment, but I might add some new players if it goes well.

     

    I can post more turns if anyone will read them :).

     

    I now return you to your regularly scheduled quotes.

     

    Michael

  8. Of course, if we're going on actual abilities of the characters, rather than how it would play out in a comic, Flash wins.

     

    He can take out everyone on the X-men team before they can get in a blink between them. Well, ok, Quicksilver might just about get in a blink, but that's about it. He definately wouldn't be able to counter the Flash. Add on the fact that Flash can lend his speed to others, and the heavy hitting nature of the rest of the JLA and you just compound the problem.

     

    The problem with this, of course, is that the Flash never fights to potential (except for the occassional plot moment). It makes for a boring story if anyone who can't move at a significant percentage of the speed of light is a non-factor.

     

    Written up in normal comic book 'drunken baboons would make better tactical use of my abilities than I do' style, I would still give it to the JLA. The power levels involved for Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter in particular are just too excessive - and in my opinion, none of them would fall quickly enough to a physic assault for the Marvel mentalists to pull out a win.

     

    As an aside to the person who said "Martian Manhunter has all of Superman's powers except superspeed" - he has superspeed too. MM is the one man JLA - all of Superman's power, all of Batman's smarts, all of Plasticman's flexibility (pun intended) and he's a mentalist to boot. The only problem he really has is the weakness to flame. He is, in fact, a rediculous character saved only by the fact he has an interesting personality.

     

    For people to comment one: I would place Superman in the second tier of the JLA power wise. While he is the heart of the team, in raw power I would say that he is inferior to Flash, Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern by a heavy margin. Especially the second two.

     

    Michael

  9. Cleaning the Gym Floor

     

    Tifa lead Nemo down into the basement of the bar, between the drinks kegs and through a unobtrusive door. Inside was a surprisingly well stocked gym, set up with all the equipment you would have expected from a top flight martial arts dojo. Stacked in one corner, out of the way, was a haphazard tower of computers leaning precariously over a short, slightly overweight man in a swivel chair.

     

    The man waved and grinned as the two of them came in, and Tifa grinned back. "Hey, Wedge! Thought you'd gone to sleep for once."

     

    Wedge stared at Tifa in mock surprise. "Sleep, Tifa? Sleep is for the weak!"

     

    "Uh huh? Really..." She started rooting around a cupboard and then heaved a practice wooden two handed sword over to land at Nemo's feet. "Right, get rid of the real one for a moment. Let's see what you can do."

     

    As Nemo placed his normal weapon to one side, Tifa reached into the cupboard and pulled out a pair of boxing gloves. "Wouldn't want to hurt you too badly either," she smirked at him. Wedge, realising what was going on, swung his chair round and popped a new can of Shin-Cola.

     

    "I appreciate your concern, but I am quite robust." Nemo grinned.

     

    "Heh!" Tifa 'heh'ed. "We'll see what you say about that in a minute."

     

    Tifa gestured to a large training mat nearby, banging the boxing gloves together in front of her and doing a quick foot shuffle before moving towards the further of the two lines drawn on the arena.

     

    Nemo followed Tifa to the arena and stopped behind the other line, falling into a fighting stance. "Ready when you are." he said.

     

    "Bring it on! Wedge, you wanna do the honours?"

     

    Wedge grinned even more broadly, hopped off his seat and made his way to the edge of the mat. "OK, let's have a nice, clean, fight." He grinned. "I love saying that! Anyway, when I say 'Fight!', go for it. This is a test of skill, so there's no set victory conditions and don't try and hurt each other too bad."

     

    He paused dramatically and the two fighters tensed in stance.

     

    "Fight!"

     

    Tifa was fast. Very, very fast. One moment she was standing at the line, the next she was standing right next to Nemo, her fist flashing towards his face.

     

    Barely reacting in time, Nemo spun to one side, the fist sailing past his head, and then lept off the mat as Tifa's foot scythed towards his ankles.

     

    Before Tifa could recover her balance from the sweep, Nemo riposted with a lunging blow of the practice sword. Tifa twisted to avoid taking the full impact of the blow, but it still connected with her midriff, staggering her slightly. It didn't seem to slow her down much - even as Nemo started to withdraw the blade, she was already moving to twist it from his grasp.

     

    "You're better than you look," she gasped out, grinning but having obviously felt his last blow.

     

    "Thank you." Nemo nodded in response. "It's nice to be appreciated."

     

    He calmly withdrew his sword before Tifa could apply the required leverage to disarm him.

     

    Which was when she smacked him in the centre of his chest. He rode the blow back, robbing it of much of it's power, but still felt the impact.

     

    Nemo smirked, "You're not so bad yourself you know."

     

    "I try," she was all but laughing now as they sparred, handily deflecting a horizontal slash on the side of her boxing glove and absorbing the blow with it's padding. Shifting her weight she span around, her foot lashing out towards Nemo.

     

    Her eyes widened as Nemo had no effort to dodge the blow, moving into it without regard for his safety. Her foot impacted hard with one of his shoulder plates, causing him to grunt with the effort of keeping his footing solid, but doing no appreaciable damage. Then, while Tifa's foot was still outstretched, Nemo's sword came flashing upwards in a brutal uppercut, smashing into the side of Tifa's chest. She winced and hopped backwards, holding out both fists in front of her.

     

    "OK, OK. Enough. A blow like that from a real sword would have left me hospital for a month." Her grin was rapidly returning. "As it is, I think you've proved you've got some of the skills."

     

    Nemo grinned back, "I'm sure I'll get a chance to demonstrate the rest of them sooner or later."

     

    Tifa stuck her tongue out at him, and looked very cute doing it. "Not till I know you better, Soldier-boy."

     

    She sobered up a bit. "There is one more thing I'd like to test, though. You said before Mako infusion was an add to materia use. And you seem to be pretty infused. And your sword has some slots."

     

    She moved over to a different cupboard and pulled out a green gem, tossing it over to Nemo. As he caught it, he 'felt' at the materia, and tried to determined what it was. Definately a fire gem. Might be a Fire, might be a Fira, he wasn't quite sure.

     

    "Show me what you can do." Tifa pointed at a nearby practice dummy.

     

    "Fire of some kind. Let's find out which one." He clipped the gem into his sword and began to channel the power of the materia.

     

    Nemo rose slightly into the air, sword held horizontal before him and a ring of light surrounding his feet. His long black hair billowed up above his head, and then with a roar a huge gout of flames lept out the sword and struck the dummy, blowing it to splinters. Wedge ducked as flaming shards of wood rained down around the gym, while Tifa applauded quietly. "Nicely done. But even I can activate it the once. Do you think you could do that again?"

     

    "Hmm, Fira. I could cast it once more before needing to rest. Is there anything else you don't want anymore?" He said looking around the room.

     

    Tifa shook her head and laughed. "No, that's fine. I'll take your word for it." She studied Nemo for a moment more and then nodded. "Yes, you'll do for a partner."

     

    "Nice to know I pass muster." Nemo replied.

     

    "Anyway, if you're still up for it, there's a job to be done."

     

    "Certainly. I have nothing but time, and a rapidly emptying wallet on my hands." said Nemo with a light smile.

     

    "We've been hired to take someone out of a Shinra security station." She held up her hand to forstall any interruptions. "We're not talking Shinra central, or anything here. Just the local lock up. There's somebody in there who's been framed for a crime. The problem is, the day after tomorrow, someone from the upper city will be coming to collect her, and our hirer has reason to believe she'll be kept at that point regardless of her actual guilt or innocence. Apparently, a particular Shinra exec has expressed a personal interest in her - and once she's gone top side, there isn't anything anyone will be able to do about it."

     

    She paused for breath. "Now, I know you're ex-Shinra. And I don't really know what you think about the organisation as a whole. But you can't have worked for an elite unit like Soldier without finding out that some of the individuals within the organisation are not a good thing. You might even have heard of the guy, I suppose. Hojo, one of their research..."

     

    She stopped in astonishment as Nemo collapsed to the floor, clutching his head in agony.

     

    Slowly Nemo regained control of himself and dragged himself upright. "Oh, yes. I know Hojo." Nemo growled out. "If we get to prevent someone falling into his hands I'd do the job for free."

     

    Tifa gave him a steadying hand as he stood. "You OK?"

     

    Nemo nodded. "Yes, thank you, I'm fine." he said in a voice steadier than he felt. "Would I be right in assuming that we are to rescue the woman from the papers? The alledged murderess, Gainsborough was it? If so we should probably be about it as soon as possible. Guilty or innocent, she does not deserve to be in the hands of that madman."

     

    She nodded reluctantly. "Yes. Unfortunately, I don't think it will come as a surprise to Shinra that someone might try a rescue attempt - she's well liked in the area, and not many people who have met her will believe she commited the crimes."

     

    "Fortunately, we have two advantages," She continued. "Firstly, they'll be relying on the cowed nature of the lower city inhabitants - something neither of us suffer from. Secondly, they don't know that Wedge here cracked some of their low security computer systems recently. We have a way into the building, a supply tunnel which the automated supply trains from the upper city use."

     

    "Sounds like you have the preparations all worked out. When do we need to leave?" Nemo asked.

     

    "I'm not sure prepared is quite the right word. It's more that we had an emergency back up plan which it looks like we'll be using sooner than we'd hoped. The upper city people are due to pick her up the day after tomorrow, as far as we know, so tomorrow night was the target time. Just long enough to give us some sleep. There anything else you want to sort out, or do I meet you here tomorrow night to get the job done. Barrett will cover the bar for me."

     

    "No. I think that covers everything. I'll return tomorrow evening. It's been a pleasure to meet you Tifa. Until tomorrow." Nemo said before departing in search of lodgings. Hopefully he could get a good night's sleep before the job.

     

    [OOC]

    I think this particular OOC exchange needs to stay :) :

    > Phase 12:

    > Tifa acts first, Roundhouse kick. Abort, or take it like a man and use

    > the fact she's taken an action this segment?

    >

    > Take it and then attack with 2 levels in OCV and the other 2 boosting

    > damage. :-)

    >

    > Brave man :)

     

    Lucky. I think you mean lucky.

     

    > Tifa rolls 10 to hit, connecting for 24 STUN, 8 BODY against one of your

    > bracers. (You lucky, lucky, man - they only have a 8- activation). You

    > take exactly zero damage, instead of the 10 STUN you would have taken

    > overwise, and your limit gauge leaps to 13.

     

    See? Lucky.

     

    > You respond, rolling a 12 to hit - just enough. She fails to get

    > protection from the gloves (another 8- activation) and you do 29 STUN, 7

    > BODY reduced to 16 STUN, 0 BODY by her defenses. One more point of

    > damage would have left her both stunned and unconscious - as it is, she

    > has 1 STUN remaining but is still up and fighting. You do no knockback.

     

    Bloody hell! I wasn't expectng to do quite that much. :-O

  10. Propping Up The Bar

     

    The Seventh Heaven was small, crowded and looked like it had seen better days. On the other hand, the beer was good, the food was cheap, and the number of people in here carrying heavy weaponry suggested it might be the local mercenary haunt.

     

    The lack of bullet holes suggested that somebody, somewhere, kept the peace. Nemo's current bets were on the huge black guy who's arm had been replaced with a gun prosthetic, but then again something about the way the bar maid moved would have given him pause if he'd been thinking about making any trouble. Between the two of them and the fact that even mercs like having a quiet place to have a drink occassionally, he wouldn't be surprised if this was the most dangerous place in the city to think of starting trouble.

     

    As he ate his food, Nemo kept his eyes on the surroundings, and by the time that he'd finished he had a rough idea of how things seemed to work. Both hirers and hirees seemed to go first to the bar maid, who then hooked relevant people up at same tables around the bar. He was impressed that the clientele trusted her enough to give her the information needed for her to make the connections, but it was probably less risky than approaching people at random around the bar. All he needed now was a way to sell himself that would get him hooked up with a hirer he was willing to work for.

     

    Nemo finished his meal and returned to the bar. After a few moments he caught the barmaid's attention, "I've just arrived in town. Looking for a little work. I understand you're the person to talk to. Oh, and another beer please." he finished with a smile.

     

    The barmaids smile in response was sincere, but not personal as she turned to pull another beer. "All depends what kind of work you're looking for." She placed the beer carefully in front of him, "The bar's not in need of staff at the moment, and for any other work you not going to get much money till you get a rep."

     

    "Ah, yes." Nemo responded, "The ever present catch 22 situation. No decent jobs until one has a reputation, and no reputation until one has some reasonably high profile jobs under one's belt." He paused, smiling to

    himself at the problem before continuing, "No matter. I am willing to take whatever jobs are available for a man of my 'reputation'. Having money to live on is more important than professional pride, I think..." Nemo's

    sentence trailed off as he studied the face of his potential employer, "How remarkable. I don't believe I have ever seen mako infusion in brown eyes before. It's an interesting effect." He said almost without thinking,

    before breaking eye contact, annoyed at himself for speaking out loud.

     

    "Mako infusion?" Her voice was puzzled. "Isn't that what Soldiers have done to them?"

     

    "Yes." Nemo replied. "You have a very slight trace of it in your eyes. You were unaware of it?"

     

    "Yes." She nodded slowly. "What would the effects of a Mako infusion be?" Her attitude is cautious, almost as if she's testing you in some way but she seems to be telling the truth.

     

    Nemo took a sip from his beer to cover his surprise as memories bombarded him. Suddenly he could recall all sorts of details about the Shinra miltary. Unfortunatly none of it about mako infusion. Nemo decided to tell

    the girl what he had pieced together from what he knew. "As I understand it, the most notable effect is a heightened ability to use materia. Enabling your soldiers to use magic gives them one more edge against the

    opposition." Nemo paused, "Shinra keep quiet about mako infusion in general and the effects in particular, so I could be wrong. The only effect I can be sure of is the glowing 'mako eyes' as they call them." As he said this Nemo held her gaze for a moment, "See?" He asked.

     

    Her expression was suddenly more guarded, and she picked up an empty glass to start polishing with a cloth. "You're Soldier?"

     

    Nemo snorted. "No. If I were Solder I wouldn't need a job now would I? Let's just say Shinra and I had a little conflict of interests, followed by a parting of the ways, and leave it at that." Nemo took another swig from his bottle before continuing, "I'd rather that information didn't get around if you don't mind."

     

    She nodded, but didn't put the glass done for a moment. "Didn't get around to clientele, or didn't get around to Shinra?"

     

    Nemo smiled slightly, "Shinra. Though the fewer people that know, the less likely that is to happen. That said, I'll trust your judgement if you feel a potential employer needs to know."

     

    She nodded again, and this time the glass got returned to the bar top. "Nice to know my own rep is that good. So, what do I call you? Should I just go with Soldier boy? Or maybe Mr. Meat Sticker?" She grinned at him.

     

    Nemo winced good naturedly at the nicknames then grinned back, "Call me Nemo." He said. "And how should I address you, good lady?"

     

    "Nemo. Fair enough." She smiled a much more personal smile at him. "Well, I've got some customers to serve, Nemo. But if you want to hang around for a while, we'll see what work we can find you." She paused briefly. "I'm Tifa. Pleasure to meet you."

     

    "And you." Nemo replied.

     

    As the conversation drew to a close, Nemo took his seat again to see what would happen. Several hours went past, with the occassional drink and comment from Tifa until the early hours of the morning when the crowd started to thin out.

     

    There were only about 10 people left in the bar when a very short figure, cloaked, and with hood pulled up to cover their face came in. They took Tifa aside and had a quiet conversation, which seemed to leave the bar maid upset, but determined.

     

    The cloaked figure turned and left, and after a few moments Tifa came over and sat down next to Nemo. "So, depending on how you feel about it, we might have you a job. You got any problems working with a partner?"

     

    "In principle no, but I would like to meet them, and have some idea of what the job is before accepting." Nemo responded, pausing briefly. "You don't look too thrilled about this job, whatever it is. Is there a problem?" He finished.

     

    "Yeah, there's a problem. The hirer doesn't have much in the way of money. So the only people likely to take the job are people like you, who need the money and the rep." she paused. "And people like me who have some... other... reasons to be involved."

     

    She shook her head as if to clear it. "Look, this isn't going to be an easy job. It could involve going up against Shinra interests. And it isn't going to pay you much. But it might get you that rep you were wanting."

     

    She looked up again to meet his gaze once more, waiting for his answer.

     

    "Sounds ideal." Nemo said. "What are the details?"

     

    She grinned. "The first detail is that I'm going take you down stairs and wipe the gym floor with you for a while. I need a partner on this one, and you're looking a good choice - but you only look it at the moment. I need to know you can do your stuff. Then we're going to discuss the details, and if we're both still in I'll tell you whats going on. And then, we go get some sleep before tomorrow night, which is when things will be going down."

     

    Nemo nodded, "Works for me. Lead the way."

  11. Mugger/Muggee

     

     

     

    Nemo looked at the individual addressing him and replied. "Why don't you

    come over here and take it from me?" Then he waited for the thug to close

    with him, preparing to knock the poor fool unconscious as soon as he could

    be reached.

     

    The thug didn't wait to be asked twice. "Your funeral, bub," he slurred as he stepped forwards and lunged with his blade. Nemo barely moved, but the blade smoothly slipped past his body with out making contact. Then Nemo's fist smashed into the thugs mouth, sending him staggering back a step.

     

    There was an ugly grating noise as Nemo's two-handed sword slide out of it's sheath. "Why don't you give me all your money and valuables before I use my nice, shiny, sword to gut you like a sardine?" His cape twitched in the wind behind him, and his voice sent ice shivers through the drunken muggers spine.

     

    "Please don't kill me! I've got a wife and children! I'm not like this normally, but my daughter's starving and we need the money! Shinra's trying to reposses my home! My wife's threatening to leave me if I don't shape up! I'll get blood all over your sword and you'll have to clean it! My wife was killed by that murderer yesterday and I'm mad with grief! I'm an orphan who never got a good start in life!..."

     

    The thug collapsed onto his knees, excuses bubbling out of his mouth in a drunken, slurred, rush...

     

     

    Nemo loked down at the blubbering mess. "Leave all your money and valubles

    on the floor. If you are out of my sight by the time I have collected

    them, you get to live. Otherwise..." Nemo trailed off into an evil grin,

    eyes glowing faintly.

     

    The thug continued blabbering as he pulled out his wallet and threw it

    on the ground in front of him. "...and it's all I've got in the

    world..." He then stood, "...nothing else, not even a smoke..." turned,

    "...my wife and children will starve!..." and ran for his life, his

    voice trailing off into the distance. "...and I'll never buy another

    drink in my life..."

     

    Nemo picked up the wallet. There weren't many gil in there, but there

    were enough to buy food, a room for a night and enough bar propping time

    to maybe find a job. It wouldn't last long, though.

     

    Nemo left the alley in search of a bar, the sort of bar that he could buy

    a meal, a drink, and some information on mercenary employers. As he was

    walking he consideredgoing to Shinra HQ to see if they had any record of

    his time in the military with them, but he could not be certain that he

    had left Soldier under auspicious circumstances, so decided that would be

    the last resort. Right now it was time for a drink and some food.

  12. Beginnings

     

    Unknown slouched asleep in a chair in Sector 7 Railway station waiting room. No-one else was around, and the cloak on the wall clicks slowly over to 23:12.

     

    A moment later the noise of an arriving train could be heard, and Unknown stired and woke. His stomach rumbled loudly.

     

    Unknown stretched, his joints clicking slightly. He scanned the room quickly and blinked as the nearby signs imformed him he was at Midgar 7 Train Station. Grabbing a nearby newspaper, he strode off towards the mens room.

     

    Having glanced at the date and headlines, Unknown folded the newspaper as he entered the men's room and moved to the wash basin. The water he splashed on his face refreshed him, but his eyes were drawn to the glowing reflection of themselves in the mirror. Unknown stared at himself for a

    few moments, trying to remember the stranger looking back at him, but couldn't. The exercise was not in vain though, he now knew himself to have been in Soldier, the mako eyes gave that much away. Having made a mental note to acquire shades as soon as possible, he finally spoke.

     

    "Who are you?" he asked the reflection, when no answer was forthcoming he answered his own question. "No one. Nemo."

     

    With a faint smile at his own joke, he left the men's room and headed towards the centre of town.

     

    The smell and noise of the slums hit 'Nemo' immediately as he left the station. A couple of street toughs did take a quick look at him, but not much more before deciding that it really wasn't worth the effort.

     

    Shop, inns, brothels and bars ran off in all directions, and a constant stream of people bustled back and forth around him. Most of the shops were closed at this time, but the rest of the buildings seemed to be doing a roaring trade...

     

    Nemo passed the bars and clubs quickly, heading for the seedier parts of town, sooner or later one of the street scum would be stupid or drugged up enough to try and turn him over, then he could pick up enough money for a meal and a drink. And once he could afford to sit in a bar and drink, he

    could afford to pick up rumours and maybe work.

     

    The seedier parts of town weren't hard to find, and Nemo's distinctive appearance was soon drawing attention. Noticing someone trailing behind him slightly drunkenly, Nemo turned into a dark alley and waited for his 'assailent'.

     

    The man soon came round the corner, a flick knife in his hand and swaying slightly from the drink.

     

    "The wallet, man. Give me your wallet." He waved the knife in Nemo's general direction.

     

    In Nemo's conservative estimate, he couldn't lose. The sword would be short and safe, but might cause complications. He wasn't so sure what unarmed combat training he'd received, but he was fit, strong, trained for fighting - and sober. A non-lethal takedown seemed more than possible.

     

    Nemo looked at the individual addressing him and replied. "Why don't you come over here and take it from me?" Then he waited for the thug to close with him, preparing to knock the poor fool unconscious as soon as he could

    be reached.

  13. Well, having set up the ground rules well enough for a one-on-one game (ie. very vaguely indeed) on this thread, I've started my Final Fantasy 7 based pbem game. On the same thread, you can find the write up of the lead (and only) PC.

     

    The basic idea is a game that starts at the same point as the FF7 computer game. However, the universe isn't quite the same... Cloud is no where to be seen, and now that things have reached this points things will be diverging from the FF7 plot line rapidly. The player is aware that there are differences between the universes, but will have to find out what they are the hard way :). The main ones he knew in advance are that materia work slightly differently (one spell per materia, they don't grow more powerful with use) and that materia are much harder to buy than in the computer game.

     

    What I'm planning to post below, are chunks of the IC story as we finish them. Note that we're writing this as quick emails in work breaks slowly building into larger posts, so if they don't always flow like classic prose, that would be why.

     

    I'm hoping these are useful, inspiring, or at least interesting to some people out there. If they are, let us know. If you not, don't say anything and I'll stop posting at some point and not waste the bandwidth :).

     

    There are obviously OOC things going on in the emails that I've cut from the finished 'turns'. If you really want to see the mechanics behind fights and stuff, just ask.

     

    As our story opens, the hero of the piece is an amnesiac with no memory of who he is, what he's doing, or where he is.

     

    Michael

  14. Wow. I'd forgotton this thread existed, as I ended up playing a different character in the end.

     

    Any how, if I was still going to finish him off (or if anyone wanted to borrow him as a character/NPC), I'd be tempted to give him some form of innate movement power as Vanderbilt_Grad was suggesting. As he spotted, that was the main reason for mum being a speedster.

     

    JmOz, the main problem with your solution is that it drops his defenses by 5 each, and I originally intended him as a 'martial brick'. He doesn't really have the CV to sustain defenses of only 17. You're probably right about dropping the Danger Sense initially, given that however much he knows he's still a rookie. Would be fun to add on later, though.

     

    My quick fix would be drop the danger sense to leave 26 free points, and then buy Running +8", x8 NCM. Not true Mach 16 super-speedster, but enough to give him good combat mobility and sufficient general movement to outrun a car. If you felt that was too excessive, and wanted to slow him down a bit you could instead add: Running +5", x4 NCM and Leaping +6", x4 NCM. This would leave him slower than a really fast car, but give him exceptional mobility around combat.

     

    Michael

  15. OK, here's the first draft of the starting PC. Slightly higher points total than I originally planned, but he's spent quite a few points in the limit break abilities (that won't help him too much till he's a bit tougher) and his equipment (which is all fairly 'heroic' level at this point).Comments welcome :)Oh, and yes he's an amnesiac...MichaelUnknownPlayer: Tim

    Val Char Cost
    15 STR 5
    17 DEX 21
    18 CON 16
    15 BODY 10
    13 INT 3
    14 EGO 8
    18/23 PRE 8
    18 COM 4
    14/24 PD 5
    14/24 ED 4
    4 SPD 13
    7 REC 0
    36 END 0
    32 STUN 0
    6" RUN02" SWIM06" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 97
    Cost Power END
    12 Limit Breaks: Multipower, 60-point reserve, all slots: (60 Active Points); Increased Endurance Cost 10x END (-4)
    1u 1) Cleave!: (Total: 60 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 3d6 +1 (plus STR, 4d6 +1 Total) (vs. PD) (50 Active Points); OAF (Big Sword) (-1) (uses Limit Gauge END Reserve) (Real Cost: 25) plus Leaping +10" (16" forward, 8" upward) (10 Active Points); Linked to Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand (-1/2) (uses Limit Gauge END Reserve) (Real Cost: 7) 60
    1u 2) Upwards Spiral: (Total: 60 Active Cost, 10 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR, Total 2 1/2D6K) (vs. PD), Personal Immunity (+1/4), Area Of Effect (2" radius; +3/4) (60 Active Points); OAF (Big Sword) (-1) (uses Limit Gauge END Reserve) (Real Cost: 30) 60
    10 Limit Gauge: Elemental Control, 30-point powers, all slots: (15 Active Points); Shared Absorption Max (-1/2)
    11 1) Absorption 3d6 (Physical), Can Absorb Maximum of 30 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes) (+1/2) (31 Active Points)
    11 2) Absorption 3d6 (Energy), Can Absorb Maximum of 30 Points, Delayed Return Rate (points return at the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes) (+1/2) (31 Active Points)
    5 Mana Reserve: Endurance Reserve (40 END, 4 REC) Reserve: (8 Active Points) REC: (4 Active Points); Only While In Deep Sleep (-2)
    3 Anime Leap!: Leaping +3" (6" forward, 3" upward) (uses Personal END) 1
    14 Big Sword: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2) (45 Active Points); OAF (-1), STR Min 15 (-3/4), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
    6 That Sword's Big Enough to Hide Behind!: Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) (15 Active Points); OAF (Focus (Big Sword); -1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2)
    8 Bracers and Shoulder Pad: Armor (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Activation Roll (Covers locations 7-9) 8- (-2), OIF (-1/2)
    2 Big Red Cape: +5 PRE (5 Active Points); OAF (-1)
    Powers Cost: 84
    Cost Skill
    0 Acting 8-
    3 Analyze: Combat 12-
    3 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 12-
    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    1 AK: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    3 Breakfall 12-
    3 Climbing 12-
    0 Concealment 8-
    0 Conversation 8-
    0 Deduction 8-
    3 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 12-
    1 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    1 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    1 KS: Unknown (INT-based) 8-
    3 Paramedics 12-
    3 Persuasion 13- (14-)
    0 PS: Unknown 11-
    1 Seduction 8-
    0 Shadowing 8-
    3 Stealth 12-
    3 Tactics 12-
    0 TF: Custom Adder, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles [Notes: Custom Mod is Everyman Skill]
    8 +1 with All Combat
    5 +1 with HTH Combat
    6 +2 with Swords
    4 +2 with Cleave!
    Skills Cost: 57
    Cost Talent
    12 Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)
    Talents Cost: 12
    Val Disadvantages
    10 Distinctive Features: Mako Eyes (Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures) [Notes: Listed as 'Not Distinctive In Some Cultures' as only people with a military background would realise the significance.]
    5 Distinctive Features: Handsome Enough to Remember (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
    25 Hunted: Unknown 11- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence)
    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish; Extensive Non-Combat Influence; Limited Geographical Area)
    15 Hunted: Unknown 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish)
    15 Dependent NPC: Unknown 11- (Slightly Less Powerful than the PC; Group DNPC: x2 DNPCs)
    15 Susceptibility: Unknown 1d6 damage, per Phase (Uncommon)
    Disadvantage Points: 100

    Base Points: 150Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 250

    Height: 6' 0" Hair: Black
    Weight: 180 lbs Eyes: Green
    Appearance: 6 foot tall, athletic build, long black hair undercut to stubble from the level of his temples down. Green (mako?) eyes. Clean shaven. Black leather pants, and boots. Tight black long sleeved t-shirt.

    Solid looking bracers on forearms, big shoulder armour, and deep red cloak.

    Personality: Quote:Background: UnknownPowers/Tactics: Real good with a sword, and seems to have some military training (tactics and some infiltration skills). He also has a powerful personality and good looks, but apart from that he doesn't really know what he can do - or what he knows.Campaign Use: 
  16. Originally posted by Pteryx

    Don't forget Independent materia and Command materia. The Counterattack independent materia would probably be a Triggered attack that has an Activation roll that's bought off gradually, just off the top of my head... -- Pteryx

     

    Man, it's been too long since I've played the games... not sure most command materia would exist, but most independent ones should...

     

    I'll have to think about it.

     

    Most of them I can do on a case by case basis, though.

     

    Michael

  17. OK, I'm thinking of setting up a one-on-one game set in the FF7 universe, but I wanted to detail and balance the rules sufficiently that I can add in extra players as I go along if desired. I'm planning to run it using Superheroic rules but starting at a low points total - so there's no NCM and fights are 'super' lethal rather than 'heroic' lethal, but characters will start at a reasonable power level before starting to escalate (much like the computer games where you go from taking on a couple of armed guards, to defeating dragons in a couple of blows...).

     

    This also simulates the fact that characters in FF7 tend to have signature weapons, so it made sense to me to have them brought with points and getting more powerful along with their users.

     

    Characters will not generally be able to buy powers except in the ways listed below, but Combat Luck is available (and highly recommended) and characters can buy up stats to superhuman levels (including Leaping, Running and Swimming, as well as actual characteristics). I might make the occassional exception for 'powered' skills, like stealth teleports and running without trace, but I haven't decided yet. Hopefully this should help create characters who are larger than life, but who you can still stab to death in their sleep *evil grin*.

     

    In case you hadn't guessed, what I'm looking for is comments, blatent holes I've missed, and ideas.

     

    ...please?

     

    Michael

     

    Materia

    Materia count as independent focusses that already contain the relevant power, and so spells themselves do not cost any points. However, the materia draw their energy from Mana (an END reserve) and invariably have a high END cost. They also all have the limitation 'Must pay full END cost, even if used at less than full power'.

     

    So, for example, a 'Fire 1' materia might be a 8d6 Energy Blast, x3 END. As such, a character would need to pay 12 END from their Mana END Reserve to activate the materia (regardless of how powerful a blast they wished to use). This also means that a character with a (say) 10pt Mana Reserve wouldn't be able to use the materia at all.

     

    As well as requiring the mana to activate the stone, you also need to set it. Characters can't use the power of the materia directly, but must channel the energy through specialised equipment with materia 'slots'. Generally this means a weapon or armor of some kind, as materia are generally used for military applications, but there are exceptions running from earrings to walking sticks. Normally it's only possible to use one of two pieces of materia holding equipment before they start to interfere with each other, losing their effectiveness, and each piece of equipment generally only holds a maximum of 4 materia (with very rare exceptions going up to 8 materia). Some of these slots might in turn be linked into pairs, enabling the use of support materia (see below).

     

    Spell and summoning materia are basically just powers, as described above. The final type of materia, support materia, are brought as naked advantages which only apply to a materia in a paired slot. For example, the 'All' materia would be brought as a naked Area of Effect (radius) advantage. Unlike other materia, support materia are always brought 0 END - so you still pay the END for the materia being supported, but you don't pay any extra for the effect being added. So a character who paired 'Fire 1' and 'All' in a weapon would be able to fire a 8d6 Energy Blast, Area of Effect 4" radius at a cost of 12 END. Once the materia are paired, you do have to use the pairing, though - you couldn't pair 'Fire 1' and 'All' and then cast a non-area of effect Fire attack. The exception to this is the 'Elemental' support materia, which are actually a naked Variable Special Effect advantage on the weapon being used, with the special effect being determined by the materia it's paired with. ?? I'm not sure how to do the added effect materia at the moment ??

     

    Mana Reserve

    Mana Reserves are brought as END reserves. REC for the reserve always takes the limitation 'Only while in deep sleep' (-2). This effectively places a limit on Materia usage for the day, and the GM should keep an eye on how large a reserve he allows characters to buy. ?? Maybe limit it based on stats or skills in some way? ??

     

    Limit breaks

    Characters can buy a Limit Gauge if they wish to buy Limit Breaks. This is brought as an elemental control:

     

    Limit Gauge Elemental Control - 15 pt

    Physical Absorption 3d6, +12 Max, Reduced Fade Rate (5pts/5min) +1/2, Shares Max with Energy Absorption (-1/2) - 31AP, 11 RP

    Energy Absorption 3d6, +12 Max, Reduced Fade Rate (5pts/5min) +1/2, Shares Max with Physical Absorption (-1/2) - 31AP, 11 RP

     

    for a total cost of 37 pts. The Gauge itself doesn't allow the character to do anything - all it does is feed points into a Limit Break END Reserve (GM's permission is given here to feed Absorption points in to a power the character doesn't have otherwise).

     

    Limit Breaks are then brought as powers with huge increased END costs to bring them as close to 60 END as possible. For example, a 'low' level Limit Break might be:

     

    Flying Slash: Leaping +10, Increased END Cost x10 (-4), Linked to HKA plus HKA 3d6+1 (plus STR), Increased END Cost x10 (-4), OAF: Sword (-1) - Total AP: 60, Real Cost: 10, END cost: 60

     

    The effect is that characters slowly build up power in their Limit Gauge until they hit the maximum 60 END, and then unleash a huge can of whoopass. Note that the Limit Break above is about as small as they get - more powerful limit breaks are built with smaller Increased END limitations so that they can have a larger AP total while still using 60 END. In theory, the largest limit breaks would be built using no increased END cost at all, allowing for 600AP attacks - in practice, I doubt that anyone is that powerful, even in the FF 7 world.

     

    Limit Breaks are frequently put in Multipowers, with the Increased END cost limitation on the reserve dropping as the character gets more powerful. So in general, a starting character would buy a 60 AP Multipower with the x10 END limitation on the reserve for a cost of 12 pts. The individual Limit Breaks would be Ultra slots and would generally cost 1 pt. I would recommend that characters are allowed no more than 2-3 slots of each 'Level' before having to buy down the limitation on the Multipower and buy bigger attacks...

  18. No disads yet, but this is a very rough first draft. I've got nine points to play with, and he still needs some form of movement power.

     

    Suggestions welcome...

     

    Edit: Oops, used old version of export template. Will repost a cleaner version later.

     

    Legacy

     

    Player:

     

    Val Char Cost
    30 STR 20
    23 DEX 39
    23 CON 26
    13 BODY 6
    18 INT 8
    14 EGO 8
    13 PRE 3
    14 COM 2
    22 PD 8
    22 ED 9
    5 SPD 17
    11 REC 0
    46 END 0
    40 STUN 0
    6" RUN02" SWIM06" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 146

     

    Cost Power END
    16 Skin II Armor: Armor (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)
    Powers Cost: 16

     

    Cost Martial Arts Maneuver
    Generic Combat Training
    4 1) Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort
    4 2) Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort
    5 3) Kick: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 12d6 Strike
    4 4) Punch: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 10d6 Strike
    5 5) Takeaway: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab Weapon, 50 STR to take weapon away
    3 6) Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 8d6 +v/5, Target Falls
    8 7) +2 HTH Damage Class(es)
    Martial Arts Cost: 33

     

    Cost Skill
    3 Acrobatics 14-
    3 Breakfall 14-
    3 Climbing 14-
    3 Conversation 12-
    5 Cramming
    3 Criminology 13-
    3 Deduction 13-
    1 Forensic Medicine 8-
    3 PS: Superhero 13-
    3 Paramedics 13-
    3 Scholar
    1 1) KS: Police Procedures (2 Active Points) 11-
    2 2) KS: Superheroes (3 Active Points) 13-
    2 3) KS: Superhuman History (3 Active Points) 13-
    2 4) KS: Superhuman World (3 Active Points) 13-
    2 5) KS: Supervillians (3 Active Points) 13-
    3 Scientist
    2 1) SS: Biology 13- (3 Active Points)
    2 2) SS: Chemistry 13- (3 Active Points)
    2 3) SS: Pharmaceuticals 13- (3 Active Points)
    1 4) SS: Physics 11- (2 Active Points)
    2 5) SS: Physics of Superpowers 13- (3 Active Points)
    1 6) SS: Psychology 11- (2 Active Points)
    2 7) SS: Superhuman Psychology 13- (3 Active Points)
    1 8) SS: Xeno Biology 11- (2 Active Points)
    3 Security Systems 13-
    3 Shadowing 13-
    3 Stealth 14-
    3 Streetwise 12-
    3 Systems Operation 13-
    3 Tactics 13-
    1 Teamwork 8-
    1 Tracking 8-
    11 +2 with All Combat (16 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (KS: Supervillians (or Superheroes as relevant); -1/2)
    8 +1 with All Combat
    Skills Cost: 97

     

    Cost Perk
    10 Contact: Dad (Golden Lion) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: useful Skills or resources, Very Good relationship with Contact) 15-
    10 Contact: Mum (Crimson Fist) (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: useful Skills or resources, Very Good relationship with Contact) 15-
    12 Contact: British Old-timer Superheroes (Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact), Organization Contact (x3) (12 Active Points) 8-
    Perks Cost: 32

     

    Cost Talent
    17 Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, Function as a Sense, Intuitional) 13-
    Talents Cost: 17

     

     

    Total Character Cost: 341

     

     

    Base Points: 200

    Experience Required: 141

    Total Experience Available: 0

    Experience Unspent: 0

  19. So, I have this idea for a character.

     

    And the idea is this: Joe found out at a young age that he wasn't normal. More intelligent, stronger, and less prone to injury than his peers, he quickly realised that he was the kind of stock superheroes were made from. His parents strong teachings on morality and ethics only reinforced his ideas, and by the time Joe started school, donning the spandex was already his life time dream. Up until age 8, though, it stayed as just that - a dream. Something he assumed would happen sometime, and he might as well get on with his life while he was waiting.

     

    Then, mere days after his 8th birthday, Joe discovered his parents were the superheroes Crimson Fist (his mum, a speedster) and Golden Lion (an alien brick). When they were utterly trashed in a fight with (x villians), and went into hospital with the injuries to prove it. While they both survived, there was no question of them being able to continue their adventuring careers.

     

    On that day, Joe's life changed. Superheroes were out numbered, out-gunned, and badly needed. He wasn't going to wait to become one, he was going to fight to become one. Having spoken to his parents, they agreed - on one condition. They weren't going to let him out before he was ready. And so his training began.

     

    Powers wise, he's a general all-round metahuman - well above average in all characteristics, and ranging into the superhuman on several (Strength and PD/ED most notably, although he's not high enough in either to be considered a true brick). Maybe a couple of esoteric senses to give him a bit of variation.

     

    The question is, what does he know? He's spent his entire education training to be a superhero, and the resources to learn whatever he needs.

     

    I'm assuming that he will at least finish college before donning a costume, and will probably spend the first few years of his superhero career fighting crime on university campus.

     

    Michael

×
×
  • Create New...