Amorkca

For simplicity, increased OCV / No Range Modifier / AOE Accurate may be better.  However...
 
Waaay back in the days of 4E Champions, someone wrote up a very complex home-rule Advantage for Homing, which I used for a while.  IIRC, it gave the attack a base movement (that I think you could increase with +1/4 advantages), a PER Roll, DCV, etc.  If the attacker missed his initial attack roll, in following Phases he could make attack-based PER rolls to continue to lock on and then make additional attack rolls  until either the attack hits or is intercepted by something else.  
 
It was a lot of fun, both for me as GM as well as for the players.  One of the Genocide Pawns in my game had a homing missile launcher, and it was one of the more feared weapons (partly due to the homing aspect, and partly due to the high damage, something like 4d6 RKA).  The PC heroes loved to dodge the rocket's initial attack attempt, then try to redirect the rockets at Genocide Rooks and Knights. 

<-- Not Ninja Bear, but...
 
The drug makes the next task you attempt a guaranteed success, use it wisely

Got my bundle too!  Happy Birthday to me... from a few days back

Duke, thank you for doing all of the scanning.  I've been reading through the AC's, and there's a lot of good material there.  I haven't gotten through many of the others yet, but I can't imagine there not being as much good material in those.  
 

I am about to play a Lucha Libre adventure, as Master, and when we finish it I would like to make it available for everyone to play. So, the question is, may I post a link to the document in this forum?
(It will be written in Spanish and translated to English in the same doc, with 4 Player Characters write-ups ready to start)

Well that's one option, but I'm going to try Roll20 again (the playtest back in May went OK enough to make me do it again).

Re: Canon and running a Middle-earth campaign
 
I just watched a fan-made film about Sir Percival. It reminded me that the Arthurian legends -- medieval and modern versions alike -- have different versions of events, some even contradictory. Same goes with different myths from around the world. As Tolkien was trying to create a mythology for England, we should treat it as such. Canon doesn't make a lot of sense in this context. Only The Hobbit and LOTR truly qualify, since they were published during Tolkien's lifetime. That means if you're a Game Master running a Middle-earth campaign, don't worry about canon too much. Just pick the version you like and stick with it.

“I'm sorry Jason was so hard on you,” Marlene said.
 
“It's because he cares,” Morgan said quietly.
 
Marlene smiled. “Just so. Here we are,” she indicated a door. “This isn't going to interfere with work, is it?”
 
Morgan smiled. “I am officially on extended medical leave.”
 
“How extended?” The door opened and Marlene lead the way.
 
“Until I get my head together and give up this foolish nonsense. Or see a shrink.” Morgan took in the apartment. “Wow. Better view than Park Avenue. Does this mean I'm a Guardian?” she joked.
 
“Do you want to be a Guardian?”
 
Hearing the seriousness of the question gave Morgan pause. “I don't know. I started as a way to honor Carson.” Morgan dropped her bag on the floor. “But I kept getting sucked in. One thing after another that needed to be responded to.”
 
Nodding, Marlene said, “They can all relate. That is pretty much how they got started. And we built up from there.”
 
“Jason going on about his losses. All we had was a summer fling.”
 
Marlene gave a laugh. “I'll tell you a secret. Jason has only ever had one summer fling, Morgan. And you were it. You came into his life when he was vulnerable. And if you haven't noticed, he doesn't really do things in half-measures.”
 
“But then Ash came along.”
 
“A few months later. That didn't really last either.”
 
Morgan moved to the window and looked out over the skyline. “Do you know why?”
 
Following after, Marlene said, “Ash kept hurting him physically. Granted it always healed, but she doesn't like hurting people she cares about. What are you going to do now that your face is associated with the mask?”
 
“I don't know. Disassociate? Try to put some distance between me and it?”

Glad I could help, and that it worked for your group.

Actually yes, but evidently not in the post.  I'll have to edit that back in.
 
To explain my current condition:
 
For the past two weeks, I have gone in to work at 5:30 AM and haven't gotten off of work until 8-8:30 PM.   My job is physically demanding, and out in the sun all day.  I am sixty years old.  I can do it all day; I can do it all week.
 
I cannot do it for two weeks straight without some side effects.
 
 
Last night I sat down to compose a quick note about a mini-campaign (Halloween adventure for the youth group) to a friend.  I fell asleep in the middle of typing it.  At some point, I sent it, got up, went to bed....
 
I re-read it this afternoon.  It was incomprehensible!
 
Anyway, I have to go edit something before it happens again.  I'm up too late as it is (likely Japanese "revenge bedtime" or something).
 
 

Hello everyone,
 
I will be running Champions: The Young Americans hopefully at virtual U-Con/U-Con Online this year.  Please join us the weekend of November 13-15th.

The last issue of Haymaker! came out in October 2016.  So yeah, it has been a while.  However, John Desmarais was contacted recently about adding some Haymaker! goodness to the Bundle of Holding.  He contacted contributors to see who would give permission to have their work included, and organized what went into the Bundle.  Did a darn good job, too, IMO.  So as far as I'm concerned, he's still the Coordinator.  
 
The 'zine did go on a long hiatus before - from 2004 to 2008 - and it came back pretty strong for a good number of years, so I wouldn't count it out completely just yet. 
 
 
I agree, that was awesome.  However, I can't claim credit for the Pirate King - he sprang from the fertile mind of Michael Satran.  I can only dream of reaching Michael's level of greatness. 

Showing her card at the reader, Morgan pulled her 1966 Jaguar XKE Coupe into the parking garage of Guardian's Tower. A green light at the end lit up. She drove to it. A reinforced door opened and she drove through it. Jason waited by an elevator with an open door.
 
Morgan pulled into a parking spot and shut off her engine. She got out and walked around the car and pulled a sea bag out of the passenger seat. Slinging it over her shoulder, she walked to Jason.
 
“Is that everything?”
 
“Yes.” Jason nodded and they stepped into the waiting elevator. “I'm sorry I missed the wedding,” Morgan said. “I was otherwise preoccupied.”
 
“Your absence was noted,” Jason replied with a smile. “I like it better when you have long hair.”
 
Morgan's hand went reflexively to her shoulder. “I needed a change.” Her long locks had been turned into a pixie cut.
 
“That's understandable.”
 
The elevator opened. “Where to?”
 
“This way.” Jason lead her into the dining area. “Normally we'd use the meeting room, but the vote tended to be in favor of informal.”
 
Morgan stopped, taking in everyone at the table. Her eyes sought out those she knew or had at least met before.
 
“Hello, Morgan,” Marlene said.
 
“I'm sorry I missed the wedding.”
 
“Think nothing of it,” Marlene said. “You were quite indisposed from what I understand. How are you?”
 
“Physically, I'm fine. Mentally, I don't know.”
 
Marlene nodded her understanding. “You're in the right place.”
 
“Have a seat,” Jason said. “You know Ash and Kris.”
 
Morgan nodded to each. “Ash. Dr. Tyler.”
 
“Kris,” she replied. “I'm off duty.”
 
“Sparx,” Jason continued. “Rick.”
 
“Hi. Richard,” Morgan said to each.
 
Sparx replied in kind. Kaneda nodded, “Nice to see you Morgan. I wish I had known.”
 
“Wasn't your fight, Richard.”
 
“Hold that thought, Morgan,” said Jason. “You remember Paladin. Short-armor there is Cavalier.”
 
“Miss Shaw,” Paladin said with a nod. Cavalier gave a bit of a wave.
 
“Lastly is Sharon Anderson. She and Kaneda will oversee your training.”
 
“But I thought...” Jason gave a slight shake of his head. “Okay, then. Where do we start?”
 
“For starters,” Paladin said, “gear. Toss it up on the table.”
 
Setting the sea bag on the table, Morgan opened it up. First thing she took out was a torn leather jacket. She set that on the table. Ash laid it flat, inspecting the rents.
 
Next she pulled out Shadow Hunter's helmet. “I'll take that,” Cavalier said. Morgan tossed it to her.
 
“I'll take the baton,” Paladin said. Morgan pulled that out and took a long look at it before passing it to him. Cavalier already had wires connecting her armor to the helmet.
 
Pulling leather pants out that were in the same sad state as the jacket, Morgan set it on the table. Ash laid them flat, as well. Lastly, Morgan pulled out her boots. About the only thing in her outfit that was more or less intact.
 
“Morgan,” Richard said gently, “why didn't you call?”
 
“It was my fight, Richard,” she replied.
 
Shaking his head, Jason said, “Morgan, can you take me in a fight?”
 
Giving a bit of a smile, Morgan looked at the table. “Maybe.”
 
Ignoring the years of practice and training that he had gone through to make the change easy, Jason changed violently. His chair flew backward, slammed into the wall, and fell over. Morgan felt pressure from his change on the table.
 
“Let's go. Training room. Now.”
 
“I thought you meant...”
 
Leaning on his fists, Pulsar hung his head. “Morgan, I know what you thought. Rule number one you need to remember if you plan on continuing, is that there are no rules. You go into a fight consider that it may well be your last.” He picked his head up. His eyes were glowing through his mask. “You do not take on someone like Bloodbath without help.”
 
“He killed Sandra!” she snapped back, standing up.
 
“I'm aware of that,” he said calmly. “I lost you.” He pointed at Ash. “I lost her.” His finger pointed at Sparx. “I lost her.” He pointed at Marlene. “I lost her. Twice. And that is before we get into any fatalities. Each one of them left a mark here,” he pointed at his chest. “And here,” he said pointing at his head. “And I am the poster boy of not dealing with things well.”
 
“You don't understand!”
 
“Morgan, I understand far better than you imagine. You were angry. You were hurting. You were in no mental condition to take him on. You know what I can do. Bloodbath heals the same. Do you know why I had to wait until you were in the hospital before I came to heal you?”
 
“No.”
 
“Bloodbath jacked him up. The job he did on you, he did Jason worse,” Ash said.
 
Morgan looked at Pulsar. “Why didn't you do it at range?”
 
“Line in the sand.” Pulsar pulled his mask off and dropped it on the table. “If I wasn't in his face he could have gotten to you. We wouldn't be having this conversation.”

Jason shook his head. He closed the journal, wrapping the strap about it. Then it disappeared. He shifted to face her. Leah moved a little bit closer. “Feeling safe?”
 
“Feeling a lot more relaxed and comfortable. What's with your grandfather's journal?”
 
“When Stacy and Jennie were going through the basement where my canvas was stored they found a niche. Had several chests that were my grandfather's. One was almost entirely journals. I've been going through them. Learning a bit about him.”
 
Leah examined his face. “Learn anything interesting?”
 
“He was involved in war effort. He had a hand in creating the Liberty Alliance. Probably where my dad got his fascination with capes. He also mentions Kayne several times by name.”
 
Leah braced her head on an upraised arm. “I could have gone longer without ever hearing that name again.” She cast a glance at her clock. “I guess we missed breakfast.”
 
“Are you hungry?”
 
“Yes. Aren't you?”
 
Jason gave her a grin. “I've been in bed all night with a half-naked woman. I've had a hand on her most of it. Let's just say it's a different kind of hunger.” He ran a finger down the side of her face. Leah smiled. “Pancakes or waffles?”
 
* * * * *
Running her fingers through her hair, Ash yawned. Her belly rumbled with hunger. She heard Dani's voice coming from the dining room. Ash contemplated the ease of cold cereal against the effort of actually making something.
 
“You're late,” Dani said. “Breakfast was supposed to be an hour ago and you were supposed to make it.”
 
“I was tired. Sue me.” Leah and Dani were sitting at the table. Leah was writing in a book. In front of each was a plate. Leah had waffles. Big, thick, lovely waffles. And fruit. Dani had a ham steak, a pile of scrambled eggs, and bacon. “Where did you guys get that?”
 
“Ignoring the fact that we can cook, Jason made it.”
 
“He did? How?”
 
Leah smiled. “Ash, you're not awake. Get coffee. As to how, I kept Jason prisoner in my bed until he agreed to make me breakfast. Why he made enough for everyone else I can't begin to guess.”
 
“In your bed? Are you two...?”
 
“No. I just had a bad night and he stayed with me.”
 
“Are you okay?” Ash asked.
 
“Better,” Leah answered.
 
“That's good,” Trese said entering the dining room. The plate she carried made Ash's belly rumble again. “No more problems after?”
 
“Not according to Jason. I got a massage and we talked for a bit.”
 
“I'd have done that,” Dani said sullenly.
 
“What's that?” Trese asked indicating the book.
 
Leah finished what she had been writing, closed the book, and lay her pen on it. “Journal for Dr. Pearson. I figure the events of last night qualified as something she might want to know. Anything on that bracelet?”
 
Trese nodded. “Weird readings. Drawing some compositional blanks. The band is your standard Sterling silver inset with onyx. On a guess, I'd say it's worth no more than maybe five hundred.”
 
“There's a but in there, Trese,” Ash said.
 
“Yeah. The weight is off if it was just silver and onyx. My lab assistant is running deeper scans. I'm trying not to damage it.”
 
“Damage it,” Leah said.
 
Giving her a concerned look, Trese asked, “Are you sure?”
 
Nodding, Leah replied, “Yes. Jason didn't give it to me, so sentimentality went out the window. If someone else is using it to keep my mind scrambled, damage it. I don't want it back.”
 
“Be right back,” Ash said. “I need to see what you guys left me to eat.”

for me I would help the player pre-build all the powers in the VPP if you going to allow it(and build alot 20 to 30 different powers to start with and go from there)

There was an old man who lived by a forest. As he grew older and older, he started losing his hair, until one day, on his deathbed, he was completely bald. That day, he called his children to a meeting.
 
He said, "Look at my hair. It used to be so magnificent, but it's completely gone now. My hair can't be saved. But look outside at the forest. It's such a lovely forest with so many trees, but sooner or later they'll all be cut down and this forest will look as bald as my head."
 
"What I want you to do..." the man continued. "Is, every time a tree is cut down or dies, plant a new one in my memory. Tell your descendants to do the same. It shall be our family's duty to keep this forest strong."
 
So they did.
 
Each time the forest lost a tree, the children replanted one, and so did their children, and their children after them.
 
And for centuries, the forest remained as lush and pretty as it once was, all because of one man and his re-seeding heirline.

“And you think that's what it is?” Leah asked. She lay face down on her bed. Her arms were crossed under her chin. She taken her robe off and blushed in front of Jason. The entire time his eyes had been on hers. She had left her pantyhose on, joking that it was her last line of defense. She knew Jason would respect her limits. She just wished she knew what his limits were.
 
Hands working one leg a time, Jason gave Leah a massage. “It's entirely possible that it is a focus for whoever Bauer had that messed with your head.”
 
“Do you think Trese will be able to figure that out? If it is?”
 
“That's hard to say. Trese works with Mentor a lot. While he resembles how a human mind works, the process is entirely different than organic.”
 
“That is entirely possible,” Mentor said.
 
Leah laughed. “Eavesdropping?”
 
“Monitoring only. I heard my name.”
 
“Quite alright,” Leah said. She moaned when Jason found a tight muscle and worked to loosen it. “Ash wants you to do breakfast since you're here.”
 
Jason smiled. “I'll think about it.”
 
In time, Jason reached the top of her thighs. “Want me to stop?” he asked quietly.
 
She shook her head. “You've got a lot of back to cover yet.”
 
“You're enjoying this,” he said with humor.
 
“Absolutely.” Jason adjusted her waistband and Leah shifted to make it easier. He took a bottle of lotion off her nightstand. The bed shifted. Jason straddled her. He moved her hair out of his way. Leah slipped her hand under it and flipped it up off her shoulders.
 
She heard the pump on the bottle and Jason rubbed his hands together. He started at the base of her spine. Her mind went to what had happened earlier. Jason could be insistent, but he was always considerate. He was born with power and his loving parents taught him to respect it and the damage it was capable of.
 
Being an athlete, Jason was naturally strong. He knew the damage strength could do. And while she had been gone, his strength had increased. Even after he found out her ability to heal Jason was always gentle with her.
 
Jason's hands worked her back. Leah slept.
 
* * * * *
Leah stirred, wondering why Jason had stopped. She opened one eye and realized what she was seeing was daylight. She heard a page flip. “Find one of my novels to your liking?” She felt Jason's hand on her back.
 
“No.”
 
She rolled over. Jason had on shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. “Did you sleep?” Jason shook his head. “I didn't expect you to stay up all night.” She moved closer, laying her leg over his. He moved his arm out of the way, and Leah snuggled in closer. “What is that?”
 
The book in Jason's hands was bound in supple brown leather. A strap hung loose from it. “One of my grandfather's journals.”
 
“Oh. So why didn't you sleep?”
 
“Making sure you were okay. You didn't twitch at all.”
 
“That means I only got half of a massage.”
 
“Sorry,” Jason said, turning another page. “You were sleeping on the front half.”
 
“Well, it used to be...” She stopped herself, realizing what she'd been about to say. “Anything from Trese?”
 
Jason shook his head. He closed the journal, wrapping the strap about it. Then it disappeared.

I think it's important for everyone (maybe Steve Long most of all) to consider just how unusual that Q&A Forum is.  I don't believe that even the biggest players, like D&D or Pathfinder, make their top staff available to answer any and every rules question someone wants to post.  Those games have a lot more resources backing them than Hero does.
 
This is not "something Hero has to do to be in the game", it is a value-added which exceeds the norm - maybe someone else is aware of some other games that do this, but I doubt there are many, even if there are some.
 
It was only notable by its absence because we have been spoiled by its presence.

Dan, please turn that functionality off if you haven't already. I apologize for my delay in responding to Rules questions, but it couldn't be helped and I'm ready to get back to it. Once you change the board to "only I can answer," I will delete all answers posted by others and leave only my own, official, responses to the original questions.
 
Thanx! And thanx to those who stepped in to try to help. It wasn't necessary, but as always, I deeply appreciate the enthusiasm and helpfulness of Hero fans!

It's been a fun campaign so far.  Currently the crew is taking a Dungeon Crawl break from the mass setting absorption in the classic In Search of the Unknown.  I believe it's the first adventure published by TSR for Dungeons and Dragons.
 
It's so old nobody at my table (besides me) knew what it was. 
I slightly predate D&D, electricity, pyramids, fire and other modern novelties...
 
One other aspect of the setting that was a big change from convention is that there are no known Gods.  Almost everyone worships The Light and fears The Dark.  Much smaller numbers of people worship (secretly) spheres of influence rather than specific named deities such as The Harvest, The Wind, The Sea, The Hearth, etc.
Shepherd Flynn worships The Storm (Tempest Cleric template) and his access to unconventional spells has lead to some suspicion from his fellow Shepherd.
 
In one episode Shepherd Flynn heard the name Varkuul in the rolling thunder of a lightning strike and upon inspecting the impact point - found a spiraling image of lightning burned into a tree stump.  He carefully cut away the wooden disk and carries it hidden on his person.
 
A plot point that won't get exposed to the players until very late in the campaign is that the old Gods are as sheltered / imprisoned by The Hold as the humans are.

Sitting in the dark, watching the clouds blow in and obscure the stars, Jason did nothing. At his SE apartments he had drawn Beth simply because she was sitting in front of him. Now, sitting in front of him was a sketch pad opened to a blank page.
 
If he started drawing, would it be Marlene or Leah that he drew? Leah was on his mind a lot lately. She took up as much time as Marlene did up there. Actually seeing her in the dress he designed, that he thought she would be wearing when he proposed to her didn't help him any.
 
He was tired. Like he had told Beth, his batteries were near drained. Being called out hadn't helped any, but, conversely, being close to Leah while they worked had.
 
He should go to bed. His schedule was clear for a few days. Jason sighed.
 
His head snapped to the side. Eyes flashing red with power, Jason turned toward Leah's room. “Door open. Clear path to Leah's room. Call Kris.”
 
Jason blasted out the door, caroming off the wall when he turned, not waiting to hear Mentor's response.
 
* * * * *
Orgasm subsiding, Leah smiled and opened her eyes.
 
Steven Bauer, still inside her, grinned. “I'm not through with you yet.”
 
Leah screamed.
* * * * *
“What's the problem?” Kris asked. Trese stood behind her.
 
“I don't know.” Jason jabbed the panel beside the door. “I just know there's something going on.”
 
Kris nodded. “Open it, Mentor.” The door opened to reveal Leah coming towards the door. “Are you okay?”
 
“I'm... I'm fine,” Leah stammered, not realizing she was shaking her head. Her tears started to flow. “He was here!” Leah went to Jason, burying her face in his chest. Jason's arms closed about her.
 
“Who was?” Kris asked gently.
 
“Bauer! He...he...”
 
“Let's go inside,” Kris suggested.
 
Trese slipped inside and activated a wall panel. “Give me the security feed for the room.”
 
Jason turned Leah around and let her lead them in. “What happened?”
 
“I was sitting in my chair there,” she pointed it out. “I was going through your book. Music started playing.”
 
Kris glanced at Jason. “What music?”
 
“I don't know. Elevator music. No words. Just a tune. Then the door sounded. I answered it and Jason...” Leah gulped in air. “Jason was on the other side. I asked him why he was here. He said he was here for me.” Her eyes darted to Jason and then she looked away. “He kissed me. He pinned me up against the wall and took me.”
 
Jason's head dropped and his eyes flared.
 
“Alright, Leah. You and I will go into your bedroom,” Kris said. “I want to do a quick exam. Depending on what I see we may head down to Medical for a full exam. Okay?”
 
Leah nodded. “Jason, come look at this,” Trese said before the door closed.
 
“Let's get your dress off,” Kris said. “Do you need help?” Leah shook her head, lowered the bodice and stepped out of it. She put it on a waiting hangar. She started to push her hose down when Kris said, “Wait.” Kris pulled on a pair of gloves.
 
* * * * *
The security feed showed Leah enter her room. She examined herself in her mirror and began changing out of her Sparx outfit. Once again wearing the dress they just found her in, Leah opened a cabinet and poured herself a glass of wine.
 
Leah turned towards her chair and took something off the counter before moving to sit. Her hand went to her arm. She set her wine glass down and curled up in her chair with Jason's book. Trese advanced the feed until Leah, sitting in her chair, screamed.
 
“What do you make of it?” Trese asked.
 
“The bracelet,” Jason answered. “Leah wasn't wearing one at the gallery. She is now.”
 
“Should we ask her about it?”
 
“You do it,” Jason said. The bedroom door open and Leah and Kris came out. “What's the verdict?” Jason asked.
 
Leah, still wearing her hose, and now a robe, sat back in her chair. He emptied her wine glass. The bracelet sparkled in the light of the table lamp.
 
“All the signs of recent intense arousal. Hose and panties are damp. She's swollen and tender. But there's no other signs of penetration or sex,” Kris said.
 
“I... I haven't. Not since... Not for lack of Brad and Dani trying.” Leah said.
 
“How do you feel about that?” asked Kris.

Leah gave a small smile. “Dani has a better chance than Brad does.”

“I won't tell her that,” Trese said. “She'll redouble her efforts.”
 
“I appreciate that. I'm going out of my mind,” Leah said quietly.
 
Trese looked at Jason who gave her a slight nod. She went over to Leah and knelt down. “Can I ask you something?” Leah nodded. “Your bracelet that you're wearing. Where did you get it?”
 
Leah looked at the bracelet. Then she looked at Jason. “Jason gave it to me. It was...it was our last anniversary together. We were on the Mistral Wind off the coast of Monaco.”
 
“The first time I saw that bracelet, Leah, was the day Warren picked you up at the airport,” Trese said. “You were wearing it then.”
 
“But, Jason...”
 
“Leah,” she looked at Jason. “You've been on the Wind all of twice. Once here for a dinner party and once in San Diego. You and I have never been to Monaco together.”
 
“I'm going out of my mind,” Leah whispered.
 
Trese lay her hand gently on Leah's leg. “I want to take your bracelet. I want to run some scans on it. Can I do that?”
 
Leah's hand went slowly to the bracelet. Looking at it, she turned it on her arm. “Sure,” she said, slipping it off. She handed it to Trese. Trese formed a purple force bowl. Leah set it inside. Trese closed the bowl.
 
Kris keyed in the medical dispenser and pulled out a packet. She took that to Leah. Leah looked at it. “I don't want to be medicated.”
 
Kris smiled. “Alright,” but she set the packet on the table anyway. “If you need me, call.”
 
“I will. Thanks.” Trese and Kris went out into the hall. Jason turned to follow. “Jason, will you stay a minute? Please?”
 
Kris turned and nodded at Jason.
 
“Sure,” he said. He turned to face Leah and the door closed. Smiling, he asked her, “What do you need?”
 
Rising from her chair, Leah came to him. She stared into his eyes until she shivered. “To feel safe. Will... Will you stay with me a while?”

“Night, Leah,” Trese said. Dani mumbled something that sounded similar.
 
“Night, Trese. Night, Dani.” The door to her apartments opened.
 
Stepping inside, she made her way to the standing mirror. She looked her reflection over. Smudges of dirt were on her suit and her boots. She stripped off her glove and tossed it in a clothes basket. She turned enough to see the rent in her hose. “Those are a write off.”
 
Electricity arced across her body. Sparx's uniform was replaced by the dress she had on at the gallery. Giving her uniform hanging from her hand the once-over, she pulled the tights out. The uniform went into the basket with her glove. The tights sailed for the trash can.
 
With a slight discharge of her power, Leah propped her boots up next to the closet door. She stepped out of her heels and left those beside her boots.
 
She ached, but she wasn't tired. Leah poured herself a glass of wine and headed for a chair, picking up Jason's book from where she had left it before being called out. She took a drink and set the glass on a the table beside her chair. Curling up in the chair, Leah ran her fingers over the plastic sealing the book within.
 
The book was over-sized. Easily what would be referred to as a “coffee table book”. Thick and heavy.
 
Breaking the seal and pulling the book out, Leah opened the front cover. Jason had signed it, “For my Elvgren girl.” Leah smiled. The label inside the cover showed it was copy two. Turning the flyleaf, Jason's sketch for her was her done in Elvgren's pinup style. She was stretched out on a tiger-skin rug. Her robe was sheer, barely concealing anything. Sheer stockings that matched the robe, covered her legs. One hand played with her hair. She was smiling.
 
“Mentor, I need a frame for this.”
 
“I will see to it,” the AI said.
 
“Thank you.” Leah began turning the pages, studying the art on one page and reading what Jason had to say about it on the other.
 
She lost track of time. Her wine glass was nearing empty when Leah realized music was playing. Her door chime sounded. She got up, set the book on her chair, and went to the door. When it opened, for a moment everything felt wrong.
 
Jason stood in the hallway. “Would you like to come in?” she asked.
 
Crossing her threshold, Jason asked, “What are you up to?”
 
“I was just flipping through your book. Looking for paintings of me,” she said with a smile. “What brings you here this...morning, I guess?”
 
“You,” he answered, stepping close. Leah's breath caught in her throat. Jason pulled her close and began kissing her demandingly. Possessively. His hand moved her skirt to the side. Cupping her butt, he lifted her. Pinning her against the wall, Leah moaned when Jason entered her.
 

“Lights. Low,” Ash said, dropping onto a couch. “I think I'm going to sleep for a week. Since he's here, someone pencil in Jason for breakfast duty.”
 
“It's your turn,” Psistorm said, stripping off her Guardians jacket.
 
“Why do you think she wants Jason penciled in?” Sparx said with a smirk. She sidled up to the bar, laid her arms on it, made fists, and rested her head there. “Only a week, Ash? I ache.”
 
“It was a simple weld job,” Nightwing said. With a click, he removed his cowl. He stepped behind the bar, took down a couple of glasses and a bottle. He poured whiskey into one and set it in front of Sparx. She glanced at it with one eye.
 
“Pass.” Nightwing shrugged and drank it down.
 
Ringer said, “That was fun.” Sparx groaned.
 
“Oh, sure, 'Little Miss Perfect',” Psistorm teased.
 
Pulling her mask off, Jenny grinned at Psistorm. A compartment on the table in front of her opened up to reveal her glasses. “Thanks, Mentor.”
 
“You are welcome, Jenny.”
 
Hellfire sat next to Psistorm. “That was a nice dance you did, Jen. I'm glad you didn't get hurt.” She glanced at Sparx and grinned. “Hey, Sparx.”
 
“Yeah?”
 
Hellfire got up and moved behind Sparx. “You got a hole in your uniform.”
 
“Where?”
 
Hellfire pulled a glove off and poked Sparx through the run in her tights. “Dani,” she said, turning around. “That's my ass.”
 
Hellfire's grin went wider. “Ask me nicely and I'll make it my ass for the rest of the night.”
 
“You're obnoxious.”
 
“You love me,” Hellfire teased.
 
“Yes, I do. You're still obnoxious,” Sparx said, hugging Hellfire. “Some other time.”
 
Hellfire pouted. “You are one of the few people that keep turning me down. You're going to give me a complex.”
 
“Team slut,” Nightwing said, not exactly quietly.
 
Hellfire pushed away from Sparx and glared at Nightwing. “What did you call me?”
 
“You heard me.”
 
Eyes flashing with flame, Nightwing's glass erupted. “You have just guaranteed that you never will. You want to know the difference between us, Michaels? I know everyone I have ever been with. I know their names and I respect them.”
 
Tossing the glass into the small bar sink, Nightwing said, “I'm a guy.”
 
“I can fix that,” Hellfire snarled. “In fact I can fix it so that Momma Michaels' stupidest won't ever breed.”
 
“Cool down, Dani,” Psistorm said. “Brad, grow up.”

It really is/  I've been using it for a few months now.
 
Anxiously awaiting the next release!

I think the key to this might be to detail out the ritual, not just saying 12 cultists are going to form a circle at "x" time and "y" location and 20 minutes later "bad thing" happens. 
 
I'd make it so that the ritual is a major spell that maybe has a -X (I'll use 20 in this example) to the roll to succeed and the Lead Cultist has the ritual spell at a 13- base chance for success. Then make a list of a bunch of things the cultists need to do before the ritual in order to give +'s to the ritual roll in order for the Cult leader to succeed. So bunch of the cultists are out and about for 30 days before the ritual doing a bunch of things that will make the ritual work.
 
For example, maybe there are  3 magical blades involved in the ritual. Each blade can add +1 to the ritual's success in performing for each "innocent" the blade kills, up to +5 each blade. So the PC's need to find these cultists and stop them from completing their killings and hopefully recover all 3 blades. But they might not. They might recover 1 blade, and prevent another from only killing 2 victims, and fail in hindering the third all together. So they have managed to limit the bonuses to the ritual to +7, rather then +15 that the cultist would have gotten if they hand't been stopped. 
 
At the same time there might be 4 scared locations that the spell could be preformed at that would give the cultists +5 to the roll, so another thing the PC might need to do before the ritual is find these locations and make them unusable to the cultists for the ritual by either making the ground Holy, or flooding it or something else that would make these areas unusable to the bad guys. 
 
There could also be special ingredients that give +'s to the ritual that the PC could try and find and either keep or destroy before the cultists get their hands on them. For example, special berries that only grow in a magical grove in the woods. The Players need to get to that grove and burn the bushes growing the berries before the cultists can gather them.
 
Maybe they can find an order of "good" priests/clerics and convince them to do a counter ritual at the same time the bad guys ritual is happening which will give the bad guys -10 to their chance to succeed, or something similar. 
 
And so on. 
 
It basically becomes a battle to limit the chance (Spell roll) for the ritual to succeed. Every success the PC's have reduces the bonuses the Cultists get, every failure give the cultists some bonus. And the Players don't know what the totals are. 
 
So when it does come time for the ritual to happen, no one might know (except the GM) if the Bad Guys might have a chance to succeed. 
 
Maybe the PC's have done really well and the Cultists have only managed to get +15 to the ritual, so the Main cultist's chance of success is now only 8- when he performs the spell. Or maybe they did poorly and the cultists now have +22 to performing the ritual and the main Cultist now has a 15- chance of succeeding. 
 
Then have the final battle while the ritual is going on. If the players do manage to kill all the cultists before the ritual is finished, then noone will ever know how close to success the bad guys got. If they don't stop the ritual in time, then make the cult leaders Spell roll at whatever it now is, and see what happens. If his roll is 8- and you roll a 12 then the ritual fails and maybe the cult leader dies screaming in agony and the forces of the spell rips him apart or as he is dragged into hell for his failure. Yay, the Players won by making the spell to difficult to cast. 
 
Or maybe the cultists did a better job and the spell roll was 14- and you roll at 12, so the ritual succeeds, then maybe the players have a few moments to try and stop it from "going off" by some of them sacrificing themselves, or maybe they do fail and the spell happens and they now have to live/fight against the consequences, knowing they failed, and that spins off into the next adventures but the knowledge they gained on the cultist's workings will help the next time. 
 
But by making the ritual dynamic and fluid with ever changing odds of success based on how well the players or the cultists do, leading up to the ritual itself, makes it more exciting and unpredictable for everyone involved.