csyphrett

Re: Teen Guardians Wednesday the Third Hardball 1:12 pm Anthony spotted a SWAT van rolling up the highway behind him with lights flashing. It seemed to be heading in the same direction as the rest of the polices cars he had spotted on the highway. He continued on, the last thing he needed was the pigs turning up to the right place when he confronted Heartbreaker, although whether he'd be able to do that and make his appointment with Casket would be another question. Anthony spotted the police surrounding a neighborhood below the highway as he sped along. A big green caddy pulled on the highway in front of him, driving the limit which slowed him down. Anthony drove around for about an hour trying to think of anything he could tell Eric that would help him identify Heartbreaker. The problem was that he had never actually caught her before. He'd stopped her assassinating several people, and had confronted her once or twice, but she always had a foolproof escape plan. Maybe that was something he should mention. Suddenly the ball phone beeped to tell him he had a message. "Think we have found the girl." Hardball knew the mastermind would have tried to break in to the school to use the lab. It was the closest place with science equipment. That left him with a quandary. He was supposed to go to his job interview in a little bit. He would have to cross Casket to not show. Emp, Tachyon, Pusher 4:00 pm Then they journeyed not more than a mile from the school to a pleasant looking place in beige and yellow. Trees in the yard were fiery as they waited for the full onslaught of winter, and the loss of their leaves. A small fountain threw water in the air from an endless circuit. The three heroes could see that the driveway leading to a garage on the side of the house was empty. Maybe Blanche was home alone, waiting for her chance. Patty, hoodie up, slowed her pace down almost to a shuffled; she tucked in tight against Eric. "So that's it," she said, glancing at the house... "How do you guys want to handle this?" Pusher had charged up, full face mask on, black costume, with the white atom insignia glowing on the front. Patty remained in her denim and hoodie, looking up at Eric. "Well?" she said. "I mean, we can storm the castle, boys, and have fun doing it but I'd rather wait until Hardball..." Eric looked towards the sound of the motorcycle in the distance and then looked back the two of them. "I think we need to do a search of the house for our suspect first along with any evidence. This some how screams set up and trap to me." Patty nodded her head up and down rapidly and in agreement. She frowned and cocked her head. "Is that a bike I hear?" she asked. "Yeah, hope it's Hardball. Otherwise this is going to be interesting," said Eric. Hardball stopped around the corner so that the others wouldn't link him to Anthony's bike and made a mental note to ask EMP whether he could do something to help disguise it. He checked that the 'Aussie' outfit he had used to meet Casket's contact was safely stowed. The meeting had gone well. The 'Thunder from Down under' was now in the underworld consciousness as a reliable, if slightly foolhardy, young punk with no local connections to worry about him. He foresaw a lot of suicidally dangerous crime in his future, starting with this first job (which thankfully the meeting was only an audition for, the fun to come later) After giving Casket's man "Aussie's" contact details Anthony had caught up with the rest of the Guardians at the school and trailed them to a burger joint and then to a house which it seemed they were casing in uniform (some of them anyway, what was Rabbit wearing?) Making sure to keep out of sight of the neighbors, he moved to intercept them. "Sorry I'm late, boys and girls. Looks like you did o.k. without me though. I'm guessing this would be Chateau de 'artbreaker?" "We don't know." Pusher's face was hidden by his mask so it was hard to tell what he thought. "We were going in to look around. You're welcome to come along." "Up to you--she's yours...you want to go in first or all at once I could probably run through the house without getting caught just suggesting." The words came unbidden and in burst-format from Patty. "Let me open the door." Pusher looked across the street. "I don't see any alarm company signs or stickers." "Sounds good," said Hardball. "Pusher-man opens the door and Rabbit does recon. However if this is Heartbreaker we're dealing with, she *will* have the house booby-trapped so look out for them, also checking the perimeter for her escape routes (there will be at least one more than we've considered knowing her) would be a good idea. Also, everyone remember she was a psychotic killer for whom human life had no worth, and even then she was intelligent. Now she's decided to add mocking heroes to her repertoire so she may very well have added lethal puzzles to her hideout as a way of proving herself our intellectual superior. "So are we agreed, Rabbit does a perimeter sweep, the Pusher opens the door for her to do recon, if she isn't back in, say 1 minute (which should give her time to do a pretty good sweep while watching for traps) we go gung-ho and storm the place in order to save her hopefully trapped (and not dead) ass?" "Sounds like a plan." Eric looked around the house. "It might be helpful for someone to take the roof so they can keep a high view point of the possible exits that she might use." "You have the line gun." Pusher pointed out. "Let's go do this before we start attracting attention." He started across the road. "Wait here," Patty said, taking the backpack from her shoulders and pushing it carefully beneath a bush. Eric was about to point out that while he had a line gun it wasn't without sound which might alert the girl. So he went with the group towards the house it was times like these that he remembered how annoying his power was really. He did keep his eyes peeled though to make sure he didn't step into a trap. Patty's clothes appeared neatly folded upon the backpack hidden by shrubbery; with a noticeable backwash of paper and dust, she accelerated to her maximum, ripping around the house several times, checking for traps... The yard was clear of anything that looked like it might blow up. She whipped past Eric and left these words hanging in his ears: "Going inside back out in a minute promise if I'm not back out come in after me watch for booms!" Patty headed inside the house at high speed... The bottom floor of the house was empty. ...and headed upstairs... Three bedrooms and a closet waited with closed doors for the speedster's touch. One of them had to be the parents, one of them had to be Blanche's, the last being a guest room, or a sibling's. Patty began her search, one room at a time...starting with the closet...then the bathroom...then the rooms... The closet and the bathroom, a half bathroom, were empty. The room next to them was the master bedroom. She saw two people under the bed spread asleep. The bed spread was up to their eyes. Patty stopped-if she had been a cartoon character, there would have been a /twang!/ noise--but her own personal vibration, that minor ability that hid her identity from others, that unconsciously picked up to full swing...and she watched... ...they couldn't just be asleep...were they...adults...were they...the girl's parents...? Patty didn't see any movement. They must have turned in early. It was only twenty after four. Patty didn't think about it--even though a little part of her mind screamed, "TRAP TRAP TRAP TRAP"--she reached out and, at high speed tore the sheets off the two laying in bed--and backed away quickly even as she watched for reaction, any reaction... The Devoreauxs lay in bed, mouths and eyes wide open. They were still clothed, even having on shoes. Patty smelled something like burning meat. A ball of white light rolled out from under the bed. Patty hit top speed on her way down the stairs bursting directly out of the front door and heading for the nearest ally her voice a high-pitched blur that matched her physical speed "...eeepppp...." The house blew up behind her, sending wooden shrapnel across the neighborhood in a deadly cloud. Luckily it looked like no one other than the Guardians were outside. Pusher put up a wall as a shield but it was instantly knocked down by the flying wood. Patty headed for Eric-and was knocked head over keister as the blast caught her off-balance and tossed her like a toy into the bushes. "...crapcrapcrapcrapcrap..." She laid there fighting tears. Eric rushed over to her as bracing himself against explosions wasn't something new but he was revolted by this one all the same. He helped her up, holding her, "Don't worry.. you're all right. What happened up there?" A skull dropped down beside him, pieces of burning hair stuck to it. The words spewed out of her mouth as she grabbed hold and held him tight. "Sheplantedabombputherparentsinbedandblewthemupandtookthehousewiththemthatsjustsickshesgottabestoppedcraptheyredeadcouldntdoanythingaboutittheywerealreadydeadprobablythismorningshejustblewthemup" He listened to her rush everything out as she spoke he could make out bits and pieces from what she was saying. He had to agree with her, Heartbreaker was definitely someone they needed to deal with quickly. Course the strange thing was to him, if she knew they'd come here and set up a trap then that meant she was either watching or believed Hardball was killed in the explosion. "It's okay...calm down." He was already paranoid they might have someone watching them that he didn't want to use his empathic transmission to try and calm her down right now as they both needed their wits about them. Patty shuddered down a couple of times, her natural vibration setting his teeth rattling. "I...I...I'll try..." Smoke headed straight up for the sky. Patty lost it again. The vibrations from Patty where already bad enough but she lost it again Eric had to let go. "PATTY!" He tried to get her attention before she completely went into shock. Not that he wasn't feeling sickened by the skull of someone that he been the parent of the little psycho. It was followed by a greater sickening feeling when he realized he'd killed his father the same way when he was older. This entire moment just seemed to jog that memory and yet it was fleeting. There was some mixture of joy in it for that brief moment but.. now looking at Patty he could only feel the sickening desire to puke right there. Fighting down his nausea, he looked around the area it was twilight but there was plenty of light and very likely they'd have to contend with an angry mob and very likely fire fighters and police officers that would suspect they set the fire and killed the people inside. "We need to get out of here people. Fast." "We have to put out the fire." Pusher pointed at the flames starting to spread from ground zero. "Any ideas?" She still vibrated hard--but the blonde stared at him. "Fast. Away. Cops." Patty's head nodded up and down as she struggled with what she'd seen and the closeness of her own demise. "Yes, away, away." "You guys go." Pusher started back towards the house. "Someone has to put out that fire. It's burning up our evidence." "Come on Tachyon." Emp hated leaving the rest of the group to fight this blaze but once the police and fire fighters arrived he likely wasn't going to do the group much good. "Pusher! try altering the molecules of the smoke to direct H20, that should give you enough water to put out the flames quickly if you can do it. Tachyon and I will scout around the area. Heartbreaker would likely be near by to see if her trap was sprung." Pusher went to work, doing what he could with his power to transform things. There wasn't much left of the walls so he couldn't be trapped by the fire. He decided the best thing to was freeze the air and turn that into water so that it would drop directly on the fire. Patty grabbed onto his arm and shook--and she looked at him, seemingly drawing some sort of resolve. "Okay...what...what...crap...she would be..." Her eyes narrowed. "I'm looking." The girl went to tiptoes and pressed her lips for a moment against Eric's. "I'm looking." She disappeared in a blast of speed, scouring the neighborhood... A number of the neighbors were out on the street, inspecting the damage to their houses. Some walked closer to get a better view of Pusher working. Cell phones were to people's mouths. Tachyon couldn't tell if they were calling for help, or informing friends. A few of the group started over to talk to Hardball and Emp. Nariko 5:00 pm Nariko leaned a bit closer, obviously intrigued. "That actually sounds *really* interesting, father! What are those places actually *like*? Have you ever run into any *real* alien life forms?" "Yes." Mr. Miyama produced a scanner shaped like a bullhorn, and beamed his daughter. "Some of them are inimical to humans." Mr. Miyama went to a machine shaped like a press. He pressed some buttons and the top and bottom came together. Nariko spotted red and green fluid descending from tubes on the sides of the machine, leading to the bottom plate. "'Inimical' as in they're out to *kill* us?", Nariko asked with just a tiny bit of trepidation as she watched the machine do its work. "Let's say a level above ordinary predatoriness." Mr. Miyama worked the press open after the timer went off. Hard shells were revealed inside the raised section. "That's why we asked Mr. Four to look out for you." "Ah...okay," his daughter said with a nod. Maybe her father wasn't trying to "matchmake" after all. She bent low to take a look at the press' handiwork, clearly interested. "Um...what are Mr. Four's abilities, if you don't mind my asking? Is he a top-shelf martial artist or something like that?" "He controls energy to some extent." Mr. Miyama pulled the pieces out one by one to inspect them. "These look okay, but you will have to try them on to see if they fit." "Okay, Father." She held out her hand a little, hinting that she'd like to give them a try. The armor was in sections. Each section had a set of clasps like buckles on the sides. Nariko figured that the section should fit over a limb, with a sort of hinge on one side and the buckles on the other. She started to don the armor as she was handed each piece. She asked as she dressed "Is there an environment suit that you wear over or under this, or does the armor itself seal up?" "The armor should be airtight with a filter." Mr. Miyama made sure the pieces fit with a nod. "Of course sometimes bad things happen. Let's try the helmet." He handed over a functional cylinder with a clear face. The bottom snapped into the neck and shoulders with a little effort. "How does it feel?" The gearhead girl smiled at her father. "Nice and light, Daddy! Like a bike helmet..." "Good." Mr. Miyama nodded. "If anything happens, press the button under your chin. That will release the helmet instantly from the neck locks." She nodded in turn. "Okay...but how do you get it off *normally*?" "Twist and yank." Mr. Miyama grabbed the helmet, turned and pulled. It came off easily. She nodded and smiled a little once she got the helmet off. "It's very well-designed, father. Is it yours?" "Some." Mr. Miyama put the helmet down. "Some of it is what we discovered using our door. You'll see tomorrow when we take off. We'll have to make sure the police know we're going to be out of touch. It will save time later. "Do you have any questions?" Nariko nodded. "Yes. Is there anything I need to know about the actual transition through the portal? Any side effects? Also, is there anything I can do to help everyone get ready?" "I suppose that you should see the gate." Mr Miyama led the way out of the room to a secret door behind a grandfather clock. Stairs were revealed leading down. He flipped on lights as he descended. At the bottom of the steps, a huge chamber held a round hoop of glowing metal, and blinding colors, in the floor. Arcane writing ran around the circle. "Wow..." Nariko stood transfixed for a few moments, fascinated and shocked. It was *nothing* like she thought it would be. Finally, she managed to ask, "Um...is it anything like one of my gates?" "All gates open on a principle like a door to a room. Our personal powers allow us to open a door to a space that we carry around with us, our personal pocket dimension. This gate opens on the astromembrane which in turn opens on other dimensions. It is like rooms in a house so to speak." His daughter clearly found it all to be quite fascinating. "What *is* the astromembrane? Is it some sort of artifact? "It's an imaginary sea." Mr. Miyama went to the controls behind a shield. "When we enter, you'll have a recall device so don't lose it." The hoop in the floor began to spin giving all sparks of color. The center opened. Nariko could see spheres in a sheet of gray like bubble wrap. Small burning pinpoints indicated distant stars that had never been seen from Earth. The hoop slowed, closing the floating cloud from her house in Chance City.

Re: The New Circle Character Name: The Crackler Real Name: Stacy Raye Nationality: American Hair/Eye Color: Blue/Red Place of Birth: Chicago, Ill. Date of Birth: 5/16/42 Height/Mass: 5'8", 175 pounds Cost Characteristic Value 5 STR 15 30 DEX 20 10 CON 15 0 BODY 10 10 INT 20 20 EGO 20 5 PRE 15 0 COM 10 PD 3 ED 3 SPD 2 REC 6 END 30 STUN 24 OCV: 6 DCV: 6 OECV: 6 DECV: 6 Phases: 6,12 Cost Powers and Talents (END) Regeneration 3d6 30 pts. reduced end (+1/2), persistent (+1/2), self only (-½), extra time (1 hour, -2) 17 pts Crackler Suit- Life Support: self contained breathing, safe environments, and immunities 39 pts OIF (-½) 26 pts Crackler Suit-Armor 60 pts (15pd/25ed) OIF (-½) 40 pts Crackler Magnetic 30 pt multipower OIF (-½) 20 pts 1u Magnetic Grip: Clinging 30 pts, only versus metal (-1), OIF (-½) 12 pts 1u Magnetic Line: 6" Stretching 30 pts, always direct (-1/4), cannot do damage (-½), can only affect metal (-1), OIF (-½) 9 pts 1u Electric Touch: 6d6 Hand Attack 30 pts, hand to hand attack (-1/2), OIF (-½) 15 pts Operator Enhancements: +10 strength 10 pts OIF (-½) 6 pts +20 dex 60 pts OIF (-½) 50 pts +20 con 40 pts OIF (-½) 26 pts +15 body 30 pts OIF (-½) 20 pts +2 speed 20 pts OIF (-½) 13 pts Cost Skills 3 computer programming 13- 3 demolitions 3 electronics 13- 3 inventor 13- 3 mechanics 13- 3 Science: electromagnetism 13- 3 Science: physics 13- 3 security systems 13- 3 systems operation 13- 3 AK: Chicago 13- 7 Contact: Dr. Hunt 11- 3 streetwise 12 - 3 stealth 13- 3 deduction 13- 3 shadowing 13- 150 Points Disadvantages 15 pts Secret Identity 15 pts Watched By Dr. Brendan Hunt 14- 20 pts Believes everything is Black and White 20 pts Hunted by Police 11- 30 pts Hunted by Rogues Gallery 14- 20 pts Honorable 10 pts Reputation: electric ghost 11- 20 pts Subject to orders CHA Cost = 80 Total Powers Cost = 221 Total Skills Cost = 49 Total Cost = __350________________ Background Information: During the fifties, Dr. Brendan Hunt, a pioneer of computer technology and a master of electromagnetism, had created his own research business. Hunt was aided by a man named Stacy Raye. The two worked long hours on problems submitted by the Chicago authorities, and on their secret prototype suit. With the space race on, Hunt and Raye wanted to build a suit that would protect astronauts better than what the fledgling NASA had come up with at the time. Raye was testing the suit when spies tried to rob the lab. He was knocked into a bank of equipment and received a terrific shock that should have killed him. The spies took Dr. Hunt with them. Raye recovered in time to use the suit's magnets to help trail his new found enemies across town. He broke in, freeing the doctor. He then proceeded to scare the secret thieves into submission so he could hand them over to the proper authority. The Crackler worked to keep Chicago safe for years, finally vanishing from sight in the late sixties. The lab closed with the death of Dr. Hunt shortly afterwards. Neither Raye, or the suit, have been seen since. Quote: crackle (the suit prevented talking, making a frying bacon sound when it was turned all the way to full power.) Personality: Raye's defining trait was the belief that there was right and there was wrong, and there was no shades of grey to justify doing wrong to do right. Out of that came the fact that he was strictly honest, and never bent a principle for another person. The suit was a means that he could help people more efficiently than otherwise. Appearance: Raye was a normal looking man with red hair and blue eyes, often found wearing a lab coat or coveralls. The Crackler suit was basic black from helmet to boots with small bursts of lightning running along its surface. Powers: The suit enhanced Raye's physical capabilities, protected him from harm, and allowed him to generate small magnetic fields in his hands. He used these to cling to metal, throw a line to grab things, or simply shock someone when he punched them. Plot Hook 1) Dr. Brendan Hunt's lab has long belonged to the city since he had no heirs. The tax office has finally found someone willing to take it. No one is prepared for the electricity monster that begins terrorizing the city when demolition starts on the building. Plot Hook 2) A new Crackler appears to protect the city. This new ‘hero' electrocutes the criminals he/she captures. The authorities need all the help they can get to stop this menace. Plot Hook 3) Someone is supplying the local underworld with electromagnetic guns. The designs are archaic but the different types are more powerful than anything more recent in production. Argent and Viper are both interested in finding the seller of these weapons. All they have is the nickname Crackle. Can the heroes find out what's going on in time? GM's Note: This 50's hero was based off Steve Ditko's Static that appeared in Charlton's Bull's-eye and in a collection sold by Robin Snyder.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Finished Tim Lebbon's Hellboy: Unnatural Selection. Hellboy has to stop a ecoterrorist who has brought back monsters from Limbo. CES

Re: The New Circle

Re: The New Circle Thanks, QM. That's cool of you. CES

Re: The New Circle I got a copy, but I can't use it on my computer. It takes up too much memory to run. Had to uninstall it. CES

Re: The New Circle I'm sorry KS. I don't have HD. I can send the whole sheets as plain email, but I have no means to format them as anything else. CES

Re: New Avengers are very Dark Champions I think the whole thing would come off better as a piece of plot if the editors and writers could sit down and figure out what they are doing. Tom Breevort the editor responsible admitted that the writers outside of the series did whatever they wanted whether it fit or not, as well as saying Millar had free rein with what he wrote without consequence. That's why Iron Man is a monstrous scum bag in some of the stories and not in others as an example. Right now DC is losing a lot of the marketplace according to a couple of people who look over the retail sales chart, so Marvel must have a lot of fans for what they are publishing. I'm just not one of them. CES

Re: xialin showdown Page 10- Jade Lee cleaned up, had time for sleep, then spent the next morning at the police station. It took them four hours to confirm her story. It probably would have taken all day, and the night too, if not for the family lawyer. In the end, she had acted to save lives and had committed no crimes so they were forced to let her go. Now all she had to do was find a ghostbuster. After leaving the police station with a smile on her face, Jade got in her Jag and headed for the Temple to talk to the monks about her ghost. The Buddhist temple shared a fence line with a Shinto shrine in the worst neighborhood in Chinatown. Orange clad monks moved about the walled area, while white and red shrine maidens completed their duties to the alter surrounded by a small forest of trees. Sidewalk bordered the two lots, squeezing them together. Parking spaces were on the street and metered. One car already had a ticket. Jade found a parking spot and parked her car then found some change in her cup holder for the meter, got out and fed the meter. Then she headed up to the temple to look for the head monk. The orange clad monks bowed as she passed as they carried out their duties, cleaning and maintaining the temple and its small grounds. The wall that ran around the perimeter blocked off the forest next door. The abbot Chan Su walked among the small amount of his brothers, talking to each one as he went. He bowed to Jade slightly. "What can I do for you, Miss Lee?" His face appeared calm and placid when he looked her in the eyes. Jade smiled and bowed in return and said, "Good day, Master Su. I wanted to know if there is somewhere quieter we could talk about you maybe being able to help me with a ghost problem I am having at my family's Tea House." "A ghost problem?" Master Su gestured to his office at the front of the main house. "One of your father's victims returned?" "You know if you were any other man, I would have thought that you was being disrespectful to my father for that remark, but I know you are not. As for the ghost, no, he does not have anything to do with my father. He used to live in a house where our Tea House is now built," said Jade. "I take it he doesn't want to talk." The abbot sat behind his desk. "Most spirits are tied to their old life." "I already tried talking to him, but it did not work. He thought that our Tea House was his home and that I was his wife at first, but when I told him that he was mistaken on where he was and who I was, he got very angry and started to attack. I did my best to protect everyone in the Tea House and stop him. I managed to stop him for now but my father is worried he will come back. I need your help, if you can," said Jade. "As you know, we can't interfere with a haunting." The abbot sat back in his chair. "It is possible one of the shrine maidens could help you. The head priestess should be there. I'm sure they have some means to combat ghosts. "If not, I know some others who possibly could help you." "Yes, I do know, and thank you for seeing me and all your help, now if you will excuse me, I guess I should go talk with the priestess," said Jade as she bowed, then turned and walked out. She headed back to her car to check on it, feed the meter some more, headed to the shrine in search of the high priestess. Shrine maidens in heavy white shirts and loose red pants went about their duties cleaning and taking care of the small property and the shrine in the middle of the twisted trees. The oldest maiden, ninety if a day, came forward. Interest lightened her thin, wrinkled face. "What can I do for you, miss?" The voice was a buzzsaw.

Re: New Avengers are very Dark Champions Actually there is accountability in the Patriot Act. A bunch of guys at the FBI just got hammered for misusing the phone tap law built into it. CES

Re: The New Circle 3 Character Name: Cosmo Jones Real Name: Robert Jones Hair/Eye Color: Brown/brown Place of Birth: Fallsville, Idaho Date of Birth: 4/1/1939 Height/Mass: 5'8", 185 pounds Cost Characteristic Value 8 STR 18 39 DEX 23 16 CON 18 6 BODY 13 5 INT 15 6 EGO 13 1 PRE 11 COM 10 PD 3 ED 3 30 SPD 5 REC 6 END 36 STUN 31 OCV: 7 DCV: 7 OECV: 4 DECV: 4 Phases: 3,5,8,10,12 Cost Powers and Talents (END) Sidearm: 10d6 energy blast 50 pts, variable advantage (+1), OAF (-1), 16 charges (-0) 50 pts Tuxedo powers Toughness: Armor (15 ed/15 pd) 45 pts, OAF (-1) 22 pts Environmental protection: Life Support low pressure/vacuum/ high radiation/intense cold and heat/self contained breathing. OAF (-1) 9 pts Wall walking: Clinging OAF (-1) 5 pts Mind wiper: 5d6 transform 75 pts, self only(-1/2), triggered by giving secrets to enemy(+1/4), IIF (-1/4) 50 pts 25 + 12 point Gadget pool, can only be changed between adventures (-1/2), can only be changed at arsenal (-1/2), IAF (½) 14 pts Cost Skills 3 acting 11- 3 bribery 11- 3 bugging 12- 3 combat piloting 13- 3 combat driving 13- 3 concealment 12- 3 cryptography 12- 3 disguise 12- 3 lockpicking 13- 3 security systems 12- 3 stealth 13- 3 systems operations 12- 5 TF: small aircraft, hovercraft, common wheeled vehicles. 2 WF: slug throwers. 6 + 4 lightning reflexes 20 Danger sense 20 + 4 dcv against all attacks 150 Points Disadvantages 20 Secret: ISS Agent 5 Rivalry with other agents 20 Subject to orders 15 Loyal to agency 15 Will complete the mission 30 Hunted by other space security forces. 14- 10 Watched by the FBI 8- 5 reputation: Burned out pinko FBI Quitter 8- 5 DF: Tuxedo 15 minority: human 10 DNPC: Mike, brother 8- CHA Cost = 111 Total Powers Cost = 150 Total Skills Cost = 89 Total Cost = 350 Plot Hook 1) A small coalition of aliens arrive on Earth. They demand the presence of Cosmo Jones. Naturally no one knows who they are talking about. Can the heroes avert trouble? Plot Hook 2) Evidence has been discovered that tragedies may have been prevented by some alien agency on Earth. Some discovery has brought to life that one of the emergencies was simply delayed for a few decades. The only one who might know for sure is Robert Jones, a retiree that has vanished from his old age home. Plot Hook 3) The heroes are taken hostage with several bystanders. One hostage, Bob Jones, seems intent on hiding his real identity from their captors. What is really going on? Who is Jones, and why would street punks have high powered alien weapons in their possession? GM's Note: Cosmo Jones was based on Cosage, a space spy created by Steve Ditko. In the fifties, he is having a hard time for speaking out during the Red Scare/Cold War era on Earth which basically serves as his rest and relaxation spot while active protecting the galaxy from menaces everywhere. In a modern era, he can be a contact to space, providing equipment and support. He might even have risen beyond field agent status to become one of the few humans who protect the galaxy from evil forces by directing agents on the type of cases he used to handle.

Re: The Magistracy's Legion 9 Lord Scriptus smiled at the dancing letters on the floor around him. It had taken some doing, but things were on schedule at the moment. The Chemist had arrived as predicted, but he could be kept at arm's length if you knew how. His two companions were another thing. They should be taken care of before they became too much of a problem. Unfortunately he didn't have anything that could handle the protector of the universe. He thought about it, thinking that perhaps he could use this development. It might help him shorten the length of time for his spell to run. He just had to make it look convincing. Scriptus wrote a symbol on the air. It should make his voice heard to his soldiers. He gave them a moment of instructions before wiping the symbol out of the air. He had to get ready for his guests. He diverted three lines of writing away from the circle around him, the main engine of his spell. A y branch formed at the end of the new additions to his equation. A finger stroke put out the torches on the wall over his trap. It wasn't perfect. Hopefully he could snare all three with a minimum of effort. He just had to make it look believable. Lord Scriptus turned his attention to the workings of his dimension driver. The years he had spent training his protege had been well spent. Enoch had learned, been programmed, with the secrets that he needed to be taught at a phenomenal rate. He was as strong as any writer left on Earth. He just needed some experience in how to use his abilities. The constant concentration required was just the thing to firmly establish his skill and abilities. The gargoyles should be herding the wizards and their supernatural ally into the castle by now. He had ordered hit and run attacks to keep them off balance and running for cover. He didn't want to give the Chemist too much time to think of a countermeasure. That would be extremely dangerous to his plans. The three entered the castle. His watchdogs kept an eye on them, herding them to the central chamber where he waited. He added another letter to each of his writing tentacles as he waited, tending his brainchild. If this plan worked, he could add more and more territory to his new kingdom until he had his own universe under his control. The Chemist shattered the main room's door with a spell in the palm of his hand. Crystalmach fired shard daggers at their enemies as she backed into the room. The protector was at her side, depending on his physical strength and universal understanding to shatter any of the enemy who came close enough to him to touch. The magistrate turned and wrote a symbol to form a wall between the three of them and the menace outside the room. Lord Scriptus activated his trap with a mark as he waited patiently for the three of them to notice him. He smiled as they turned to face him. "Welcome to my humble abode." Lord Scriptus nodded at them. "What do I owe the pleasure?" "We're here to stop you, fruit cake." The protector stepped closer, pointing his finger. "You're not blowing up the Earth. All my stuff's there." "I don't see how you're going to stop me." Scriptus waited patiently. He needed to snag the Chemist, and Crystalmach first. An entity as strong as the protector might be able to break free if he wasn't careful. "I think our combined talents are more than a match for you." The Chemist reached for his sunglasses, looking at the glowing letters around the other magician. "I think you're going to help me." Lord Scriptus's writing seized the three in a death grip. Their magical power lit up a line of writing back to his wheel. The humans dropped to their knees, drained by the spell. The protector lost some of his solidity but remained on his feet. "Thank you for the assistance." The protector slammed a fist against the side of an invisible bottle in frustration.

Re: The Magistracy's Legion 7 Crystalmach looked at the shattered mosaic she had been working on. The Persian was getting the team together to go wherever they needed to be to stop this new menace. She couldn't wait that long. She had to get there as fast as possible. Cassandra knew that others with greater ability had sensed the warp in reality. Some of them would even be trying to use it to fuel their own schemes. A mage war was possible as far as she was concerned. Crystalmach touched her bracer, changing the combination of colors with slender fingers. The mosaic should still have part of her magic entrusted in it. Crystal, glass, and reflective surfaces were her foci. She needed something bigger than her bracer for what she wanted to do. The glass shards started dancing where she had left them when the magic pressure had swept through her chambers. They took to the air piece by piece, then returned to the backing she had made from some oak from a crafts shop. The fragments glued themselves in with a small rainbow sparkle. Crys smiled, as the bracer signaled it was done with a loss of light. Luckily she had been almost done with it when it had shattered. It wouldn't do everything that she had intended for it to do, but it should still be a good scrying tool to figure out where the wave had came from in the first place. The mosaic felt cool to her touch as she activated it. Her fingers moved the colors around like typing on a keyboard. A picture formed in the glass, a city limit sign. That's where the wave had started rolling across the planet. That's where she had to go. First she had to get out of the building without the Persian finding out her intentions and trying to stop her. Crystalmach armed herself with backup crystals for her bracer, or to be used as one shot spell sources. She checked that her work clothes were okay, everything in its place. Then she left the apartment. Only one person could help her at the moment. Crys found Martina Horvach standing in front of a window, looking out over the city. Martina could go anywhere in the world. Watching the people go about their business below reminded her how she used to feel about things before she became empty. "Martina, I need a favor please." Crys looked around to make sure they were alone. "I need transportation to a place called Springfield, Kansas." "You can get Darius to fly you there in the jet." Martina played with the loose sleeves of her shirt. She was too thin to be beautiful, hair cut in ragged patches, eyes different colors. "You're faster than a plane." Crys looked around again. The Persian would make her wait, and she didn't think she had the time for that. "I'll get you those cookies you like so much." "You can't bribe me with Pecan Sandies." Martina smiled. "I want a dozen eclairs." "Six." Crys knew a dozen would have her friend locked in her room for hours just enjoying looking at them. "After I get back." "Twelve, or start walking." "Eight." "I will take nine." Martina made a cutting motion with her hand. "That's as low as I go." "Done." Crys shook her head. "I'll pick them up when I get back." Martina nodded. She spread her arms. The blackness of the empty crawled up her skin, glowed from her eyes. It shivered slightly. Crystalmach had never seen it do that. "There's some interference." Martina's voice, changed by her transformation from a pleasant soprano to a tenor shook from effort. "I'm going to lock on long enough to let you pass. One chance." Crys waited patiently. Something big must be happening to disrupt the empty. She had enough time to reconsider her choice while she waited. "Go." The black sheath became a solid darkness, steady as a rock. Crys leaped into the shadow, feeling a chill wrap around her brain. Then she was out in the middle of a middle age village. "I guess I'm in Kansas." Crystalmach started walking, looking for a clue. 8 Buddy walked into view, assembling himself as he came down the main street. The star field of his body gleamed in the twilight he found himself in. He looked around, wandering who put up the Renaissance fair where downtown should be. He spotted a woman in brown and yellow ahead. He glided after her. He should have expected that someone else would be looking into this. Crystalmach was a local back in New York. Where were the rest of her guys? Best to get the introductions out of the way. No way could he pass the buck. V would be all over him for breach of contract. Besides she looked good, and who didn't like looking at a good looking woman? "Hey, Crystalmach!" Buddy kept walking. It was better to let her see he wasn't a threat. "You're a long way from New York." "Do I know you?" The woman turned, hand touching the bracer on her other arm. "Naw." Buddy held up his hands. He thought he could take her if he had to do it. He wasn't there to fight. He didn't like to fight unless he had to. "I'm from New York too. I was just wondering why you were here." "I'm here about that wave of magic." Crystalmach didn't take her hand away from the bracer. "Something bad is going on, and I'm here to stop it." "Local reality has been shattered." Buddy looked around, burning eyes taking in more than surface details. "Some other places too. My boss wants me to stop it too." "Is that so?" Crystalmach looked at the shining glass on her arm for a second. Buddy sighed. He wouldn't believe himself either, if he hadn't gotten screwed over like he had. "I'm the protector of the universe." Buddy pointed up and to the right. "The guy we want is that way. Now we can talk all night, cause I don't get to talk to chicks much, or we can start walking." "You don't get to talk to women much." Crystalmach smiled slightly. "I can't imagine why." "Tell me about it, sister." Buddy started walking in the direction he had indicated. "I used to be okay, but nowadays, the girls scream at the sight of my face and run. The Phantom of the Opera got more action than I can now." "Have you considered it might be your personality?" Crystalmach followed behind him, a little more relaxed. Whatever danger was there, this whiny guy didn't seem to know enough to be a danger except to himself. "That's what my boss says." Buddy paused. "Someone is up ahead of us. He's got some kind of marker leading him." "Let's catch up and see if he knows more than we do." Crystalmach touched her bracer again, borrowing speed and vision from it. "Maybe he even knows what's behind all this."

Re: The Magistracy's Legion I tend to write on five or six things at a time. I put a sort of system in to help me write faster so I can finish stories faster. CES

Re: Vampires AND disease? I agree that it depends on the vampire. Lumley's vampires were scared of Leprosy, a disease over vampires don't worry about. CES

Re: New Avengers are very Dark Champions

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Finished Lady Friday by Nix. The fifth trustee, lady friday tells Arthur, the Piper and Superior Saturday that she's abdicating and whoever finds her key and the fifth part of the will can take over her portion of the House. CES

Re: The Magistracy's Legion 6 The Chemist materialized in the middle of a street. He looked around, the letter on his blue coveralls changing as he turned his head left, then right. This was bad as far as he was concerned. He expected to find a town, somewhere in the thousands for population. Maker's maps had indicated such. The problem was he expected a human town with modern buildings, and other accouterments of modern 21st century life. That was not what he saw around him. Something had changed the bustling town into a village of straw and wood. The street was dirt until it reached a city limit sign that had survived whatever had happened. People stared at him, dressed in tunics and breeches from hundreds of years ago. They seemed scared to see him walking out in the open. That wasn't a reaction he was used to. Maker had said there was a burst of unknown energy, then the town had lost touch with the outside. Phones and radios needed technology to function. It looked like the phones had vanished when the event had happened to revert the town. That didn't explain why the villagers shut their doors and windows when they saw him. The Chemist saw a sign proclaiming an inn. Maybe someone there would give him some clue what happened if they even knew themselves. He walked over and pushed his way in, looking at the small handful of people eating and drinking. "Excuse me." All eyes turned to the magician. "I'm lost. Can someone put me on the way to New York?" "Strangers aren't welcome here." The inn keep looked wealthy if you believed his gut and marks of drinking. "I suggest you start in one direction and keep moving until you see another town." "That's really unfriendly." The Chemist hadn't expected anything less. He would have been more worried if they had invited him in to eat. Someone would have surely tried to stab him in the back while he was asking questions. "You heard what I said." The inn keep went to the end of the bar. A knife was in his beefy hand. "No need for histrionics." The Chemist held up his hand, slowly backing out of the inn. He turned and started down the street. There had to be some kind of explanation for this. The Chemist heard something that sounded like wings flapping. He looked up, spotting a gargoyle descending from some unseen height. A finger traced a protective rune on the sleeve of his coverall. Maybe this is what made the people in the inn afraid. The winged monster dropped to the ground a few feet away. A tabard, marked like a servant's livery, flapped around it as it folded its wings. Yellow eyes glared at the strange visitor. "State your business." It's voice was smooth, almost educated. "I'm the Chemist." The magistrate traced the rim of his sunglasses with a finger tip. "I'm wondering what's going on and where you came from. Gargoyles are rare in my neck of the woods." "This is the Lord Scriptus's realm." The gargoyle stalked forward. "He has commanded all strangers to be killed on sight." "That's not very nice." The Chemist backed up, holding his sunglasses to his face. "That doesn't matter." One stone hand flexed into talons. "All that matters is my orders." The Chemist wrote one more line on his glasses. The black plastic became shining mirrors. A burst of flame erupted from the newly made gates. It retreated back into the wraparounds, taking the gargoyle with it. "Maybe Lord Scriptus will be easier to talk to than a simple minded guard." The Chemist erased the spell as soon as the glasses shut their door to where he had designated. The Chemist wrote on the air. The letters revolved into a floating arrow. It pointed him up and to the left. Something invisible was in that direction. Either that, or it was across some line in the air that cut it off from the village. Maybe it was a castle of horrors. Curse you, Konami. The Chemist followed the arrow. It would take him to Lord Scriptus, and then maybe he could straighten this out. Flapping on the air reminded him that gargoyles traveled in packs. He wrote on the palm of his hand in case he had to deal with them. It was always good to have a ready spell for trouble in case he couldn't write on the air. He wondered why Scriptus sounded familiar as he walked.

Re: The Magistracy's Legion 5 The Lizard scratched his scaly head, wondering if he should transfer somewhere the crazies couldn't follow him. He straightened his police issued utility belt around his waist as he walked on the river bridge, tail twitching behind him. Chicago's Gold Coast looked down on him as he went to clear the obstruction out of the way of traffic. "You're going to have to get out of the street." The Lizard pointed with a blunt finger to the sidewalk running down the side of the bridge. "Human scum must pay my toll before I allow them to cross my bridge." The ugly wino stood tall, taller than the reptile policeman. "Three pieces of silver and you may go to the other side." "Only the city can charge a toll on a public bridge." The Lizard's eyes squinted at the hairy behemoth in front of him. "I'm going to ask you to quit being a nuisance and beat it." "The Trolls of Ufgard say no." The hairy guy walked over, crooked teeth sticking out of his mouth. "This is our bridge now. Now be gone before I use you for new shoes." "Everyone goes for the shoe bit." The Lizard cracked the knuckles on his three fingered hands, smiling like a crocodile. "If you want some, I'm taking you downtown." The troll charged swinging a ham fist. The spikes on the bracelet he wore sliced the Lizard's uniform shirt as the arm went by. The reptile hopped back, glaring at the tear. The fairy tale outlaw laughed, drawing back to swing with the other hand. The Lizard went for a head butt, slamming the long armed galoot in the face. He staggered back, pain shooting through his head. Gutguard had a head like a rock. At least purple blood streamed from the troll's nose and one of his twisted teeth lay on the bridge. "I'm going to enjoy roasting you over my fire." The troll went for a clench, aiming a grab at the Lizard's neck. Strangulation seemed to be on his mind. The policeman leaped into the air, bare three toed feet latching on to the top of his enemy's shoulders. He swung a right-left-right combination, driving the hairy monster to the asphalt by force. He flipped the troll over and put heavy cuffs on him to make taking him in easier. "You should have just beat it." The Lizard dragged his perp by the collar to a waiting police wagon designed to take powered passengers. "Now you have assault on an officer and resisting arrest. You're looking at jail time, monkey boy." "No human prison can hold a troll of Ufgard." The troll strained against the cuffs holding his arms behind his back. "I shall have my revenge on you." "Better get in line," said the human cop waiting at the back of the wagon, holding the door out of the way for the Lizard. "Central says there's another one of these guys across town, and some of the Odd Squad are chasing some kind of procession on horses along the lake. Something is up tonight." "This guy should be booked, but we can round up his brother and take them both in." The Lizard surveyed the rip along his shirt. "He's strong as heck. I don't know if we want two of them in the same wagon." "I'll get some back up." The cop reached for his microphone. "Maybe the other one will get the message." "The Trolls of Ufgard fear no one." The troll strained against the heavy chains holding him to the wagon's left prisoner bench. "We will have our silver." "Shut up in there." The Lizard slammed the back door shut and locked it. "Let's go, Marty. The Chief must be throwing a fit by now." Marty got behind the wheel. The Lizard hopped on top of the wagon, banging on the roof to let his colleague know to go. Chicago was weird, but not usually this weird. Something was out of whack somewhere. The Lizard watched the road as the wagon rolled through the streets. Once he was done quelling some of this trouble, he would look into what was going on.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I'm assuming it's based on the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The character feels that all the children that he has brought in the house owe him loyalty as good servants. He has also uplifted rats and uses them as spies. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Finished Sir Thursday by Garth Nix. Human boy in an alien world with flashing swords against a mad Pied Piper, and an army of almost human monsters. CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Finished Emily Drake's Dragon Guard based in the Magickers setting. A lot of things are explained except for maybe one or two minor quibbles like why are the Magickers suddenly growing old. I believe but don't know yet that it is because one of the villains has been keeping young by draining dopplegangers of the main heroes. Working on Sir Thursday, and it's a hoot so far. CES

Re: New Avengers are very Dark Champions And Tom Brevoort actuallly said they didn't have an act written out for their story. This is a key plot point for changing the setting and they had no idea what it should be. Civil war may have been a try at putting relevance in the MU, but it came across as letting someone use your campaign for a night, and having to erase everything they did and starting over. Civil War didn't make sense at all. And right now I don't see it ever making sense beyond some people saying I liked it because Iron Man was the coolest villain Marvel has used in a while. CES

Re: The Magistracy's Legion 4 Higgins grimaced at the office when he stepped inside. This was going to be such a mess to clean up when the master and his son were done. Not as much of mess as the world, but still a mess he was responsible for cleaning as part of his duties. No one wanted to make the retainer's life easy. The Writer had taken his magically created son to another dimension after seizing the necessary ingredients from the Chemist and his allies. Time had passed faster there than on Earth. Enoch was now twelve and a considerable magician in his own right. The mess came from the Writer's discovery of a virtual fountain of energy in that other place, and wanting to bring it to Earth. Higgins didn't know why, but thought it was a vanity and egotism that made his master want to lord it over others when he could. In any case, the magician was in the other realm, and Enoch was in his office. Both were working tirelessly to bring the two worlds together. The thought they might be hurting billions seemed to never have crossed their minds. "Your lunch will be ready momentarily, Master Enoch." Higgins made sure to stand clear of the swirling type dancing on the bared floor. He didn't have an urge to be stripped down to his core and sent back to the netherworlds. "Excellent." Enoch's fair skin and blonde hair gleamed from sweat. It was hard to believe he wasn't human. Enoch sat in a drawn circle. Letters danced around the circle then went to another circle, then danced around another one. Higgins thought of a child's drawing of a flower. The letters vanished randomly as they went along on their tour. The boy drew another letter in the slot when it worked around to his hand again. The spell could take days to finish. Enoch was expected to stay in the circle writing and working his will until it was done. If someone tried to stop him, Higgins was expected to stop them with his own claws, and the help of Dr. Krueger's vat grown children. It had been a while since the butler had done anything like that. The Writer preferred a small amount of denial when he struck. That kept things at arm reach for the most part. That was the best part of working for him. It had been decades since he had ripped the heart out of someone himself. It would be nice to do it again. Higgins left the room, returning a minute later with a cart. Food stacked on the cart in covered dishes. A pitcher of tea sat to one side, silver glass next to it. He carefully served the food, making sure to stay clear of the moving diagram. Enoch ate, still writing his letters between bites. After the meal was done, Higgins whisked the empty containers away with his usual efficiency. He returned to the office, taking up his station by the door. "Father said you have been a great asset over the years." Enoch made sure that nothing marred the great design. "I doubt I have done anything important." Higgins kept his professional demeanor. It wasn't his place to comment on the excellent butlering he had done since his real personality had been destroyed by the Writer. He had come out the better for that, he judged. "He may give you your own duchy to administer in the new world he hopes to establish." Enoch grinned slightly. "You might even have a separate kingdom if things go right." "I live to serve," said the butler. "I don't think so." The boy smiled, face becoming harsher as he regarded the servant. "You live at a whim, and any time that whim may change. All that matters is what happens to you if we should fail." Higgins said nothing. He knew that he was connected to the Writer. If the magician were to be destroyed in some way, he would be also. On the other hand, if something happened to him, the Writer could go on as if nothing had happened. Higgins wondered how much it would take to kill this boy and foil his master's plans. He would certainly pay for it with his life if he followed up on such a thought.

Re: New Avengers are very Dark Champions Two points which are maybe minor for this discussion. SHIELD (as well as Iron Man) already knew most of the secret identities for heroes working in the states so it was kind of laughable that they needed to register anyone. On that basis alone, Civil War failed whatever it was trying to say about government sponsorship/drafting. Dr. Strange was already in one ground level team and it failed after a year. Maybe Bendis's name will keep this one afloat but he has already made statements that imply he doesn't know anything about Dr. Strange's power levels, the same as the Scarlet Witch. CES