csyphrett

Re: The New Circle

Oh, right, I forgot!

 

Csyphrett, you lazy dog, get to work! While you're at it, I have several notes from games that still need to be turned into proper narratives, I''ll be emailing them shortly, get to it!

Now that would be precious. Go ahead and send them, Z. It might give me ideas down the road.

CES

1

Jeffrey Stafford examined the room with a motion of his eyes. He was a solid man in a suit with eyes that shifted slightly as he watched his surroundings without trying. His coffee brown hair was cut close to his skull, and had been for many years.

"Hello," said an average man, looking slightly older than Stafford's own age. He had come in the room from a side door, and moved behind the solid wooden desk and sat in the only chair in the room. Two pieces of furniture made this room hostile to visitors.

"You called, you talk," said Stafford, casually looking the room over. His nerves were telling him something was wrong. He just couldn't see what.

"Very forthright, Mr. Stafford," said the stranger, smiling. "I appreciate that in others. I have a job for a man with your qualifications."

"I don't understand," said Stafford. "Let's cut to the chase."

"I am aware that you are the Halberdier," said the stranger. "Your record shows that you fought both the CORPS and the School to a draw. People pay you to obtain an objective."

"So you want me to kill someone?," asked Stafford. "Who?"

"They're a group known as the Magistracy," said the stranger. "I will pay your fee for everyone you can kill."

"You're talking about a group that wiped out an army," said Stafford. "You can't be serious."

"I assure you that I am deadly serious," said the contractor, placing a small box on his desk top. "I am willing to pay triple what you normally charge whether you succeed, or fail."

"What's your stake?," said Stafford, calculation in his eyes. He could retire on this fee if he survived the attempt.

"One of their members is an old acquaintance of mine," said the contractor. "I want him to suffer a little. Of course, if you do happen to kill him along with the rest, that will be a bonus to me."

"I understand," said Stafford. "Half up front, half when the job is done."

The stranger opened the box. Inside was a stack of hundred dollar bills bound into a brick. He slid it toward Stafford with a thumb.

"The rest is waiting for you with my assistant," said the contractor. "Good hunting, Mr. Stafford."

Stafford counted the edge of the brick as he left the room.

Re: The New Circle

Thanks, guys. I am sorry it takes so long between characters. I am a terrible procrastinator.

CES

Re: The New Circle

3

Character Name: Shadow Streak

Real Name: Wesley Wheaton

Hair/Eye Color: Red/blue

Place of Birth: Center City

Date of Birth: 03/24/85

Height/Mass: 5'10/165 lb.

Cost Characteristic Value

10 STR 20

51 DEX 27

14 CON 17

10 BODY 15

10 INT 20

10 EGO 15

5 PRE 15

COM 10

PD 4

ED 3

20 SPD 5

REC 7

END 20

STUN 32

OCV: 9 DCV: 9 OECV: 5 DECV: 5

Phases: 3,5,8,10,12

Cost Powers and Talents (END)

60 pts + 30 pts speed tricks vpp limited class of powers (-½), variable limitations (-1/4) 51 pts

80 point movement multipower

3u flight 40", only in contact with a surface (-1/4). 32 pts

6u teleportation 20", megascale (+1), must cross intervening space (-1/4). 64 pts

50% physical resistant damage reduction 30 pts

50% energy damage reduction 20 pts

Cost Skills

3 Combat Driving 14-

2 TF: ground vehicles

3 AK: Center City 13-

3 AK: The world 13-

3 KS: The underworld 13-

3 Navigation 13-

3 Survival Wilderness 13-

3 Paramedic 13-

3 KS: Chemistry 13-

3 KS: Biology 13-

3 Forensics 13-

3 criminology 13-

3 stealth 14-

3 system operations 13-

2 local police powers

3 climbing 14-

25 + 4 dcv

9 + 6 Lightning Reflexes

150 Points Disadvantage=s

15 Hunted by Rogues Gallery 14-

25 Hunted by Viper 11-

15 Reputation: Protector of Center City 14-

20 Secret Identity

5 Rivalry with other speedsters

15 Overconfidence

10 Likes to take his time

20 DNPC: Irene Thompson, the girlfriend reporter 14-

25 Dependance high calorie food every hour 1d6, weakness, incompetence, activation roll 11-

CHA Cost = 130

Total Powers Cost = 190

Total Skills Cost = 80

Total Cost = 400

Plot Hook 1) Speedsters from all over the world are invited to participate in a charity race. The race starts, and the faster heroes vanish from the course. It's up to the characters as the judges of the competition to figure out what's going on.

Plot Hook 2) A trail of destruction has broken out as something is circling the world at tremendous speed. It's up to someone to stop it, but first someone has to be fast enough to catch it. Time to call for a hand from the world's fastest man.

Plot Hook 3) Museums around the world are being robbed by various villains. They seem to be reconstructing some type of armor, or collection of weapons from prehistory. Local heroes have also decided to get involved and round up their rogues galleries and stop whatever is going on before it can be completed.

Notes for the readers: Obviously with a chemical accident resulting in superspeed origin, this is a variation on the Flash. The Shadow Streak Museum could be one of those places much like the Flash Museum in the comics, and helpful for those speedsters who need it.

Wes likes to link his power pool to his movement to satisfy the variable limitation, as well as make the most of his flight power. It can also be used for those tricks shown in the comic books such as time travel, dimensional movement, taking things apart, missile deflection, etc.

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Furies of Caleron by Jim Butcher (I think Dave Thomley mentioned it a few pages back). War between species break out, caused by a rebellion in the making. The day is saved by heroes on both sides.

Hellboy: On Earth as It is in Hell by Brian Hodge. This is a low key tale, and not the usual monster whacking that you would expect from Mike Mignola's red devil.

CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

I know these aren't fantasy, or sci fi, but I am posting them anyway.

The Body of David Hayes by Ridley Pearson.

Liz Boldt had an affair with an embezzler, and now that he's out of prison, a bunch of people want the 17 million he stole from their bank. The problem is Liz's husband is Lou Boldt, a Seattle homicide lt. who will do almost anything to save her career, their marriage, and their future.

The War of the Worlds Murder by Max Allan Collins.

When a dead woman is seen in a studio control room on the eve of the War of the Worlds hoax broadcast, did Orson Welles do it.

Only Walter Gibson, the creator of the Shadow, knows.

CES

Re: An A-team for the 21st Century

Actually Murdock was never convicted of any crime. He was instituionalized on the Army's dime. The hospital they break him out of is the local VA in Los Angeles.

CES

Re: Ghostbusters

They are also said to be a good layout for a lot of mystery adventures.

CES

Re: Sharing the Campaign ideas you can't use... yet

I am hoping to spring Jumanji on some unsuspecting soul sometime

CES

Re: Advice on GMing superhero campaigns?

Be prepared for anything and use what the players give you. Develop the archrival when possible. And being a superhero is also about saving the day more than any other genre.

CES

Re: Infinite Crisis

And I do... most vehemently. I want to explore EXACTLY what you described above. That is drama and depth of story and meaningful theme. It is the lack of these things in comics that drive me to game, because I want to see how these situations play out. What are the moral choices a PC makes when they look back on the devastation caused by their latest go round with Dr. Death? How does this affect their decisions and life choices? What develops from these situations that provides a consistent depth not to be found in comics?

 

That is the stuff the makes the slugfests and space battles meaningful... exploring the repercussions of such. It also allows for PCs to change the world, not just be subject to it. If they choose to use their powers in responsible, constructive ways (say creating habitable land from a desert) then they should be rewarded for such, just as they must face the consequences of casual, massively destructive damage.

 

To have the ability to build and change and shape the world (as I and my players do) there has to be an examination of the repercussions of the use of power... so that successes are meaningful and failures even more so.

You are a lucky man. I have never had a gaming group that even cared about any of this, and pretty much never wanted to change the world at all.

CES

Re: The New Circle

Background-Wesley Wheaton had worked hard to get into a good school, started the first part of his study into chemistry and related sciences. Everything was going his way. Then a freak accident changed his life forever.

While working in the college lab, a lightning bolt struck a rack of chemicals before zapping through Wes's body. He was covered with the energized substances, absorbing them through his skin even as he fell into a coma.

Wes awoke a month later. His recovery was rapid, almost superhuman. He checked himself out of the hospital within a week.

Wes found that his natural speed had increased while he was out, and was still increasing the more he tried. He began experimenting with his new speed, used it stop some petty crimes as he went. He devised the all black costume of Shadow Streak from a comic book character from the forties, and became a hero in his own right.

Wes gradually picked up a rogues' gallery as he defended Center City from various threats over the years. Helping out with global threats has earned him more enemies as well as friendships with the Champions, MC 8, The Sentinels, Justice Squadron, and the Rovers.

Wes has even worked with the original Shadow Streak a few times.

Quote: "Dude. Dude? Duuudddeee!"

Personality: Wes is extremely laid back, ready for anything, but tends to slack off when he is not doing anything urgent. On the job, faced with an emergency, he becomes intense and obsessive until the crisis is past.

Appearance: Wes is known for his vast collection of comic book T-shirts and jeans at the lab where he works. As Shadow Streak, his costume is black from head to toe with a solid mask to protect his face and head. A yellow lightning bolt crosses one shoulder.

Powers: Wes's powers are speed and his ability to use it in various ways from traveling around the world, to traveling through time. He is one of the fastest speedsters around, able to temporarily boost himself even above his own limits.

Re: The New Circle

"How much longer, Reflector?," asked a nervous man pointing a pair of large pistols at the door he was facing. His attention kept shifting to the man in silver who was working on violating the laser security around the prize they wanted.

"Don't worry about what he's doing," said the other man in the room, clad in a white shell. "Keep focused on your side of the room. The others should be keeping the Streak busy until we're done."

"I just want to get this over with and get out of here before there's trouble," said the pistolero. "I should have gone into demolition."

"Do you mind Heatseeker?," asked Reflector, making an adjustment. The laser array redirected itself long enough for him to pick up the gold and brass head piece they had targeted for theft.

"Let's go," said Reflector, placing the headpiece into a canvas bag hanging from his belt.

"I can't believe you dudes are trying to rob and go," said the Shadow Streak, appearing in the doorway in front of them. "That's so unlike you."

"Replicate," said Reflector.

The trio multiplied into a dozen men in strange costumes. That made Heatseeker nervous enough to fire his pistols, and all of his duplicates fired with him. The bullets broke apart into micro sized pellets that would follow anyone they locked on.

"Not this tired bit again," said the Streak, disappearing from the room, missiles in tow.

The men in the white shells pointed in all directions, forming a wall around the villains. The solid ice sheet extended into a dome over them. That would buy them some time to get away from the scene. Not even the Streak would search the whole city house to house.

Everything had not gone according to plan, but they still had enough time to make it out clean as long as they didn't panic.

The black clad Shadow Streak ran from the museum room. His powers told him that all of the missiles fired by Heatseeker and his clones were real. Somehow Reflector had made his images into real things. Now the speedster had to ditch them as fast as possible, and get back where this run had started from.

The Streak hit the street, and really poured it on. The missiles sensing their victim was gone, exploded in the empty road. Fragments peppered parked cars, and storefronts, but no innocents were hurt.

The Streak returned to the museum in a moment. He searched the place, but had to admit he had been foxed by Reflector and the rest. Whatever they had wanted from the storehouse, they got clean away with while he was ditching his hounds.

He had a feeling he had not heard the end of this, but he was done for the night. The police had the diversionary team, and were on the way. All he could do was find out about what was stolen.

Then he could try and get it back.

Re: The New Circle

Plot Hook 1) A self help guru has declared that he has a way to build up your body and soul with meditation. And his students do exhibit supernatural strength at first. Then they start dying.

Plot Hook 2) A charity wrestling event draws heroic strongmen from all over the region.

Plot Hook 3) Paul Smalls, an unassuming man, is participating in a physical training competition. He has tried to keep his true limits unknown, but the characters have witnessed a display of superhuman strength. Who is Paul Smalls?

Character Name: Behinder

Real Name: Chuck Chan

Hair/Eye Color: Brown/brown

Place of Birth: San Francisco

Date of Birth: 8/26/83

Height/Mass: 5'9", 175 lb

Cost Characteristic Value

5 STR 16

60 DEX 30

10 CON 15

10 BODY 15

10 INT 20

20 EGO 20

10 PRE 20

4 COM 18

PD 3

ED 3

SPD 4

REC 6

END 30

STUN 29

OCV: 10 DCV: 10 OECV: 6 DECV: 6

Phases: 3,6,9,12

Cost Powers and Talents (END)

Behinder Sight 80 pt Multipower

1u Remote Viewing and Hearing, mobile perception point 16 x (1600") range (55 pts), concentration (0 dcv, throughout -1 ½), blackout (-½) 18 pts

2u Remote Viewing and Hearing, mobile perception point (35 pts), megascale (+1 1/4) (78. pts), concentration (0 dcv, throughout -1 ½), blackout (-½) 26 pts

Telekinesis 30 STR, fine manipulation (55 pts), linked to remote viewing (-½), only to affect objects from remote point of view (-½), only to simulate invisible man (-½), (0 dcv, throughout -1 ½) 13 pts.

Cost Skills

4 Choke Hold

5 Defensive Strike

4 Killing Strike

3 Legsweep

4 Nerve Strike

3 Martial Grab

3 Martial Throw

12 + 3 damage classes

3 Navigation 13-

3 Paramedics 13-

3 Chinese

3 AK: San Francisco 13-

3 AK: Asheville 13-

3 KS: The Martial World 13-

3 Stealth 15-

3 Shadowing 15-

3 Survival 13-

3 Climbing 15-

3 Acrobatics 15-

3 Breakfall 15-

10 Defense Maneuver IV

40 + 8 DCV

150 Points Disadvantages

15 Hunted by Chinese Tong 11-

25 Hunted by Viper 11-

15 Secret Identity

10 Reputation: Invisible man

30 DNPC: Normal Students at his school 11-

10 Justice, not law

20 Code versus Killing

5 Physical Limitation: Migraines

10 Harmful Secret: Fugitive from Tong 8-

10 Susceptibility: to reflection when power is used 2D6 instant

CHA Cost = 130

Total Powers Cost = 96

Total Skills Cost = 124

Total Cost = 350

Background Information: Charles Chan grew up in the Asian community in San Francisco. He devoted himself to learning how to fight from an early age, wanting to be like others who had made a name for themselves as famous combatants.

Chuck joined a front for a particularly vicious Tong, a Chinese Mafia faction, as a means to further his dream. He had hoped to use that partial influence to move into a legitimate fight circuit. Instead he was treated as a legbreaker. He quickly became dissatisfied with his progress and decided to leave the group.

This earned him a bullet in his brain. The doctors saved what they could, but they offered no hope for him to regain his former facilities.

Chuck surprised them by recovering, and leaving the hospital. He moved across the country, got a loan, and started his school. Among strangers, no one would know him to report back that he was still alive and trying to carry on with his life.

Chuck discovered by accident that he could see things going on across town if he stared at something fixedly. He had been trying to read a newspaper, and finding himself unable to process the typing, suddenly saw a spot he had been thinking of when he tried to get through the article.

Practice with his new ability allowed him to find out that he could focus a certain amount of strength where his vision manifested. It was almost like there were two of them with one roaming invisible to the city, while the other remained at home.

Practicing with his ability, allowed Chuck to stop crimes with simple uses of his imaginary hands. That led to him joining the Avengers and finally earning a degree of respect and fame that he had wanted when he was younger.

Quote: "Remember to keep your arm straight."

Personality: Chuck Chan was a fiery competitor and devoted to learning to fight in his youth. After his shooting, he has taken a more compassionate view of things, and with the advent of his powers, has become a seeker of justice and protector of the weak.

Appearance: Chuck usually wears workout clothes, or casual wear, just like any other resident of Asheville. His alter ego is invisible and untouchable.

Powers: Chuck, through concentration, sends out part of his mind across the city. Once he has a sense of where he is looking, he can use his telekinesis to simulate hands, and feet.

He has to be careful around mirrors, or any reflective object. For some reason, whenever he sees an empty space where he should be, he suffers a stunning blow to his mind. Sometimes this is enough to send him back to his own body.

Plot Hook 1) Mobsters of every stripe begin to appear in Asheville. Some of these people know the old Chuck Chan from California, even threatening his school. Then the Chinese contingent starts having accidents. Is Chan doing it, or is someone else thinning the competition?

Plot Hook 2) Famous actress Molly Khan has arrived in town for the filming of a movie. People close to the production report that she feels like someone who is constantly under scrutiny by someone invisible. Suddenly everyone wants to bring the Behinder in for stalking.

Plot Hook 3) A new tournament has started in Asheville, and Chan's school for self defense is among those that are participating.

The Group: The Asheville Avengers get along with each other, but mainly pursue their own interests. The only time they seem to get together is for threats that are bigger than one hero can handle. The most frequent hero observed is the Toller, who patrols the whole city, and is alert for most threats. Culverin typically deals with things around his school. Skimmer, Bammat, and the Flat usually try to keep out of trouble except when they see some problem that generates from an emergency. The Behinder has remained unnoticed to the general populace, even though he has captured some notorious criminals with his skills and martial arts.

Re: The New Circle

8

Character Name: The Bammat

Real Name: Paul Smalls

Hair/Eye Color: Red, brown

Place of Birth: Trenton, New Jersey

Date of Birth: 06/05/82

Height/Mass: 5'8, 125 lb.

Cost Characteristic Value

50 STR 60

30 DEX 20

20 CON 20

20 BODY 20

10 INT 20

10 EGO 15

PRE 10

2 COM 14

8 PD 20

ED 4

SPD 3

REC 16

END 40

STUN 60

OCV: 6 DCV: 6 OECV: 5 DECV: 5

Phases: 4,8,12

Cost Powers and Talents (END)

Strength Tricks Multipower 45 pts

4u Distance Punch: Double knockback (+3/4) with 60 str 45 pts

2u Distance Throw: + 40 str, only for throwing (-1) 20 pts

3u Poke: Armor piercing (+½) for 60 str 30 pts

2u Super punch: + 8d6 HA (40 pts), hand to hand attack (-½) 26 pts

1u The Ram: + 8d6 HA (40 pts), Hand to Hand Attack (-½), only during move throughs (-1) 16 pts

2u Tear you limb from limb: 2d6 HKA (30 pts), hand to hand attack (-½) 20 pts.

3u Punch a hole through to the other side: Tunneling 1", 12 DEF 38 pts

4u Run like the wind: Running + 20" 40 pts

75% Physical resistant damage reduction 60 pts

Cost Skills

3 KS: Weightlifting 13-

3 PS: Physical Training 13-

3 Paramedics 13-

3 breakfall 13-

3 acrobatics 13-

3 KS: Dancing 13-

3 AK: Asheville 13-

3 AK: The Smokies 13-

10 Defense Maneuver IV

3 Combat Driving 13-

2 TF: Ground Vehicles

5 Defensive Strike

4 Killing Strike

3 Martial Grab

4 Martial Strike

3 Martial Throw

4 Martial Dodge

12 + 4 Damage Classes

150 Points Disadvantages

15 Secret Identity

25 Hunted by Viper 11-

25 Hunted by Demon 11-

10 Reputation: Super strong monster 11-

10 Rivalry: with other physical training instructors

10 Rivalry with other superstrong humans

30 Susceptibility to 90 degree heat 3d6 every segment uncommon

5 Dependence on meditation character's powers are affected 11- activation roll -3 to characteristics one day

10 Dislikes violence

10 Likes to exercise

CHA Cost = 150

Total Powers Cost = 126

Total Skills Cost = 74

Total Cost = 350

Background Information: Paul Smalls was always interested in perfecting his body, trying to find a link between his mind and body. He worked at it, becoming a physical training instructor to help him stay on course.

Finally Paul realized that he had unlocked something in his own mind. His body wasn't more muscular, or sculpted, but he was growing stronger the more he worked at it. Finally he reached a plateau in his development.

He couldn't develop himself any more until he made some kind of breakthrough.

Paul discovered a relic when he moved into the house he had decided to rent. It resembled a wooly mammoth's head. He found himself lost in a trance for several hours. When he came out of it, he discovered his natural strength had increased to inhuman levels. It also depended on him being able to clear his thoughts once per day, and find a place of peacefulness to think about.

Paul began using his new found strength to help in emergencies. He typically does not like to deal with criminals, but has interfered with Viper and Demon in his short career. One of these encounters led to his being asked to join the Avengers.

Quote: "Don't make me angry. You don't want to make me angry."

Personality: Paul is calm, patient, and sometimes too single minded for his own good. He prefers to mind his own business, and avoid violence when possible.

He is a health nut, and can be seen jogging through town, rain or shine.

Appearance: Paul is an average looking man in good health. As a trainer, he constantly wears workout clothes. As the Bammat, he has developed a brown costume that uses the mask he found as a headpiece.

Powers: Paul is really strong and has harnessed that strength into some effective tricks.

Re: 50's comic-book heroes

Which Captain Atom is this one?

I am wrong about Captain Atom. He debuted March, 60. Missed it by three months.

CES

Re: 50's comic-book heroes

Don't forget the Harvey heroes, and Captian Atom.

CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Cool. Definitely have to pick it up' date=' then. Thanks. ^ v ^[/quote']

 

You're welcome.

CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Oh, that's out now?

 

*haunts her local bookstore*

It was a fast read told in a Delores Clairborne style. There is no solution presented so that might throw people off, but I liked it.

CES

Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it...

Just read the Colorado Kid by Stephen King. It's mystery without a solution.

Basically these reporters tell an intern about a dead body that was found sitting next to a trash can on the beach of a Maine island.

CES

Re: Silver's Magistracy

14

Phaeton reached the top floor of the building in a few moments, even with taking the time to weld the doors shut to prevent a firefight in the stairwell. Well, at least to let his fellow escapees bottle up any opposition to their getting to the roof, and spotting a better place to hide while they were looking for a way home.

He didn't stop to consider that he might not be able to get home.

A floating letter drew his attention on the top floor landing. It split into two letters. Then it became a man and a woman. Phaeton smiled as the two arrivals resolved into familiar faces.

"I knew you would come," Phaeton said, wrapping himself around his lady for long moments.

"I hate to break up this joyful reunion," said the Chemist. "We must be returning to the gate area so we can go home. I doubt the others are having an easy time of it."

"I have some people with me," said Phaeton. "They're down below."

"The other missing people," said the Chemist. "I'll deal with them. You two go ahead and help the others."

Phaeton and Luna faded from sight as he invoked the letters he needed. He floated down the stairwell on another letter, controlling gravity. His grim features were well enough known that no one fired a shot at him as he landed in the abducted's midst.

"Is this everyone?," he asked quietly.

"Yep," said an old man, who resembled a piece of wood left in the sun too long, holding a stolen weapon. "They were going to start experimenting on us, but the guy in the yellow underwear stopped them first."

"Then let's send you to where my friends are waiting," said the Chemist, trying to smile. "Then we can send you home from there."

"We can stay and fight, Mister," said one of the younger men, dark hair falling down over a beaded necklace and the collar of the T-shirt he wore.

"We're not doing either," said the Chemist.

He raised his hand, writing a new reality into being with one of the third laws he was forced to use to focus his ability. A whirling ring of changing symbols formed around the crowd with the magician at the center. As each symbol vanished, so did one of the kidnaped until only the Chemist was left. Then he popped too.

The Dimensional Survey Force decided to use overwhelming force to terminate the strange threat to their home planet. When the world realigned around the Chemist, he found himself hunting cover as red lances sliced the air around him.

"Dropped us in the pot, youngster," said the old man, trying to fire the stolen rifle back at the lobsters. It fell apart with one trigger pull.

"I already said you're going home," said the Chemist. "I meant what I said."

Whole words wrapped around the small party of normal humans, who had scattered for cover when they found themselves in a war zone. The letters became one word, then one letter. When it was gone, only the Magistrates remained.

15

Jerry Silver threw thunderbolts at anything that looked like it was sizing him up. Phaeton flew through the air, absorbing laser fire while firing flaming bolts of his own. He was in a dogfight with several planes and flying armored troopers and leading them around. Luna and Quick had branched out, attacking the ground forces trying to encroach on the area that Silver wanted kept clear. The Chemist kept his writing to defensive walls to protect the Maker as she went about her business. Hurtling chunks of concrete and steel showed that John Public was enjoying the strength that so many people crammed into one space gave him.

"Are you ready, Maker?," Silver asked, blasting a tank that came too close. The thing shut down instantly, soldiers trying to get out of the hatches before something worse happened to them.

"Everything is set within reason," replied the engineer.

"Shut them down," ordered Silver.

Maker fired alternating packages from the arm cannon, aiming high so that the projectiles would break in mid air and spread out like smoke clouds. She used her visor to check impact points as she turned a full circle. Places that looked empty of her seeds took another round to make sure.

The programmed nanomachines in her bullets started on weapons, then information systems. The particular designs the Survey Force used gave her a key that she could use to take them apart piece by piece. The more the machines took apart, the more machines would be built and spread to attack more weapons.

The planet's military used common links that could be accessed from anywhere. Maker's infiltrators searched for and deleted anything and everything involved with the dimensional gates the DSF used to attack other worlds. Additionally the nanos would attack any free standing gate they encountered and reduce it to nothing.

"The virus has been loosed," Maker reported. "I don't know how long it will take before it spreads all over the planet, but it will make their world conquering days a lot tougher than what they were."

Silver lit a cigarette as he eyeballed the scene. One of the planes chasing Phaeton lost a cannon as it cut the air. Part of the fuselage went with it, causing the plane to wobble side to side. The solar hero caught the vehicle in a flaming grip. The other cannon dropped off, falling into a few pieces of debris.

"Time to give them the bad news," Silver said. "Hook me up, Maker."

Maker cut into the radio net she had perceived, hooking into her com so Silver could talk to the whole planet.

"Hello," said Jerry. "My name is Jerome Silver, and I represent the United Nations of my Earth. I regret to inform you that all of your weapons are shutting down and will be impossible to rebuild to any degree. Your gates will follow one by one. If you have any forces off planet, I suggest you get them back before you can't. I hope this has taught you that there's always someone bigger and tougher.

"Learn from it."

"Seal them off from our home, Chemist," said Jerry. "It's time for us to get out of here."

The team regrouped around the magician who breached the veil one more time before closing it for good. Santa Fe took shape around them as the prisoners from their side returned home.

Jerry sighed when he saw the people he would have to answer before he could get home for some rest.

"They could still come back," said Maker. "It might take them a while, but they could return."

"Let them," said Jerry. "As long as they do it on somebody else's watch."

epilogue

"Your condition is getting worse, not better, Jerry," said Doctor Ramon Perez. "I don't know how long you have left."

"That's nothing new," said Jerry, looking at the test results, trying to guess what they meant.

The Magistracy had hired Perez as their medical doctor since he was one of the experts in the field of metahuman biology. Jerry had known him for almost a decade before that, and respected his opinion.

"I am almost certain your powers are causing this," said Perez. "I need to run more tests to make sure."

"I am certain," said Jerry, buttoning his shirt over the scar tissue on his chest. "How long do I have?"

"I can't say," said the doctor. "Maybe it's time for you to retire and let the kids run the show for once."

"I would rather die first," said Jerry. "Just file the report. I'll try to take it easy from now on."

"We both know you're lying," said Perez. "You couldn't take it easy if your butt was glued to a chair somewhere."

"I promise on my honor as a gentleman that I will cut back on the use of powers, and spend hours out of my day glued to a chair," said Jerry, smiling.

"You've never been a gentleman either as far as I can tell," said Perez, writing a note on the medical chart. "I want you back here in one week for more tests. There's a chance that you will go into remission if you quit using your powers. That's something else that will have to be researched and recorded if you stand a chance of living."

"I'll pass," said Jerry. "I have too much to do than worry about personal problems right now."

Perez shook his head as his patient left the room, cigarette already in hand.

"Quit smoking too!," he called out.

"I'll put it on my list of things to do," said the cranky Silver, lighting up as he went.

Re: The New Circle

You're welcome, Z. It takes me a while to run out a character sheet, so I procrastinate like you wouldn't believe.

CES

Re: The New Circle

Sorry for the threadnecromancy , but I still have a list to get done.

CES

6

Character Name: The Flat

Real Name: Vernon Cove

Hair/Eye Color: Brown/brown

Place of Birth: Baltimore, Maryland

Date of Birth: 08/05/89

Height/Mass: 5'8", 175 lb.

Cost Characteristic Value

21 STR 31

36 DEX 22

20 CON 20

20 BODY 20

10 INT 20

20 EGO 20

10 PRE 20

COM 10

PD 6

ED 4

10 SPD 4

REC 10

END 40

STUN 45

OCV: 7 DCV: 7 OECV: 6 DECV: 6

Phases: 3,6,9,12

Cost Powers and Talents (END)

Armor (20 pd) 30 pts

Physical resistant Damage Reduction 75% 60 pts

Missile Deflection (All ranged attacks, 20 pts) and reflection (20 pts), only physical missiles (-½) 33 pts.

Flat Body 20 pt Elemental Control

Long Reach: Stretching 8" 40 pts

Inflated Fist: + 8d6 HA, Hand to Hand Attack (-½) 20 pts

Wraparound: 4d6, 4 DEF Entangle, Feedback (-1), no range (-½), cannot form barriers (-1/4) 14 pts.

Parasail: gliding, 40"

Through the cracks: Desolidification (40 pts), does not protect against damage (-1), cannot pass through solid objects (-½) 16 pts

Cost Skills

3 Survival: Forest 13-

3 AK- The Smokies 13-

3 AK- Asheville 13-

3 PS: Accounting 13-

3 Breakfall 13-

3 Climbing 13-

3 Trading 13-

3 Tracking 13-

2 Small Motorized Vehicles

3 Shadowing 13-

3 Stealth 13-

3 Bureaucratics 13-

3 Concealment 13-

3 Navigation 13-

3 Martial Grab

3 Martial Throw

3 Sacrifice Throw

150 Points Disadvantages

25 Accidental Change- Compressed to ribbon on a hard impact

25 Hunted by Demon 11-

5 Hunted by Other dimensional forces 8-

15 Secret Identity

15 DF: Flat Man

15 DNPC: Mrs. Cove

15 Protective of the wilderness

10 Physical Lim: Clumsy in disguise

10 Reputation: Freakish Superhero 11-

15 Susceptibility: Portal effects 3d6 damage, instant

CHA Cost = 157

Total Powers Cost = 243

Total Skills Cost = 50

Total Cost = 293

Background Information: Vernon Cove arrived in Asheville when he was young, a victim of a broken home. He and his mother worked to build themselves a better life, eventually opening up a business to provide tours into the mountains. Even as a boy, Vernon loved trekking from one end of the mountains to the other, discovering new things, meeting new people.

Occasionally when business was slow, Vernon would go on solo trips along the Appalachians. On one of these lone walks, he discovered a place where one of the other places in the cosmos touched his forest trails. A bit foolishly, he wandered too close, not realizing the light that was emanating from the ground was from some other cosmos.

The light warped Vernon, flattening him out into a two dimensional man. He found that he could stretch his body like a sheet, even resume an appearance of three dimensions to fool other people. It took a while for him to perfect his skills, but by the time he returned home, he seemed the same as when he left.

Vernon's mother, decided that she was getting too old to traipse across the wilderness and opened a camping store to supplement her business. Vernon decided that he should work in the store to help her out, plus it limited the chances of him giving away his abilities by accident.

Vernon adopted the identity of the Flat when a man named Hooker tried to force his mother out of business. He adopted a masked identity to prove the man was a crook, and intent on buying up all the land whether people wanted to sell, or not.

Since then Vernon has acted in cases that attract his attention, but he prefers to mind his own business most of the time. He has still been known to take a few days and walk the old paths to get away from it all.

Quote: "Nothing's unreachable when you have long arms."

Personality: Vernon likes to wander the woods, likes to keep to himself, and hates litter bugs and others ruining his idea of a woody wonderland. He is invariably optimistic and silent when he is concentrating on maintaining his facade of normalcy, and frequently wisecracking and constantly talking when loose in his ribbon form.

This transition can be unnerving when Vernon springs an ambush on someone.

Appearance: Vernon presents himself as a normal looking man with brown hair and eyes, who wears work clothes to suit the weather conditions. His other identity is a flat tapeworm-like form in a green rubber costume and mask. A blue F fills the shirt portion of the stretchy costume.

Powers: Vernon has the ability to stretch his flat body in different ways, as well as inflate it so that it resembles how he used to look before his accident.

Plot Hook 1) The extradimensional light that first warped Vernon Cove returns. Unfortunately it is shining in downtown Asheville, and it is doing worse than changing men and women into stretching sheets.

Plot Hook 2) Vernon Cove has been enlisted as a tour guide along the mountains, the route predetermined by the people who have hired The Cove Wilderness Tour to make sure things go along as smoothly as possible. Three days into the trip, the expedition has been lost. Mrs. Cove assembles another expedition to follow in the footsteps of the first, and find out what happened to her missing son and patrons.

Plot Hook 3) The Coves are among the people who have been contacted to participate in an Amazing Race like event. Also among the contestants are some of the player characters. Can secret identities be preserved under the hot eye of the camera that follows each team around.

Character Name: The Skimmer

Real Name: Dale Petty

Hair/Eye Color: Blond/ blue

Place of Birth: Sacramento, California

Date of Birth: 5/21/95

Height/Mass: 5'9", 175 lb.

Cost Characteristic Value

10 STR 20

45 DEX 25

20 CON 20

20 BODY 20

5 INT 15

6 EGO 13

4 PRE 14

5 COM 20

PD 4

ED 4

30 SPD 6

REC 8

END 40

STUN 40

OCV: 8 DCV: 8 OECV: 4 DECV: 4

Phases: 2,4,6,8,10,12

Cost Powers and Talents (END)

Hyper Flight 62 pts multipower

6u Flight 25"x 8 non combat

6u Flight 25" megascale

Speed Tricks 45 pt multipower

3u Battering Ram + 6d6 HA (30 pts), Hand to hand attack (-½), only with move by (-1), and + 6 ocv with grab by, move by, and move through 30 pts

4u Spin move: Drain Dex 4d6 40 pts

2u Move by: + 4d6 HA, AOE (20" line), hand to hand attack (-½), linked to flight (-½) 22 pts

3u Fly by Grab: + 30 str only for grab bys, non persistent, and + 10 with grab bys 33 pts

Damage Resistance (10 pd/20 ed), only when moving (-1/4) 12 pts

Cost Skills

12 Languages: German, Spanish, Portuguese, French

3 Paramedic 12-

3 Navigation 12-

3 AK: Surfing Spots of the world 12-

3 AK: Skiing Mountains and resorts of the world 12-

8 Survival: Arctic, mountains, temperate, marine 12-

3 Combat Driving 14-

10 TF: sleds, snowmobiles, jet skis, water and snow skiing, snowboarding, surfing, windsurfing, two wheeled motorized vehicles, small motorized vehicles.

10 Full Defense Maneuver

25 + 5 DCV

6 + 4 Lightning reflexes

6 Wealthy

150 Points Disadvantages

15 Psych Lim: Overconfidence

15 Psych Lim: Showoff

15 Secret Identity

10 Famous

15 Reputation: Unrepentant show off 14-

15 Rivalry with professional skiers

15 Rivalry with other speedster heroes

25 Hunted by Viper 11-

15 Hunted by Paparazzi 14-

5 Vulnerable to Speed Drains

CHA Cost = 115

Total Powers Cost = 143

Total Skills Cost = 92

Total Cost = 350

Background Information: Dale Petty was born in the lap of luxury. He was an heir to a vast fortune with no interest in how the family business was ran. He didn't have the head for business that his brother did, so he decided to become good at something on his own.

Dale concentrated on water and snow sports, learning to function in those areas like a native. He traveled everywhere, winning medal after medal.

Dale's brother set up a research firm in Asheville as a tax write off. He used Dale as a living ad to help launch the new subsidiary. Neither Petty realized that Viper had taken an interest, and the local nest was assigned to kidnap one or the other brother so that Viper could gain a foothold in the Petty empire.

Asheville Avengers 7

Dale and his brother tried to escape from the criminals, only to find themselves trapped in the lab with a new piece of equipment designed to aid athletes in speeding up their physical movements. Dale fell into the machine and it ran out of control after being shot by an agent. Dale emerged from the shock treatment with a little help from his brother.

Dale found that he could fly, and used this new movement powers to catch the raiders off guard. He smashed them aside, rounding them up for the local police. Dale decided to become a hero, loving the chance to excel in another physical area.

Dale fashioned his identity of The Skimmer, enjoying the ability to fly at phenomenal speed while he barnstorms across the city.

Joining the Asheville Avengers was a chance happening that Dale has exploited to make his image even more prominent in town.

Dale spins part of his time as the Skimmer, and the rest as a ski bum, and guide to the nearby slopes for those who need it.

Quote: "You can't outrun sheer speedy greatness."

Personality: Dale likes to fly, chase women, ski and surf. He doesn't like the paparazzi that his low key celebrity brings, and goes out of his way to escape from them in a way that leaves the photographer stuck in bad situations.

Appearance: Dale looks like the typical California surfer, dressing down on the street, and on the slopes. He wears a blue and yellow suit that resembles a ski suit, and a full face mask to protect his face.

Powers: Dale's power is the ability to fly at great speed. He has worked out methods to use that ability to his advantage.

Plot Hook 1) Skiers from all over are flocking to the mountains for a special downhill contest. The prize is a lot of bucks.

Plot Hook 2) Reid Petty, Dale's brother, announces that his company has rebuilt the speed enhancer and is ready to start trials. Is this a true story, or a trap?

Plot Hook 3) Dale Petty has been charged with murder during a surfing contest. He disappears from custody after being booked at the local police station.

Re: Silver's Magistracy

13

Sgt. Bil Kees had been in the Dimensional Survey Force all of his life. He had encountered some of the deadliest things thought of on his travels across the multiverse for his world senate. It was the only way to earn a citizenship, and more privileges for his family.

That was why when the gate alarm sounded, he was the first man reaching for his rifle, giving orders to confront whomever had triggered the gate to the newly discovered dimension. He wasn't prepared for the man in shades stepping into existence, and pointing at one of the towers around the platform.

He really wasn't ready for the bolt of lightning that wrapped around that watchtower. He completely understood that the electricity had somehow leaped from the man's hand like an electric eel. The flash drove him under cover, even though the bolt had not been aimed in his direction.

Kees went to the door of his look out spot as heavy armor floated toward the gate. No one was standing up to that, even if he could throw lightning. This guy was a greasy spot.

Others appeared in the breach. They were a weird looking bunch of civilians. Kees took a bead on a figure in armor raising an arm. He was going to take one of them down no matter what they could do.

Suddenly a woman in a crash helmet was standing in front of him. He tried to readjust his aim to take this teleporter down. His rifle vanished as he swung it around. Then the butt of it smashed his visor to pieces. Kees fell back from the blow, knocked out from the swift blow.

The rest of the sentries fared no better than their sergeant. The woman seemed to dance with each of them with such flickering speed that they wound up hurting each other more than they ever touched her.

The strangers cleared an area around the gate area in a minute. The Survey Force had been rendered almost ineffective by a loss of equipment caused by some kind of cloud thrown over the battlefield, and the extraordinary talents displayed by the superhumans holding the open area.

"Do your thing, Chemist," Jerry Silver said. "We'll be right here when you get back."

"We'll do what we can," said the Chemist, taking Luna by the arm. They blinked out in a display of his spectral letters.

"A lot of people are coming to talk to us," said John Public. "I guess they don't like what we are doing here."

"I am only getting started," said Silver.

Re: Who is the best Archaic/Anachronism/whatever in comics?

Who was/is your favorite Cowboy in comics?

The original version of El Diablo.

Who was/is your favorite Ninja in comics?

Naruto, and his classmates.

Who was your favorite Knight in comics?

The Silent Knight.

Who was your favorite Archer/Robin Hood type?

I liked Green Arrow before Longbow Hunters, but I think the one I like the most now is Kagomi from Inuyasha.

Got any other favorites? (Samuraii, Cavemen, etc)

Kenshin is cool as a samurai, but I also like the guy from Samurai Champloo.

CES