csyphrett

Re: Silver's Magistracy

6

The other heroes that had responded to the emergency received a notice on who to look for while they were protecting their cities from the black shells.

The Persian's CORPS had been able to punch a hole through the forces in New York, using his computer brain to devise counters to the holding action that had been fought to slow his team down. His biggest asset was his giant minotaur comrade, Cowboy, who led the way with fists the size of cars.

The rest had spread out behind Cowboy's rush.

The School was the unofficial handle for the Presidential Task Force on Metahuman Threats. Both of their squads had reacted on the threat to Washington, DC, in record time. The Watcher and Pointer had used a pincer from the members of their teams. They were still clearing the scene when the mental notice came through.

The Lizard had got to his staging area behind the wheel of a CPD police car. He had just started when the Odd Squad led by Missileer arrived. Backed by the city's unofficial protectors, the reptile hero policeman battered through the first two lines before he was pinned down by lasers. The Mighty Mite and The Flag Waver had to bail him out as they tried to round up the lobsters.

Most of the heroes reported a negative back through the temporary link established by the Chemist.

"We have a negative from everyone but the ladies, and Phaeton," said the Chemist. "There is still a lot of clean up involved before they know for sure."

Jerry Silver nodded, smoking a cigarette quietly. Phaeton hadn't reported since the Shift from their building. They had to hurry things up. The attacks were a symptom, and not the disease itself.

"I want John Public and Quick to tour the other sites," Jerry said. "I want these soldiers to be shut down, and the local authorities to start rescue work as soon as possible. Tell Maker and Luna to meet us outside of Santa Fe. Maybe someone there will tell us what exactly is going on."

"I see what you mean," said the Chemist. "Let me relay the message."

Jerry waited patiently until the Chemist nodded that things were in motion. Quick and John Public would speed things up considerably. Public would also be good in rescue work once he was on the scenes.

He would be able to point where crews needed to excavate to help anyone trapped in the rubble by the collapsed buildings.

Jerry, the Chemist, and Phaeton would have to handle things on their own. They had the powers and the skills. All they needed was information.

And he knew where to get that information.

"Shift network activate," Jerry said into his communicator. "Chemist and Silver need transport to Phaeton's area of operations."

A white beam surrounded the two Magistrates. They vanished with it as it withdrew from earth to a satellite in orbit above the planet. A second later, the beam touched two more satellites, then plunged to the New Mexico desert.

"There has to be a better way of travel than that," the Chemist said as soon as he could feel his mouth moving.

"No time," said Jerry, taking in the scene, grimacing at what he saw.

The invading lobsters had been able to set up a lot more of their equipment than they had in the other cities. A force dome surrounded their landing site. Additionally this group had brought armored vehicles and artillery to deal with the local populace.

Jerry didn't see Phaeton. He tried the other's com, frowning at the lack of response.

"This looks like trouble," he said.

"Shall we punch a hole in the dome?," the Chemist asked, looking better with the passing of his nausea. "I think we can do that with our powers."

"Give the others a head's up first," said Jerry. "This could be messier than we thought."

The Chemist nodded. It was only a second's work to send what he could see through the comlink into the Magistracy's minds. That would help the others to plan a way in if he and Jerry were taken.

He didn't want to think what would happen when Luna arrived and they hadn't found Phaeton.

"Let's go talk to the big boss man," said Jerry, moving forward cautiously.

Re: New Avengers?

By whom? The team themselves? Can they send out a "Help Wanted" ad? "Shapeshifter required for Superteam. Must be experienced. Please provide references and Hunteds list. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates under consideration will be considered."

 

Maybe they should actively recruit members, but that's not the same book as "here are some characters thrown together by circumstances to deal with threats as they arise".

 

 

 

The deus ex machina of always having the character on the team whose powers are just right to fix the problem seems to me to be lazy writing. Perhaps, sometimes, the heroes should have to use their brains to figure out a way to defeat the villain, not just to assess which multipower slot would work best.

Remember what happened in the Goverment years. The Falcon had to be recruited to meet the EEOC guidelines.

CES

Re: New Avengers?

This was never a problem with the old lineups....

 

Like Thor, Iron Man, Cap, Wasp and Giant-Man

 

Well, at least they killed off Hawkeye - after all, who's going to take out Thor/Sentry, Iron Man and Captain America and then be worried about [sneer] Hawkeye [/sneer], right?

The Avengers have always had a wild card member in their line ups. Usually that was someone like the Scarlet Witch or Hawkeye.

One could change probabilities to suit. The other had an arrow for any situation.

The death of Hawkeye as presented was kind of poor. At least they brought him back only like 6 months later, instead of 20 years.

CES

Re: New Avengers?

They really only two-three heavy hitters at that (Sentry, Iron Man, and Spider Man.) If you have the sheer power to knock those three out, You can walk over the rest of the team.

I know, I know. Captain America is the best at what he does, and so is Wolverine, but if I blow the crap out of Sentry, I am not too worried about these two.

CES

Re: New Avengers?

Can you imagine the outrage that would have occured if the team had been reduced to 3 former criminals and Cap?

 

Roy Thomas is a lot better writer than Bendis.

CES

Re: TV Teen Titans

The really funny part is how Slade was telling Robin a deal is a deal when Trigon reneged.

CES

Re: Friendly faces in the Post-Apocalypse

The way you described your setting, you are almost certainly going to need mutant gunfighters to enforce the law, run off scavengers, and complicate things no end.

CES

Re: New Avengers?

I think most agree with you, Rik. Bendis could have put together a better team out of all the characters Marvel owns. Someone pointed out that he only likes to use certain characters for whatever reason.

CES

Re: Lil' Slugger Question

What do you plan to do, Shadow Walker? Mike is dead on in my opinion as far as writeups go. It's a weird show, like a seventies horror movie.

CES

Re: TV Teen Titans

Just ask for a repost, Edsel. If anyone has the files, I am sure they will put up something.

Maybe even do the HIve Five along with it.

CES

Re: Campaign Ideas: Why are they on this ship?

A lot depends on the crew's employment status. If they are military/government, they are ordered to be on the ship. If it is commercial, the crew has to decide on their line of employment, and what they bring to the table when they make a character.

I guess what I am trying to say is a career choice will help hammer out that much of the campaign.

CES

Re: Lil' Slugger Question

Probably Desolid too, Mike. He does walk through a wall after he kills the copycat in his cell. Maybe detect mental problems, and/or spirits since he is attracted to people who are nearing a nervous breakdown, and dealing with the three dead people.

CES

Re: Lil' Slugger Question

I'm surprised that the anime experts haven't said anything. I'm watching it. A bunch of copycats attacking people inspired by a hallucination could be interesting, but it would be in the weird villain type way.

CES

Re: Silver's Magistracy

Good read! Keep them coming.

Thanks, H. I am about halfway through. All I need is the gang getting back together, confrontation with the villain, and the epilogue.

CES

Ross Mulder 2

Rosswell Mulder had always been interested in all types of magic. He read everything he could find on the subject, training himself to perform the simple tricks in the books. He prided himself that he was as good as some of the magicians he had seen on television and person.

Ross wished he could learn real magic, the kind being demonstrated across the globe by such as Witchcraft and the Demonologist. It would satisfy a yearning that he felt to shape the forces of the universe.

Ross's wish was granted by chance.

Ross was driving not too far from his home in Florida when a large meteor descended from the sky smashing into his chest. He was hurled clear from the burning wreck of his car, and lay in a ditch for some hours before he was found by amateur astronomers trying to track down where a meteor they had been tracking should have crashed to the ground. They rushed the wounded Mulder to the nearest hospital, calling the fire department to put out the burning remains of his car.

The doctors discovered the rock in Ross's chest. X-rays revealed that it had driven too close to his heart to operate without the chance of killing him. It wasn't hurting him in any other way than the hole in his chest, so they patched what they could and left the stone alone.

After Ross recovered from his injury, he landed a job as a magician's assistant. That was when his command of forces beyond the everyday became evident as he learned that he could command things to be other than what they were. The only drawback was the invisible audience that clapped whenever he performed a new trick.

Ross built up an act that he eventually took on the road, becoming famous as an illusionist and escape artist. That allowed him to explain his new wealth to the IRS as he grew in stature as a stage magician to any that can't see his ability to change reality.

Ross also became involved in several mysterious crimes which he solved with the help of his powers. That led him to be considered an amateur detective that would help the police solve the most baffling cases when his show permitted.

Re: Silver's Magistracy

5

John Public cracked his knuckles as he walked toward the entrenched soldiers in the wreckage of a building near the Fulton County courthouse. In a city this size, everyone was filling him with speed and power. That was what made him John Public, and that was what made him smile.

All eyes were on the tall man in the gray business suit as he strode from the police lines. None noticed the slimmer, shorter woman in red and green before she was wreaking havoc among the black armored troopers with her speed.

John leaped into action, not fast enough to keep up with Quick, not really trying. There was a small force present for the amount of destruction caused by their arrival. The speedster could deal with them on her own. Her velocity would give her blows an impact that could stun a rhino. Ordinary men in armor wouldn't have a chance.

John wanted one of them to question, just as he knew the others would be trying to do the same thing at their own crime scenes. A soldier tried aiming a rifle at the man in the suit. The lobster was surprised when he couldn't line up on the average looking man, even more surprised when the firearm came apart in his hands as green and red lightning passed by. Public grabbed the man's faceplate, holding his eyes with eyes darkening to a pitch black.

"Let me have it," said John, sifting through the man's memories in a matter of seconds. When he was done, he used a piece of rebar from the pile of debris to tie the man up.

John examined the battlefield as he put the stolen thoughts aside so he could help finish the job. Quick had forced the remnants of the intruding army into an enclosed area they had blocked off to keep her at a distance so they could shoot at her without allowing her great speed to let her get close enough to them. She ducked the multiple bubbles of energy patiently.

Their ammunition would run out long before she was tired of the practice in control of her powers.

John knew they couldn't wait that long. He picked up a giant piece of concrete and swung it high overhead. He flung it at the makeshift wall holding the last of the black armored troops. He aimed high to avoid killing them if he could.

Accidents happened but he would rather not intentionally kill someone if he didn't have to.

The projectile smashed against the barrier, breaking it with a wide gap. Soldiers, the ones not lucky enough to get out of the way, were blasted aside. Broken bones were the least of their problems. The survivors watched in horror as the man in the gray suit picked up another wrecking ball with which to crush them. They surrendered, letting their weapons drop to the ground, empty hands reaching for the sky.

"That worked better than I expected," John said, waiting for Atlanta's defenders to secure the prisoners before letting his hammer drop to the ground.

"We still have a lot of survivors to look for once we have those nitwits cleared out," said Quick.

John nodded in silent agreement. This was going to be something that would carry well into the night. That would have to wait until they stopped the hostile force involved.

"This is the Chemist," said the familiar voice, echoing in John's mind. Quick's wince made it obvious that she had heard the same mental transmission. "Be on the look out for this man."

Information flooded their minds as the magician beamed what he had taken from his own prisoner to them. John responded with the knowledge that the general sought by Jerry Silver wasn't present among those he had helped capture. None of the prisoners knew where their commander actually was, but knew he had planned to arrive with the their reserve, and mobile base headquarters

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

In the HU mail game I am running, a group of players are trying to deal with an imposed dream. Ashlee (Liz) and Nathan (Clyde) have just caught up with and were separated from Jacob (Jim). Ashlee sent a long post on how she would hold people together if they had to so they wouldn't be separated again.

This is the reply from Clyde:

Oh yeah! She *so* wants me! thought Nathan to himself as Ash finished her little speech, then replied, "Sure thing, Sweets."

CES

Re: Speedball

I've never heard of the game before today' date=' but do you think Xcrawl might be a good source of inspiration?

You have me there. I have never heard of it.

CES

Re: Speedball

Don't forget your criminal elements who should be trying to fix the game, or offering super steroids, drug use, gambling.

CES

Re: Speedball

I couldn't tell you if the game would be limited or not, Fred. A lot would depend on what you want to do. I imagine it would be as limited as any sport based campaign.

It would probably be a heroic game at best, unless the athletes are superhuman.

CES

Re: Who would be in this group?

Samurai Jack would be high on my list. Danny Phantom. Maybe the Crimson Chin. Just depends.

CES

Re: Master and Commander, Star Hero style.

David Drake also does the same for his Lt. Leary books.

CES

Re: Speedball

Yes. You would have to put some flesh on the background, and work out what you want to happen in the arena, but there's no reason why it shouldn't.

CES

Re: The New Circle

Ross Mulder 1

Ross Mulder sighed at the blood on his white tuxedo jacket. Blood on white cloth was bad. What made it worse, was that it was his blood from cuts on his face. He huddled against a fallen rock, noting that dust and dirt covered him in a small cloud.

"You shouldn't have pried into my business," said the masked man, standing in the clear, grinning ear to ear. He had evidently passed through enough of DEMON's twelve step plan to have some power on his own.

Mulder lit a cigarette, calmly smoking as he considered his next move.

"Come out so we can finish this like the magicians we are, meddler," said the DEMON brother.

"The name is Mulder," called the tuxedoed adventurer. "Ross Mulder."

The brother fired a bolt of lightning at the rocky shield in an irritable way, stalking forward into the wrecked hotel area. He would deal with this pest, then leave before anyone else arrived to hinder him. He already had what he had came to get.

He thought he heard the weaker magic user muttering in fear as he leveled his rod. All he needed was a clear shot, and it would all be over. He might get a promotion if he played the threat level right.

The brother rounded the broken column, weapon hissing in readiness. He was surprised to find that his quarry had flown. That was unexpected, and ruined his desire for a kill. Still the mission was complete, and he would be rewarded for accomplishing that much.

"I would like you to meet my little friend," said Mulder from behind the DEMON representative. He thumbed his lighter as the brother turned around. The flame came to life on the first try. Then a phoenix emerged from the small orange flame. It wrapped around the adventurer's enemy with a furious scream.

Mulder watched the struggle quietly, puffing on his cigarette. His surprise move had been a stroke of genius as far as he could tell. It was probably a good thing there was only one thief. He wondered if he should call off the hissing bird.

He gave the phoenix another minute before he called it off. It watched the brother from a perch high overhead. Mulder kicked the rod away, commanding the brother to be silent and go to sleep. It was a simple thing that would prevent more trouble before the police arrived on the scene.

Mulder took one last puff on his cigarette, watching the crowd applauding what must have been the best show they had ever seen.

Re: The New Circle

okay I am going to post an old character from two campaigns.

CES