NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

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FuzzyBoots
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NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Seven

Now that the rain has stopped and the clouds have parted, it’s shaping up to be a beautiful day in downtown Freedom City. A perfectly quiet day of blessed solitude as the rest of the Freedom League has left you—their newest member—to mind Freedom Hall as they departed into space to stop a... maybe it was a gravity monster? There’s been a lot to catch up on.

But just as you find a quiet place to study, a booming impact makes the entire building shudder. Alarms blare to life and viewscreens display the street outside. Hulking men—maybe 10 feet tall and clad in rough metal armor—have gathered, with more arriving in flashes of lightning. They bow as a final arrival—a devastatingly beautiful man in a kilt—shouts unheard orders to them, then points directly at Freedom Hall.

You’re outnumbered, easily a dozen to one. But you have been designing a ritual that will summon your old friends from NextGen—your former team from your days at the Claremont Academy—to your side in an emergency. At least… in theory.
OOC wrote:You don't need to immediately roll initiative unless you really want to jump straight into combat. You can Take 10 on an Expertise (Magic) roll to identify the interloper, or roll for it to hope to get higher results.

The ritual mentioned is something that you can activate with a Move action at any time, no props needed.
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JDRook
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by JDRook »

SEVEN

Wouldn't you know it? My first shift on my own and the doors come off reality, Serena thought to herself as she closed the books of comparative spellcraft on her desk. She took a deep breath and hit a button on a nearby intercom phone.

"Cynthia, invasion protocol, authorization Seven Theta Phi." That should get the receptionist AI to close down the public areas and lock down the main floor of the Hall. She'd only done it in practice runs, but this was her first live solo.

"Confirmed, Seven. Lockdown in progress." Serena was already adjusting her study lamp and muttered a spell while Cynthia responded and the shields went up on the windows. She stepped into the shadow the lamp threw and walked into the hangar level of Freedom Hall. She figured she would need the space and the high ground if she needed to call in the cavalry.

The hangar was cavernous, more so than usual with the Freedom League using the larger vessels for their space trip. The alarm was particularly echo-y and Serena was momentarily thrown before she got her bearings and realized there was no way to see the ground, and the approaching force, without opening the hangar doors. She ran over to one of the Sky-Bikes to scry through the rearview mirror and get a good look at the competition.

OOC: Crooked Path to the hangar, Second Wheel of Weyan to scry is only Visual. I don't know what dice site we're using yet but I don't mind a routine check to start. Expertise Magic 10 hits a DC20.
FuzzyBoots
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

GM

As you scan the situation, it all falls in place. The attractive gentleman in the kilt is Bres the Beautiful, a sorcerer who leads a secret nation of deformed mutants called the Fomorians. The Fomorians are the same mythic people described in Irish folklore and possess a wide variety of abilities. Bres is one of their number, born unusually beautiful (really, quite handsome as regards contemporary standards) and gifted in magic.

And, well, The Freedom League fought Bres several months ago and seized a powerful magical artifact from him — the Eye of Balor — which likely has something to do with this attack. If they told you where they kept powerful relics of Celtic folklore during orientation, you weren’t paying attention. If he were a villain of note, and the magic were not easily accessible, it would probably be in the trophy room. Given Bres is, in many ways, a nuisance, and the magic requires understanding of Celtic runes, it's more likely stored in some level of "processing". The Freedom League deals with a lot of threats, and familiarity breeds contempt. You're fairly certain a lot of dangerous items are just routed off to storage as "not that dangerous to us".

Your wristcom vibrates and flashes again, with a notice saying that the door is at low structural integrity, and that the A.I. analysis indicates that it will fall soon.
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JDRook
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by JDRook »

SEVEN

With Bres and his army literally at the door, Serena knew she couldn't handle this by herself.

I hope everyone is decent, she thought as she finalized the summoning ritual to bring her friends from the Academy here. Swirling mists filled the area around her as the magic warped space to reduce the distances to nothing.
OOC: Alright, let's get the team together.
FuzzyBoots
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Seven

With one eye on the scene in the rear-view mirror, you begin the incantations and hand gestures for the ritual. The early setup for the ritual had been difficult, building the proper safety measures in, and discriminative logic to ensure that the right people were brought in, already garbed and armed for battle, and that no limbs got left behind, and then building the trigger to not go off accidentally, but also to be available immediately rather than having to write that part of the ritual on the fly to account for the phase of the moon and the current state of Paraguayan football scores (you're still not certain why those factor in, although Eldrich had intimated it had something to do with mystical leylines and Aztec sports), but this was what you built this ritual for, and a warm feeling blossoms in you as imagine the familiar faces you'll see once more.

Next-Gen

Math class is hell, as Mr. Skyler is so eager to prove once again. He started off lecturing about logarithmic functions, and somehow that turned into a rant about wasted potential and it’s still half an hour until lunch! But then he looks at you and scowls.

“I believe I have already explicitly stated that there is to be no sparkling in my classroooooo…”

Mr. Skyler and the rest of the classroom quickly fade away, and suddenly you find yourselves—already in your costumes—standing in a large hanger populated with multiple high-tech vehicles from hovercycles to a large jet shape looming to one side to what looks to be a dry-docked speedboat. Before you stands a woman in a black cloak and hood: The mystic superhero Seven!

Seven

You complete the invocation and streamers of magic energy intertwine and reach through the cosmos to retrieve your friends. A burst of smoke reveals several figures, but as the air clears you don’t see familiar faces like Bowman, Nereid, or Sonic. Instead you see… kids. You vaguely recognize them from your last guest lecture at the Claremont Academy. These aren’t your old Next-Gen teammates… you’ve accidentally summoned the current members of Next-Gen!
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Bill from Accounting
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by Bill from Accounting »

NGM
HP: 1, Condition: Normal

A dark-skinned young man sat in class with the side of his face nestled deep into his palm, eyes half-lidded as he waited for the bell's sweet release. Martin Conte tried to be a good student in the meantime, looking over the semblance of notes he managed to get from Mr. Skyler between his tangents.

"...if y=logbx then we can solve for x in the equation log3(x+1)=7... 7... SEVEN!?"

The teenager snapped to attention when he realized that his teacher, in a puff of smoke, had been replaced with the Master Mage. This was no longer math class, and these weren't the clothes he had on; it was the bright attire Martin wore when working as NGM, or New Golden Marvel for long. He yanked back his hood, which had ended up draped over his domino mask, brow furrowing in a mix of confusion and annoyance. Several other members of the Next-Gen were here as well, like Sasquatch and Country Girl. At least he wasn't the only one being dragged along for whatever this was.

After taking several quick glances around the unfamiliar hangar, NGM's eyes settled on the mystical heroine before him. "Hey, what the hell is going on? Where are we?"
Last edited by Bill from Accounting on Thu Aug 27, 2020 6:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
RainOnTheSun
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by RainOnTheSun »

CATALYST

Reena Sarin is spending her math class the way she usually does: doing her history homework in the back of the class. She checks to make sure if the teacher is looking her way, of course, checking at the same time if he's teaching anything new or unfamiliar to her. Nope: still all stuff she already knows.
Numbers are easy for Reena. They're about the only thing that is.

When she appears in the Freedom League's hangar in her goggles and costume, Reena yelps and raises her control rod. She points it in several directions in quick succession like a video game soldier checking their corners.

"Hey, I know you!" she says to Seven when she's calmed down a bit. "You're from the Freedom League!"
Zero Prime
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by Zero Prime »

Junior, Wally Thompson, Jr.
Dodge: 4 | Parry: 4 | Toughness: 12 | Fortitude: 10 | Will: 6 | Hero Points: 1
Active Effects: Predatory Senses (Acute Scent, Extended Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Tracking Scent (1))
Conditions: None.


Junior was in a headlong sprint down the slope of the Atlas Mountains, the crisp morning air filled his flaring nostrils as he leapt over exposed roots, thicker than a man's thigh, dodged around boulders bigger than a house, crashing through brush and undergrowth that slapped and stung his exposed skin, his prey, a herd of nimble deer leapt and bounded ahead of him, ever so graceful, they leapt over a deep stream, he plunged through it sending up a wall of water, that caught the sunlight, reflected it back like a prism held suspended in the sky ...
Mr. Skyler wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:39 am...if y=logbx, then we can solve for x in the equation log3(x+1)= ... Mr. Thompson!? MR. THOMPSON!!!
Junior's large head slipped from his palm, bouncing off of the desk, "Huh?!?" he responded, groggily waking from his day dream about playing tag with the herds of deer on the slopes of the Cryptid Clan's home.

However, before he could respond to the laughter of his classmates, or Mr. Skyler's outrage, the classroom swirled, and dissipated, almost exactly like his earlier day dream, and he found himself in the Freedom Hall's hangar bay. He immediately recognized it for the odd combination of motor grease, hydraulic fluids, and ionized air particles particular to the Freedom-cycles. Intermingled with the scents of the motor pool was something else, something exotic, unfathomable, and slightly unsettling, magic. Some of the Clan's utilized it, but so did the Claremont graduate, now Freedom League member, Seven.

Behind even all that, there was another odor emanating from the woman, a scent of anticipation, desperation??? However, he felt that familiar prickling in the air, NGM's force field, it always made his air stand on end. He put himself back to back with his Next Gen teammate, arms wide, scanning for threats to himself, to his team, and to Seven.

He couldn't help himself, a grin spread across his broad face. "Best. Math. Class. EVER!"
Last edited by Zero Prime on Sat Aug 29, 2020 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
pathfinderq1
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by pathfinderq1 »

Charger
HP: 1; LP: 1; Condition: Normal

AJ had been trying to pay attention in class- math wasn't her best subject, but it was important. When the room started to swirl around her, she looked around wildly- she was still fairly new to Claremont and she had heard all kinds of crazy stories about the stuff that went on.

She was still looking around when she reappeared somewhere else- a massive open space, way bigger than the barn back home. It took her another moment to realize that she was wearing her (rather new and unfamiliar) costume. There was a brief moment of disorientation as her senses sped up and she moved a bit closer to her Next-Gen teammates, looking warily at the spooky-looking lady (who seemed sort of familiar)...
CaptainChaos
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by CaptainChaos »

Miss Kitty

Amelia was doing her best to pay attention in class. As usual, she diligently took notes and tried to follow the equations Mr. Skyler was teaching. They were difficult to understand, made more so by the distractions of the other students. Just as she was raising her hand to ask a question, things got weird. Her body started sparkling and fading. Next thing she was aware of, she found herself standing in a very large room, like a warehouse almost. This one had all sorts of vehicles in it so it was easy to deduce that she was in a hangar. A quick glance revealed she wasn't alone. Some of her classmates were here and an adult woman. She recalled the woman was a former student that had been a guest teacher. Seven was her name and she was a magician.

"Um, anyone know where we are and why we are in our uniforms?"
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JDRook
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by JDRook »

[/quote]
Bill from Accounting wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:39 am NGM
HP: 1, Condition: Normal

The teenager snapped to attention when he realized that his teacher, in a puff of smoke, had been replaced with the Master Mage. This was no longer math class, and these weren't the clothes he had on; it was the bright attire Martin wore when working as NGM, or New Golden Marvel for long. He yanked back his hood, which had ended up draped over his domino mask, brow furrowing in a mix of confusion and annoyance. Several other members of the Next-Gen were here as well, like Sasquatch and Country Girl. At least he wasn't the only one being dragged along for whatever this was.

After taking several quick glances around the unfamiliar hangar, NGM's eyes settled on the mystical heroine before him. "Hey, what the hell is going on? Where are we?"
RainOnTheSun wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:21 pm CATALYST
When she appears in the Freedom League's hangar in her goggles and costume, Reena yelps and raises her control rod. She points it in several directions in quick succession like a video game soldier checking their corners.

"Hey, I know you!" she says to Seven when she's calmed down a bit. "You're from the Freedom League!"
Zero Prime wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:05 pm Junior, Wally Thompson, Jr.
Dodge: 4 | Parry: 4 | Toughness: 12 | Fortitude: 10 | Will: 6
Active Effects: Predatory Senses (Acute Scent, Extended Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Tracking Scent (1))
Conditions: None.
he found himself in the Freedom Hall's hangar bay. He immediately recognized it for the odd combination of motor grease, hydraulic fluids, and ionized air particles particular to the Freedom-cycles. Intermingled with the scents of the motor pool was something else, something exotic, unfathomable, and slightly unsettling, magic. Some of the Clan's utilized it, but so did the Claremont graduate, now Freedom League member, Seven.

Behind even all that, there was another odor emanating from the woman, a scent of anticipation, desperation??? However, he felt that familiar prickling in the air, NGM's force field, it always made his air stand on end. He put himself back to back with his Next Gen teammate, arms wide, scanning for threats to himself, to his team, and to Seven.

He couldn't help himself, a grin spread across his broad face. "Best. Math. Class. EVER!"
pathfinderq1 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:22 pm Charger
HP: 1; LP: 1; Condition: Normal

She was still looking around when she reappeared somewhere else- a massive open space, way bigger than the barn back home. It took her another moment to realize that she was wearing her (rather new and unfamiliar) costume. There was a brief moment of disorientation as her senses sped up and she moved a bit closer to her Next-Gen teammates, looking warily at the spooky-looking lady (who seemed sort of familiar)...
CaptainChaos wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 10:56 pm Miss Kittyshe found herself standing in a very large room, like a warehouse almost. This one had all sorts of vehicles in it so it was easy to deduce that she was in a hangar. A quick glance revealed she wasn't alone. Some of her classmates were here and an adult woman. She recalled the woman was a former student that had been a guest teacher. Seven was her name and she was a magician.

"Um, anyone know where we are and why we are in our uniforms?"

SEVEN

Serena looked through the clearing mist at the new Next Gen members, cursing under her breath in Sanskrit that the spell went pear-shaped on her but thankful that the team seemed to be taking this in stride a lot better than she felt she was. Time to put on the Mage-Face.

"Hello, Next Gen!" Nuts, a 'greetings' would have had more gravitas like Eldritch. And was she smiling? Was it a good reassuring smile? Focus, Seven, we're live.

"I apologize for pulling you away from your lives but know that it is not without good reason. I'll keep this brief: Freedom Hall is under attack by Bres the Beautiful and his Fomorian followers and the League is offworld so I need your help to repel them. They are about to break through the doors so I've summoned us here to the hangar to come at them from above. Now," she waves her arm dramatically to focus air on the door button across the hangar, the door now slowly opening to beautiful sky she recalled from moments ago, "does anyone have any trouble with heights?"
RainOnTheSun
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by RainOnTheSun »

Catalyst

"Oh, no," Catalyst says as she begins to understand her situation more clearly. Is this a magic thing? I mean, I can do magic things. I don't mean I can cast spells or anything, I mean I can handle magic things like any other... thing." She stands there uncomfortably.

Magic. Why couldn't it be something I know something about?

"But I definitely don't have a problem with heights!" she adds, trying to sound more confident. She activates her control rod, and a green energy field surrounds her body as she rises into the air. "Let's go, Next Gen!" She heads off for the hangar door.

Ugh. I totally blew that.

Catalyst initiative: 1D20+6 = [6]+6 = 12
Last edited by RainOnTheSun on Mon Aug 31, 2020 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
pathfinderq1
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by pathfinderq1 »

Charger
HP: 1; LP: 1; Condition: Normal

AJ looked at Seven for a moment, then around at her Next-Gen teammates, then back at Seven. She blinked and shook her head, then sighed. "This is one of those surprise training simulation things I've heard y'all talk about, ain't it?, she muttered, not really speaking to anyone in particular. She hadn't been part of the team for very long, but hoo boy had she heard some stories...

"Well all right- I'm up for it." She slid her flying goggles into place and rose up into the air, a soft shimmer surrounding her as she moved. "I'l just go take a look around, see how many of them are runnin' around out there..." Her words trailed off as she zoomed out into the sky, circling around the tower for a check of the perimeter...

>OOC: Powering up, and headed out into the air. Initiative now- I figure we'll need it soon enough. Init 1d20+10= 30, roll https://orokos.com/roll/842279 . Shame to waste that crit

>OOC 2- Powers active: Slip field, all 'Born to fly' slots. Array set (Enhanced Flight +5, loses Subtle (9; Flight 7); Jet Strike- Close damage 6, Accurate 1, Imp crit x1 (8)
Zero Prime
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by Zero Prime »

Junior, Wally Thompson, Jr.
Dodge: 4 | Parry: 4 | Toughness: 12 | Fortitude: 10 | Will: 6 | Hero Points: 1
Active Effects: Predatory Senses (Acute Scent, Extended Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Tracking Scent (1))
Conditions: None.


Wally blinked, his brown eyes wide, not with fear, but something else, apprehension maybe, nerves. He remembered Seven from the lecture at Claremont, she'd inherited her powers or something. They were talking about responsibility, living up to your legacy, and the burden that comes with that, how it's ok to reach out for help sometimes. When you are feeling alone, vulnerable, afraid. People tended to think that if you were on the League, you suddenly stopped being human, being who you were before. With the League being gone, and Seven, the most recent recruit, he absently wondered if she felt left out, taken for granted.

He stepped forward, looked to his teammates, "Alright Next Gen, stay tight, follow the League's lead." He extended a hand out, "Hey Kitty, need a lift?"

He turned his head to Seven as he waited for Kitty, "And Seven," a pause, "Thanks for the opportunity. Real honored you thought of us first."
OOC: Totally want to do a Fastball Special and hurl Ms. Kitty at Mr. Beautiful himself!
FuzzyBoots
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Re: NetherWar: Master of Earth (IC)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Seven and Next-Gen

As you discuss tactics, you hear a crash of tortured metal and plastic, and faint wood cracking noises through the mirror. A few of the Fomorian giants are lifting the twisted remains of a Prius from in front of the door, where they apparently tried to use it as a battering ram. A few the others are now hefting a pickup truck, and are babbling something in Gaelic as they lift it and others point at the door.

There are probably another half dozen of the deformed giants known as Fomorians swarming outside, and selecting improvised weaponry in the forms of benches, parking meters, and planters around the front of the building to complement the knifes and clubs hanging off of their leather belts. They're clothed in ratty hair and rattier kilts.

Bres stands as tall as the rest, but is strikingly handsome, standing with his arms crossed, his kilt and long black hair fluttering in a slight wind as he directs the efforts of the other Fomorians.
OOC wrote:FWIW, there are nine Fomorians present, and Bres (who is also a Fomorian).
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