Adventures Assemble S3E3: The Great Brain Robbery!

For all of your Play-By-Post games.
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Gilliam
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Gilliam »

Nightbird
HP: 5 > 4 LP: 1
Condition: Normal

It felt like forever but in real time only a couple of seconds had passed when Imogen opened her eyes again, strangely now at peace with herself and what had happen in the past.

A full smile appeared on her face at the sight of the arrival of Amethyst, Glitch and other heroes they had worked with in the past and yet others that she only knew by reputation, they were all a team and Lucienne had never stood a chance.

Eying the hand of Lucienne that still held the spell, Imogen broke into a run, surefooted on the broken ground, strangely she felt a sense that she was not alone, that Kilpatrick was there beside her and others that she did not know yet seemed familiar.

Using the remains of a pillar as leverage, Imogen launched herself in the air kicking out with a powerful strike of her foot targeting the god arm of Lucienne.

Nightbird Power Attack +5
Nightbird Power Attack: 1d20+14-5 11
Use a HP

Nightbird PA +5: 1d20+14-5 13 +10 = 23
DC28 Toughness Save

If needed I would like to use another HP to repeat the attack.

Nightbird PA +5: 1d20+14-5 26 and critical so DC33 Toughness Save if required
Ysariel
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Ysariel »

Sometimes, it's the small things that decide the big. Who would've been a conquerer or liberator dies in a freak childhood accident, never to fulfill their destiny. A chance meeting brings two brilliant minds together, and a revolutionary invention is born. A butterfly flaps its wings, and on the other side of the planet a hurricane strikes Tokyo.

Sometimes the fate of the world hinges on a single decisive instant - a single roll of the die.

Nightbird's kick smashes the star god right in her fingers. The spell Babel, the magic to ruin the world, slips from her fingers, and as you do, you see that the spell begins to distort. Instead of a star of bright golden light, it begins to warp into a boiling mass of colors for which you have no words to describe.

"The spell is unstable!" cries the High Master. "It was never intended to be removed from the Akashic Library. It will destroy itself at any moment! Seek shelter!"

"No. No! NO!" Lucienne screams. The spell falls earthward, into the blue blue sky below. Lucienne flings herself off the stone platform, reaching after the spell. It explodes a moment later, rocking both the island of floating rock you stand on and the battleship close by, and the blinding flash of light disintegrates all that is left of Lucienne the Lightbringer, Morningstar.

"Deploying tractor beams," Amy says. Pale blue beams of light shine from the ship's turrets, and the ground beneath you stabilizes. You continue to rise into low Earth orbit on your original trajectory; by now you are high enough that the sky above you is pure black, not blue, and the stars no longer twinkle. As you do so, shield drones fly into formation and assemble a pale blue dome of light about you, protecting you from the void of space.

"SO. YOU HAVE COME," booms a voice from high above - a voice you hear more in your heads than with your ears. The voice is rich with anticipation and delight.

The vast form of Kaak-Shar, War Incarnate, floats above you. Miles tall, clad in blood red and glittering gold, with the moaning, screaming faces of his sacrificed people molded into his armor, the man once called Kinian Khan and now ascended to godhood beckons to you with fingers the size of skyscrapers. Portals open all about him, and through them stream the innumerable warships of the Armada great and small.

"MY THANKS FOR DESTROYING THE USURPER. NOW FIGHT ME, LITTLE ONES. FIGHT ME AS DID THE CHAMPIONS OF OLD DID. GIVE ME A MIGHTY BATTLE BEFORE YOU DIE."
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kenseido
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by kenseido »

Kisai

"There will be no war today, Khan." Philip says resolutely, Seiryu standing tall behind him.

He looks towards his friends - no HIS FAMILY - briefly and then toward the Dragon. He nods, and Seiryu flies into Philip's body.

Then he begins speaking with two voices a language even Gelert's ring doesn't understand. In seconds, the three other guardians fly back down and surround Philip. Then one by one, they plunge into his body. With each one, Philip jerks violently, barely holding on.

Then it becomes clear to Kaak-Shar what is happening. As spiritual entities, the four guardians could never manifest all of their power in this world. Only inside a willing host could they exert their full power - a host who was attuned to their power, accepted them, and did not seek to control them.

For more than two years, Philip has been host to Seiryu. Never once did he assume the master role in their relationship. Never once did he try to shape or control his destiny through Seiryu.

For more than two years, Philip unwittingly was preparing for this day. The day he would be the first and only human to host all four Guardians.

Philip screams as his body grows hundreds of feet tall. In four voices, he says

"When armies go to war, only sorrow is the victor. You can not defeat darkness with darkness."

He places his hands together in the Shankhavarta mudra and begins to glow brightly. The light surrounds you, energizing you and filling you with calmness.

"You cast it out with light. Begone, war-bringer. You will find no battle today."

The light continues to grow until it is blinding. Then Philip shifts his hands to the Kali Mudra and the light focus to a cone targeting the War-Incarnate.
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Psistrike »

Moonlight

With Lucienne gone Aranel began to sense something she had never experienced, a voice calling out to her. The planet, Gaia, was communicating with images inside her mind. Not just this reality's Gaia, but across the dimensional divide that of her home reality's Gaia as well. Aranel, her people, were not elemental elves. This was a lie planted in the minds of the losers of a war between themselves and the psychic humans of her world over 200 years ago. They were the Children of Gaia, born to be caretakers and watchers over Earth in her reality with a powerful connection not just to the 4 base elements, but to all of nature. The Chosen of Gaia, the strongest of her Children, had lead them to defend the Earth from the psychic humans' defilement with machines and psychic static designed to weaken her Children's connection to Gaia. But the much greater numbers of humans allowed them to win, brainwashing their foes and any knowledge of their true heritage.

Aranel's fury began to grow upon learning all this, but a sudden calm washed over her. Gaia, sensing the threat of War Incarnate, began to guide Aranel back to her people's deepest roots, that of connection to life itself. A tiny piece of life energy from every living thing, on both this Earth and her home reality's Earth, began to flow towards Aranel, building into something she never imagined she could feel, let alone touch. "War Incarnate, you are a threat to life itself. You seek to manipulate, control, dominate, and ultimately destroy life, not caring for any other being as long as you gain power from the act. But life cannot be restrained in such a way, life seeks to be free and grow, to live. And thus life itself shall face you today, with me and my friends as its Champions, and say enough. Let life itself overcome the darkness of war you represent."

A sphere of pure white energy formed above Aranel's outstretched hands, the size hard to tell as looking at it directly was blinding, and with an act of pure will she launched it War Incarnate.
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kreuzritter
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by kreuzritter »

"What does a god need with a world?" Qora asks, "From what I've seen, humans are quite good enough at killing each other without you. they also know how to tell themself 'I will not kill, today.' Leave this world, they have no need of you, and you are not welcome here."

Is not much, but Qora can't exactly go punch war in the face
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stavaros_the_arcane
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by stavaros_the_arcane »

In this time and place, magic and emotion and energy seemed to charge every facet of existence.
And so in such a charged moment, Gelert closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and reaches out.

The last time Gelert faced Kaak-Shar, he drew upon the power of his fallen fellow ring bearers and used that power to heal and in so doing weaken War Incarnate like the disease it was.

Gelert could feel the hope of the people beside him. The hopes of those supporting them from afar. The hopes of all the world and more.
And so he reaches out, reciting the words spoken by the legion of guardians of the past when they empowered Gelert once before.


Though Famine hound us and Hate burn us;
War torment us and Death end us;
Though the universe be dark and grim,
The Light of Hope will never dim!


And Gelert is answered.

The shining blue Entity that forms around Gelert is at the same time familiar and alien, its form resembling a bird yet like no avian that has ever flown Earth's skies. It carries the same sense of timelessness and power as the Four Guardians and the fallen star god. But while its presence invoked awe, it emanated an aura of comfort rather than might.

Gelert has seen it in his dreams. Gelert had seen it distantly when he'd channeled the power of the Hope Guardians who had fallen.

It was no longer distant. It was here.
It looks upon Gelert and speaks four very familiar words.

ALL WILL BE WELL.

Corgi and Hope Entity smile at each other and then fly forward, letting the Blue Light of Hope mingle with the Magic and power being brought to bear against Kaak-Shar, both empowering it and adjusting its nature more akin to the Blue Light's own healing power.

Gelert speaks another refrain.

"On the wings of life, by the hands of hope
By the brightest light from the brightest sun
Crossing silent seas over mountains high
For we stand as one tonight
"


Together all of them would shatter the prison that is Kaak-Shar,bringing freedom and healing to the souls bound to give him form. Clean the infection from this wound in the universe.
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Gilliam
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Gilliam »

Nightbird
HP: 5 LP: 1
Condition: Normal


For the first time in what felt like forever Imogen truly felt as peace, the rage, the anger that had driven her since the invasion was gone, yes she knew it was part of her, would always be part of her but it no longer drove her, drove her to exceed her own limitation, drove her to be the "Nutcracker", drove her to be the person who scared monsters at night.

Now she felt at peace.

Looking up at the gigantic figure of the War Incarnate Imogen didn't even feel the urge of battle

"Fight you. Why? I do not have anything to prove. Go in peace."

And with that Imogen turned her back on the War Incarnate to look over the planet below.
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Ysariel »

kreuzritter wrote: Fri May 21, 2021 7:56 pm "What does a god need with a world?" Qora asks, "From what I've seen, humans are quite good enough at killing each other without you. they also know how to tell themself 'I will not kill, today.' Leave this world, they have no need of you, and you are not welcome here."

Is not much, but Qora can't exactly go punch war in the face
The Incarnate of War levels a finger the size of a skyscraper at Qora. "THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG. I DON'T NEED YOUR LITTLE PLANET. I DO, HOWEVER, DESIRE GREATLY TO DESTROY IT - AND OZIRI IS NEXT."

The Incarnate of War reaches out with a titanic hand to crush you, the chunk of rock you stand on, and Lord Steel's battleship next to you.

But a brilliant light shines forth: suddenly, Kisai is hundreds of feet tall, speaking with the voices of the four guardians, and from his hands pour forth a gentle radiance that stops the Incarnate in his tracks. More streams of light pour from Aranel's fingers as she channels the power of life itself, and they surround and bind the Incarnate of War like ethereal restraints. The clash of titanic forces sends streaks of multicolored light through Earth's magnetosphere, strange auroras visible the world over.

* * *

Down below, among the ruins of Shambhala, Reizo Saito and his retainers look up at the sky and the strange lights above.

"He's done it," he says. His eyes are bright with tears. "He has chosen to fulfill his destiny."

* * *

In space, the Incarnate of War withdraws momentarily before the light. But Kaak-Shar is not yet defeated. He spreads his arms, the size of mountains, to encompass the entire planet. "YES... KAAK-SHAR REMEMBERS. KINIAN KHAN REMEMBERS. YOUR PREDECESSORS, THE JUSTICE FOUNDATION, LED HEROES FROM YOUR WORLD TO TURN BACK MY INVASION OF THE LOR REPUBLIC.

"MY LIFE HAD BEEN SPENT IN PREPARATION FOR THAT GLORIOUS CONQUEST. I WAS NOT ABOUT TO LET MAGGOTS FROM A BACKWATER WORLD DENY ME. I BURNED MY PEOPLE AT THE STAKE, THE POPULATION OF ENTIRE WORLDS, FOR THE POWER TO ENACT MY VENGEANCE. NOW I HAVE DESTROYED THE LOR, AND YOU ARE NEXT!"

The countless moaning faces on Kaak-Shar's armor open their mouths. Black vapor seeps out of them, around Kisai and Aranel's light, to extend dark tendrils towards the planet below. But before the noxious mist can get very far, a familiar, pure blue glow fills the void.

Out in space, Gelert feels, in addition to the blue bird's presence, the presence of all the millions of Guardians who have ever lived - just as he did in Kaak-Shar's terrible trophy room not so long ago. The blue light intensifies as their gathered ranks swell into the millions and billions.

* * *

Aboard Lord Steel's former battleship, a handful of figures watch the clash of cosmic forces in tense silence. "There has to be something we can do to help," Glitch says.

Amy's voice crackles to life from the speaker systems. "The ship's weapons cannot be used. Most powers would not be a good idea, either. To raise armaments in anger this close to the Incarnate of War..."

"I know what we can do," Amethyst says gently, and brings up a holographic screen. As she does, a familiar song begins to play. For even if all language is obliterated and all tongues confused, you don't need to know the words to hum and move to the same beat as someone else.

"We still have control of the Illuminati's computer systems from our attack," she says, tapping a command. "I'm borrowing them - just this once - to send a broadcast through every channel they own."

* * *

"All will be well," the bird says to Gelert in words that are not any Terran language but which you somehow understand. "For you are GELERT, HOPE INCARNATE."

Kaak-Shar hesitates. And for the first time, you think you hear fear in his voice. "WHAT... THIS BLUE LIGHT?! NOT NOW. NOT AGAIN!"
Gilliam wrote: Sat May 22, 2021 9:39 pmLooking up at the gigantic figure of the War Incarnate Imogen didn't even feel the urge of battle

"Fight you. Why? I do not have anything to prove. Go in peace."

And with that Imogen turned her back on the War Incarnate to look over the planet below.
"NO. NO! I WILL NOT BE DENIED. WAR IS ETERNAL! FIGHT ME! FIGHT MEEEEEEEEEE--"

He reaches out with a gargantuan hand towards Nightbird, to crush her.

But even as he does so, the blue light glows brighter. The singing grows louder. The earth's living will, and its guardian spirits, seep into Kaak-Shar's armor through the fingers of his gauntlet and open glowing veins in it. The spirits of the sacrified that are imprisoned there break free by the millions. With a titanic shudder, the Incarnate of War fizzles out like a fire cut off from its fuel source, and dissolves into countless motes of light.

You are left floating in space above the blue marble that is Earth, surrounded by a million miniature stars. The fleets of the Armada that have only barely began to pour in are already scattering in confusion. And in the small bubble of air about you, you hear a sound like a gentle sigh of relief as the billion souls of Kinian Khan's murdered people are laid to rest.
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Ysariel »

Epilogue

Several days later

Ruins of Shambhala
Somewhere in the Himalayas


"As the last High Master of Shambhala, I declare the Golden City abandoned, and its ancient pacts and wards abrogated. Let all who dwell here go forth in peace: to spread their wisdom among the peoples of the world and serve them."

The midday sun shines down on the Himalayas. The air is calm and still. Shambhala's ruins are a black scar upon the blank vastness of the mountains.

Gathered in the great central plaza, amongst the ruins of the city, are all who remain of its living inhabitants - a motley, colorful group amidst the uniform canvas of endless snow and rock around them.

"I do not agree," one of the mages says. "Shambhala was meant to stand apart from the world below. To be a place of learning free from any one sovereign's power. To give that up so easily..."

The High Master's voice is hard. "Even so, we allowed our city to become a breeding ground for worldly concerns of power and influence. We nearly became the Lightbringer's puppets, if not for the efforts of a few brave heroes. The old ways have been proven decisively wrong, and I cannot allow them to continue." A pause. "The hominids are grappling with the ramifications of the history we have revealed to them, but their United Nations has made promising moves. We will go, to ensure the true history of our two races is never hidden again, and to ensure that the descendants of both Lemurians and hominids learn from the mistakes of the past."

"High Master," one of the Lemurians says. "This is the last haven of those who fled the war with Atlantis long ago. This is the last sanctuary of the Lemurians - those who have not sold themselves to eldritch powers or fallen into degeneracy."

"Then it is time to seek out new sanctuaries, new havens. If we are to truly share this world, to be as one people, we must live together in harmony." The High Master flicks his tongue in a saurian smile. "I suggest... Phoenix Bay."

To be continued
Ysariel
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Re: Adventures Assemble: If This Be Doomsday!

Post by Ysariel »

Two Months Later

Silicon Alley
Phoenix Bay Metropolitan Area
General Arms Systems aerospace factory
1330 hours


"...which is why, while the Champions are busy opening their pompous new headquarters, we are here robbing the rich and giving to ourselves right under their noses! BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Evil laughter fills the vast hangar. In the background: futuristic-looking jet fighters, half-built, electronics exposed under unpainted airframes. In the foreground: a group of engineers nervously huddled in one corner, hands behind heads. Four colorful figures lounge around a computer table, playing cards and eating the staff's lunch.

One of them, a slim brunette in a leotard, fishnets and a magician's swallowtail coat and tophat, idly twirls her baton. "The Champions will soon be a relic of the past," she sneers. "Now that Kisai and the Saitos are out of the way, the time has some for I, Showstealer, to lead a new dynasty of magicians and reign supreme over the city!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!" the villains roar in a chorus of maniac cackling.

A heavily-muscled brute, blue veins throbbing with drug-fuelled power, thumps the table with a fist, making all the drinks jump in sync. "Their members are some hippie elf chick who probably farts rainbows and sneezes unicorns, and a dog!" roars Junkie. "Not even a big dog, or a monster mutant dog but... the stubby-legged dog! A corgi!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Metallurge, once Lord Steel's pet mad scientist, rubs his greasy hands, cybernetic eyes glowing under his oily green cloak and half a dozen robotic tentacle-arms waving behind him in agitation. "The Champions have an utter lack of technical and martial skill," he gloats. "Why, their most accomplished fighter is one who only knows how to strike people... in their private parts!"

"BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"And that scantily-clad hussy," sneers a late-middle aged woman in a severe business suit, "spends more time powdering and preening herself than fighting crime. By the time she's got suited up, we'll be laughing all the way to the bank!" The Matron leans back in her chair and expresses her disdain with a cluck of the tongue.

"BWAHAHAHAHA!"

"Actually, it takes Amethyst like thirty seconds to get dressed. She just teleports her suit on."

"Preposterous," scoffs the Matron. "How would you even know how she -- SHE'S HERE!"

"Too late, miscreants," Amethyst says, leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded. Cages of glowing blue light materialize about all four villains, muffling their shouts of alarm and dismay. "You're already trapped in the containment fields my drones set up while you were busy badmouthing my friends. Go ahead and struggle uselessly, so you'll be nicely worn out when AEGIS arrives to take you in."

"Showstealer!" screams the Matron. "The Daka crystal. Use it!"

The woman in black takes off her tophat, pulls out a glowing blue crystal from it, and holds it high. A blinding flash of pure white light washes over the room, disintegrating the forcefields and shorting out every computer in sight. Amethyst's shields ripple visibly under the blast before stabilizing.

"GET HER!"

"Lead the charge, Junkie!"

"Rearrange her face while I scramble her head for you. I, the Matron, will show her who's truly the world's finest mind!"

Amethyst gasps and clutches her head as a sharp, stabbing psychic pain hits her right between the eyebrows; she fights through it and opens one eye just in time to see a huge, veiny fist the size of a basketball hurtling towards her. There's a deep POW! and her world starts spinning at dizzying speeds as she's sent flying end over end. Amethyst takes a moment to shake her head free of stars, then her suit's hyperdrive vanes flicker as the drives fire in several short, precise bursts and brings her to a hovering stop in mid-air. "My turn," she murmurs as guns and drones start to warp in all around her.

A hail of blaster fire sends Junkie flying out the opposite window to land unconscious in a garbage dump. There comes a high-pitched, girlish scream, and the Matron is the next to go, carried off by a trio of drones while screaming about how unfair machines without minds are.

Showstopper is the next to try her luck, twirling and producing a tremendous fireball from her hat. Amethyst watches calmly as the flames splash over her shields without effect, then raises her blaster pistols and puts three holes in a perfect equilateral triangle through the tophat. A fourth bolt explodes the magic baton she's holding. Showstealer looks down at her ruined hat, loses her nerve and turns tail, upon which Amethyst puts a 5th shot in between her shoulderblades and knocks her out cold.

Metallurge's greasy, mechanical appendages glide towards her like worms of chrome, armed with grasping claws at their ends, and clamp themselves onto the armored boots and gauntlets of her suit, attempting to bite through her defensive shields. Her drones zip back to defend her and fire their blaster cannons at the appendages. But the shots barely singe the metal even as they crater the concrete floor.

"FOOL!" crows Metallurge as more appendages begin to snake towards Amethyst, "I've upgraded my Mechano-Tentacles with adamantium alloy plating. Now watch as I tear your ridiculous suit to shreOWOWOWOWOAUUUUUUGH!!"

An intense hiss fills the air: Amethyst electrifies her forcefield, and the adamantium alloy duly conducts the current into Metallurge's wasted flesh. The cyborg topples over with a tremendous crash, hissing steam and twitching.

"The perfect solution for creeps who get handsy," Amethyst preens, making a show of dusting herself off. "Oh, stop pretending to be dead, you wimp. I only gave you a few hundred amperes!"

She nudges Metallurge with her armored boot. The cyborg villain whimpers, then fills the air with a sour smell as he loses control of certain parts of himself that have not been replaced with machinery.

In the distance the engineers are cheering or sighing in relief. Several walk over. "Thank you so much," one of them says. "I know our company doesn't have a good relationship with heroes, but the employees are grateful for your protection."

Amethyst smiles in reply, then holds up the Daka crystal in her gloved hand. Her HUD paints a web of pop-up displays about it: crystalline structure, resonant frequency, mass, purity and refractive index - but nothing that might explain how it got to the U.S. "Adamantium alloy and Daka crystals; these villains are super well-armed."

"GAS works on many top-secret weapons for the U.S. military," says one of the staff. "We're routinely the target of industrial espionage and arms theft. There's probably dozens of powerful groups who'd like what we're working on in here. The North Koreans, SHADOW, the Syndicate Lords..."

"Yes," Amethyst agrees. "There aren't that many who can get their hands on Daka crystals, though. This time, you've got yourselves some really powerful enemies."

Season 3
Enemies of the State!
Episode 1
Ysariel
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Re: Adventures Assemble S3E1: Enemies of the State!

Post by Ysariel »

Jason
Glass Canyon

It is summer in Phoenix Bay! The beaches are packed with sunbathers, the streets are filled with tourists and in the skyscraper-lined Glass Canyon - the city's central business district - people fan their faces and shield themselves from the sweltering heat with papers, briefcases and umbrellas. Large outdoor television screens broadcast news reports about the grand opening of the Champions' new headquarters.

Most curiously, you spy three people in ornate greatcoats and tophats (yes, in the blazing summer heat), two men and one woman, standing around conspicuously on the sidewalk. They are all carrying batons or walking sticks. The woman, with greying hair and a severe look on her face that doubles the number of wrinkles on her brow, is fiddling with a modern smartphone in visible frustration.

"The individual in question has yet to be sighted. Yes, preferably we would be able to locate him without resorting to requesting aid from the local heroes. To avoid involving outsiders in the Order's business. We are proceeding with the greatest urgency. Lady MacKenzie out." She taps on the screen irritably. "Hello? Is this thing still on? Why can these accursed contraptions not come with proper, physical controls instead of this touchscreen nonsense? Am I to swipe out runic curses in seventeen different languages just to end a call? Why, back in my day, hanging up a phone meant literally that! If this is what passes for progress..."

The only way these people could be more obvious about who they are is by holding up giant signs that read "ORDER OF MERLIN". You have come to Phoenix Bay for reasons of your own. However, it's pretty obvious why these goons have come here: for you.

OOC

You can confront the wizards from the Order of Merlin directly. You are on a crowded street, and any significant disturbance will draw onlookers and bystanders.

You can wait and see what the Order will do next, and take no action for now.

You can also use your powers or do whatever you consider reasonable.
Last edited by Ysariel on Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ysariel
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Re: Adventures Assemble S3E1: Enemies of the State!

Post by Ysariel »

Nightbird
Hatching a plan

In the wake of your victory against War Incarnate, life as a superhero has got no less busier. While your previous efforts have dealt heavy blows against extremist groups such as the Silver Banshees and the Exterminators and left them scattered and ineffectual, word on the street is that a new, powerful hate group is attracting former hardcore members into their ranks to continue their militant activity. This is especially relevant since following the destruction of Shambhala, Lemurians are arriving in Phoenix Bay to begin a cultural exchange and dialogue. If the Lemurians are attacked or discouraged from coming, it could severely damage relations between them and humans. If what you saw of Cooper's speech on the night of Kaak-Shar's arrival is anything to go by, there are still plenty willing to support the ideology of hate in this city.

Information suggests that the Lemurians are most likely to be attacked on the day of their arrival in the city. They will travel from the airport to City Hall (with police escort) to meet local community leaders. Coincidentally, this is also the opening day of your team's new headquarters - Justice Hall, formerly belonging to the Justice Foundation - which gives the extremists an opportunity to simultaneously carry out their agenda and give your team some bad press.

On the other hand, interrogations of recent arrestees and clues from raids on militant cells suggest a major staging point somewhere in the industrial district of King's Junction where the extremists have cached weapons and supplies. A swift pre-emptive strike would destroy the resources they need to carry out a major attack and might even nab high-ranking leaders of the group. However, the militants have concealed their hand well - this information comes to you merely 1 day before the Lemurians' arrival.

For a brief moment, you wonder what Kilpatrick would have done, then dismiss the thought. Kilpatrick would've been prouder to see you find your own way and solve a problem he could not. This is now your battle, your struggle, your victory to win.

OOC

Your scene begins with a planning segment:

You can choose to take a reactive stance and escort the Lemurian convoy (either overtly or covertly), expecting that it will be attacked; the convoy arrives on the same day that the other player characters' scenes happen.

Conversely, you can choose to take a proactive stance and try to identify and track down this new hate group before the Lemurians arrive. This takes place a day earlier.

You can also propose any other plan that you consider reasonable.
Last edited by Ysariel on Tue Jul 27, 2021 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ysariel
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Re: Adventures Assemble S3E1: Enemies of the State!

Post by Ysariel »

Moonlight
Downtown Phoenix Bay - somewhere near King's Junction

Something is very wrong, and it began two days ago when you discovered the rats.

A city is home to millions of birds, mice, and strays, but you had never seen rats like these before. They were the size of pigs, bloated and grotesquely muscled, and dead from (as far as you could tell) a drug overdose. Your discovery resulted in a front-page article in the news about monster mice, alongside reports of increased Anarchy Command activity in the South China Sea.

The monster mice were soon followed by monster crows, grown to the size of eagles. Then a monster cat. All were dead upon discovery and found close to the downtown core of the city at the conflux of King's Junction and Whatley's Folly, where the underprivileged and the urban poor dwell in squalor. You have come here to get down to the source of the mystery before the next monstrous thing can show up.

You enter the downtrodden neighborhoods of graffiti-painted walls and streets littered with trash. However before you can commence your investigation in earnest you are accosted by a young boy, age roughly 10, who runs up to you with tears in his eyes.

"Miss, please," he begs. "You're a hero, right? Dad is incredibly sick and he got a lot worse this morning. The medicine we thought would help him hasn't and we can't afford another doctor... please!"
Insight

As far as you can tell, the child is speaking the truth.
OOC

You can alert emergency medical services with your commlink; however, it will take at least 5 minutes for ambulances to arrive.

You can agree to follow the child. You can use Animal Empathy to gain information from local animals with a persuasion check.

You can also do whatever else you consider reasonable.
Ysariel
Posts: 788
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2016 2:14 pm

Re: Adventures Assemble S3E1: Enemies of the State!

Post by Ysariel »

Gelert
Justice Hall

Triumphant music! Fireworks! Balloons! Camera flashes! You are on a small island in the middle of the bay, and the sea breeze ruffles your fur. The circular plaza you stand on is bordered on the north by a small museum and visitor center, and on the south, a grand mural depicting a phoenix and Nike - Winged Victory - soaring across the sky. This is the location of Justice Hall, former base of the Justice Foundation. You are here to officiate for the opening of the Champions' new headquarters, after Amethyst left your old one in orbit. The plaza is filled with thousands of cheering citizens and fans who wave banners and effigies of yourself.

You overhear a reporter say: "Channel 6 news brings you to what was once the headquarters of the Justice Foundation, which, like many other superbases, was destroyed during the Armada's attack. With almost all active members dead or missing, and Mayor Cooper blocking funding for reconstruction, it lay unused for most of the previous two years. However, following the dramatic defeat of the Incarnate of War, the surviving members have given their blessing for their former HQ to be passed on to a new generation of heroes. Today, Justice Hall welcomes its new masters - the Champions, the premier heroes of Phoenix Bay!"

More fireworks go off in the distance. "And now," the reporter continues, "a word from the embattled Mayor Cooper, who is vigorously fighting a motion of impeachment as well as charges of embezzlement, corruption, larceny, sexual harassment, intimidation, coercion, bribery, fraud, insider trading, money laundering, and parking in a disabled parking space."

The cameras swivel back to focus on the rotund form of Reginald Price Cooper, in a red-and-white pinstripe suit and blue tie, ascends the podium with an extremely sour look on his face. "Good morning... I mean afternoon... it is my foot, I mean my great pleasure, to be here... meritorious deeds, blah blah, heroic service, yadda yadda, bleep bleep..."

The reporters exchange awkward looks and the audience stirs. Many citizens have disapproving looks on their faces and are murmuring angrily. Others are looking at you, either expecting that you will do or say something or looking for guidance on how to react.

OOC

You can publicly call out Cooper on his half-hearted speech.

You can direct the audio crew on site to cut off Cooper's mic; they are staff of the non-profit Foundation and generally follow your orders.

You can also do anything else you consider reasonable.
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
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Re: Adventures Assemble S3E1: Enemies of the State!

Post by kenseido »

Jason
HP: 1, LP: 1, Condition: Fine

Jason is standing on a sidewalk staring up at one of the screens displaying the Champions new headquarters. It had been nearly two months since Dad's lawyer, Leland McKenzie, came by asking him to sign some paperwork. Jason was still working with the Order and didn't care much about the island at the time.

One of the other lawyers helped him sort out dad's estate. Stuart was a little guy, but he knew a lot and wasn't easily intimidated. More than a few people tried to get ownership of Dad's house through the years, but Stuart fended them off and sorted out Dad's finances. The house is taken care of and their is a trust that Jason can use to take care of basic living expenses.

None of this mattered at the time, but with the Order out of the picture, he really appreciated not being dependent on anyone for money right now.

A picture flashes on the screen of the old Justice Hall. His mind flashes to a picture of the Justice Foundation, including Dad standing in front of the building. He had found it while rummaging through some boxes.

Dad rarely talked about the team, and when he did, the stories were usually a confusing mess. Some of them did try to reach out to Dad a couple of times, but he always sent them away. Mom tended to speak of them fondly.

As he looks on, he wonders how he would even approach them.

"Hey, my Dad used to be part owner of this place..."

"Do you remember when I helped that guy who isn't with you anymore find the dog when he was kidnapped by that monster..."


Jason shakes his head. Depending on what Philip told the others when he was still play errand boy for the Order, they may not be very welcoming at all.

He pinches the bridge of his nose as he spots the robed figures. This is too much. He had made his intentions clear.

He considers just leaving. That hadn't spotted him yet so it wouldn't be too hard to be somewhere else. But they would keep looking, and worse, probably just track his spell. Better to deal with this now.

He walks up behind them casually. "Is that the new iPhone? I'm more of an Android guy, myself."
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