Flash will likely go along with Dr Fate's plan (whatever it may be :D).
Great now I have to actually come up with a plan. :7)
YES The Sandman has awoken! Hmmmmm this gives me an idea.
Ok three basic plans.
1. Opposition. We show at the house, survive their first strike and take them down.
Strengths: Simplicity, Flexability, and by allowing them the first punch we claim the moral high ground.
Weaknesses: Cedes initiative to the baddies, a good first strike may be all it takes if they focus. I can help to mitigate that somewhat but there is still a risk. If they take a reactive posture we could end up sitting in the warehouse staring at each other. Vulnerable to a switch-play, we are in the wharehouse while Mr.X burns town hall.
2. Interception. They are very likely to scout the site. We follow their scout.
Strengths: Active rather than reactive, we might catch them off guard. X might spend resources preparing for a fight in the warehouse that will never happen this will burn some of X's resources and might make the fight easier when we do find them.
Weaknesses: X has been very aware of compartmentalization and communication security there are likely several steps between the scout and X. If we are spotted X will simply cut the scout loose and we are back to square one.
3. Trickery. We convince X's killers that they won. A mix of illusion and suggestion should work. Even if we can't follow the killers back to their home base X is likely to get sloppy in the absence of opposition.
Strengths: Little risk on our part, this path avoids fighting.
Weaknesses: Dependent on magic, a fickle ally at times. X has shown intelligence, may not be as easy to fool as we hope.
Options available to all plans.
Sandman: Sleep gass has proved very effective on X's minions. You would be very good at removing X's watchers, limiting the flow of information. Also you are an excellent choice to shadow any scouts or killers back to their base.
Flash: Your speed will add verismilitude to any trickery based plan. You can be seen in a location yet still leave it before the enemy strikes. you are also able to run a "front tail" on a target which is more difficult to loose.
Fate: Powerful magic can short circut X's plans. Swapping minds with one of the killers or sealing the wharehouse with them inside offers the chance to radically change the playing field.
I think any of these could work.
Comments?
Heads up to the editor.
Looking at Phansasmal Force for the fake fight/assassination. It looks like it could duplicate us prety well so long as the baddies stick to ranged weapons. I don't see any restrictions as to movement or sound, right?
Thinking of Magic Jar to swap with one of X's minions but likely to reject it as too risky. Can polymorph function as a super disguise and can I use it on say the Sandman to have him mimic one of X's people once we identify a senior player?
Hey Sandman How are you at disguise? Care for some undercover work?
I don't seem to have any defined special abilities at disguise, though my bonuses to intimidation, pilfering, and noticing thing may give me some bit of an edge.
However, based on my understanding of the game's old school aesthetic, I'd probably just have to role play my way through. Am I good at that? We could try and find out.
But, we should also be aware that Mr. X has magico-scientific backup. So it wouldn't likely just be a matter of Sandman's ability to bluff.
Ok it looks like a tenative plan is shaping up.
1. We show early at the Wharehouse. Sandman and perhaps Fate scout the area to hopefully get an eyeful of one of the baddies. Flash will openly check the wherehouse for bombs and other suprises.
2. The Sandman and Fate isolate and remove one of the attackers. The Sandman will replace this goon and attempt to infiltrate X's operation. Mundane disguise will be assissted by magic if desired.
3. Fate and the Flash, shielded by invisibility will enter the Wharehouse once the Goons have taken up position. Fate will create an illusion all three heroes entering the wharehouse. The illusory hereos will fall before the goons attack and a distraction will be arranged to prevent the goons from searching the bodies.
4. Sandman in his goonsuit goes with the attackers and hopefully closer to X. Flash and Fate grill the captured goon and wait Sandman's call.
OR
A. Show at wherehouse for a classic four-color knock down.
thoughts?
Well, the sneaky plan certainly sounds more interesting for me, though a four color slugfest is always good for the circulation numbers. I suspect it, however, will not top the Flash and Spectre vs. Dr. Fate bout for hype and numbers. The people like their superhero v. superhero conflict.
If we're going with that, magical assistance would probably be a good idea. As I said before, it is evident that Mr. X is no mere thug.
I say we try the sneaky plan. If that fails we can always switch over to the slug-fest :D! If needed, Flash is willing to go in un-invisible-ised to lure the baddies; he should be able to escape relatively undetected later. (That is, if Dr Fate could better use that spell slot for something else.) Alternately, he could allow himself to be "captured"? (That way we have a 3 different infiltration methods, the drawback is that if he is too well restrained he may need Sandman or Fate's help later)
Question for our esteemed editor.
So on sending Shapely the shifter home, how? Astral spell could go it with some work but that is several levels away. Limited wish might do it but that is also currently uncastable.
Could dispel evil/good get him home? Old shape doesn't seem either evil or good right now but if we convinced him to help us then he might be considered 'good' and able to be banished?
To my knowledge can the Lantern, Sargon, or the Spectre manage this level of magic?
Sorry for the silence. Major flu attack here in the great northwest. I am exhausted and made largely of goo.
As far as I see it everything is going close enough to plan.
The flash can easily run a front tail of the explosives van or even both given his speed.
Dr. Fate is getting a free ride to one of the hideouts while conserving the maximum amount of magical oomph.
The Sandman is in an excellent position to either slip into or onto the rifle van and catch a ride or simply tail in in his car.
The sorcerer will report a surprising lack of magic gear but will he be believed? He will not be able to do anything like a full search of a burning carpet warehouse before the Fire and Police departments seal the area. By the time he can confirm that we were not there we will have confronted the next level of Mr.X's organization.
At least that is how I see it. The only real danger was from that detect magic spell. If Fate had been caught by it then we would have had to fight and all we would have done would be to take apart another low ranking part of X's machine.
At least that is my view.
The Sandman unlatches himself. "I think even Dian would agree that that was a terrible idea." Seeing that the thugs seemed to have arrived at their destination, the Sandman will attempt to quickly use his grapple gun to make his way to the roof of the jewelry store. Or if that is not feasible, he will look for a dark alley to hide in.
Simply rolling underneath the van might be a quicker and easier way to avoid immediate discovery, providing the van doesn't drive off again anytime soon. :D