(2) - Dawn of the Metahumans

Game Master mdt

Not taking any actions until the GM tells me it's my Phase, but when I do, I'll want to take at least one PER roll to see if I can "feel" any mental powers in the area.

Phase 3

Those who go on phase 3 are up now

Go for it! I think this is mdt's invitation for anyone with a 4 SPEED to act (which is just about everyone other than Rocket)

Me telling you to go means 'go'. They already went on 3. They beat you all (except Rocket) on dex, so they go first, then all of you.

When they get to the garage Mud pulls on the ski mask that he has in his pocket. He tries to digest all of the chatter from Violet. Snapdragon is down. Rocket sounds pinned under cars. How'd that happen? There appears to be three bad guys. There's a normal down here. Is it the girl? He moves into the garage surveying the scene with his own eyes.

Through Violet's link, he pushes, ::Remember what happened last time, guys. Pulse, you're field commander. Rocket, where exactly are you in this garage?::

Perception 12-: 12 - 3d6 ⇒ 12 - (3, 6, 4) = -1

Mud see's two large large cats, like the size of grizzly bears!

See Janice's original spoiler for a picture

Waiting on Vi, and need Aegis to point out where she's moving to. If she wants to get into the garage and then activate her powers, she'll have to do a non-combat move. Alternately, she could go desolid in the hallway and then walk through the wall instead.

Me telling you to go means 'go'. They already went on 3. They beat you all (except Rocket) on dex, so they go first, then all of you.

I must have scrolled right past that when I made my last post. Never even saw that in amongst all of the Rocket Combat posts.

As a side note, I for some reason thought we'd be coming in through the big open access door for vehicles into the garage, not the office hallway. That complicates things.

Violet activates her Forcefield and preps herself to move through the door as soon as it's clear.

To Mud: ::Snap and Rocket both indicated the girl was not a normal! She's the one in charge!::

Full Phase action: Activate Force field.

It's not an office hallway, it's a hallway leading to the outside. That desk probably should have someone at it, but nobody was there for some odd reason...

Phase 4

Rocket up!

To Mud: ::Snap and Rocket both indicated the girl was not a normal! She's the one in charge!::

Violet, are you listening to all our thoughts? I attempted to segregate Mud's thoughts and what he was communicating to Violet and the team. Sorry for the confusion. Cheers

No, that was me mixing up your thoughts with ::mindlink:: and getting confused. Will try not to let it happen again, but hey, at least the reply I gave still works for combat purposes!

Str check: 16 - 6 - 3d6 ⇒ 16 - 6 - (4, 1, 5) = 0

Rocket tries one more time, focusing his will into a burst of spinning speed, and just barely manages to push himself out from within the pile of cars...right into the steaming breath of the grizzly-side cat-monster before him.

"Nice kitty..." he says. I wonder if I wasn't better off down under there. Hopefully I can get some distance before it has time to react!

::Glad you guys are here!! If you can't see me yet, I just managed to push out from under the pile of cars in the corner. Try not to stand together...they have a tendency to throw cars at folks and a group's going to be a tempting target. I'm going to try to get a bit of breathing room before they can eat me.

::Also remember, they are very clever, fast, strong, and resilient. I gave Cat Girl a punch to the face that would've knocked out most of us but it felt more like punching a brick wall...or worse, Aegis.::

Phase 5
Phase 6

Rocket up again

Phew!

Rocket tumbles down from the pile of cars, races past the cat, around Cat Girl (trying twice to land a solid blow) and then races behind a pillar for a bit of cover.

::Vi, you think you could get this girl to surrender? The cats clearly follow her lead.

::Pulse, you need any beta on what's going on here? Have anything you'd like me to try?::

Acro: 15 - 3d6 ⇒ 15 - (4, 3, 6) = 2

Passing strike: 11 + 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 11 + 10 - (4, 6, 3) = 8
Passing strike: 11 + 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 11 + 10 - (3, 3, 6) = 9

damage: 8d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 6, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6) = 33 11 body 33 stun
hit loc: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 6) = 14 thigh
damage: 8d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 4, 6, 5, 2, 5) = 36 8 body 36 stun (1/2 for whatever gets past defenses)
hit loc: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 6) = 15 legs (1/2 stun after DEF)

I need two things from Rocket, sorry, got cut off before I could specify it. (1) Perception roll. (2) Acrobatics check at a -4 to run down off the pile of car wreck without falling.

Hmmmmm, I started my last post with an Acrobatics check (on the theory that that might be needed)...and I only passed it by two. If that wasn't enough, I suspect that invalidates my last post. I've give PER below...and a second Acro check, in case you want it...but let me know what happens and what other options I have, if any.

PER (nonvisual is -2): 15 - 3d6 ⇒ 15 - (1, 1, 5) = 8

Acro: 15 - 4 - 3d6 ⇒ 15 - 4 - (4, 1, 5) = 1

EDIT: as an aside, if you need a roll from me, feel free to roll it yourself to help keep the pace going. I'm trying to do my speedster justice but I never begrudge a DM rolling on my behalf, if there's no decision to be made (even for a high stakes roll).

Sure, sorry, I did miss it. That was fine. As you escaped, you realized that your uniform is damp, and that it smells like gasoline, the entire area seems to be coated with gasoline. I wanted you to know that in case it affects your action, assuming you made your perception, which you did, by 6.

Yikes! When you say "the whole area", do you mean the entire garage? Or just the area with the car pile?

::Whoa, hey gang, I'm SOAKED with gasoline...and I think much of this garage is. At least the area where the car pile is.::

Where you are, 4 cars all smashed together, cracked open fuel tanks. You were unconscious when it splashed over you. Do you still want to continue with the previous action?

That all makes sense. My clarifying question above was trying to ask if I could tell how big the spill area was? (Does it extend out 1" from the pile? 5"? does the floor here angle in a way such that the gas drains in that direction?)
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I'll add another Q before I decide whether to modify: Did I realize this in time to carry Snapdragon with me? And can I physically get her out when i escape?
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If so, I'll take her instead of getting in a couple punches, and I'll go farther away. If I can't get her I'll do as I posted but I'll add:

::Aegis, can you phase under to get Snapdragon out of there? I'm worried that that car pile might blow and she's already pretty hurt.::

No, she's pinned as well, you'd have to dig her out. You're not sure how wide the gas spill is, since you're on top of the car pile, not examining the ground around it in detail.

Both of Rocket's punches miss, as the girl appears to have been ready for any attacks by the newcomers, so his punches are ducked handily. She'd executed a dodge maneuver on her last action

3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4) = 10
3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) = 8

GreenGold leaps over next to the parked yellow car and hooks a paw into the bumper and flings the car at Pulse (and anyone else in her general area).

Pulse can abort her action to dive for cover, this requires an acrobatics or dex check. You may dive up to 1/2 your movement in inches (combat movement). Each inch you jump reduces the dex/acrobatics check by -1. If you succeed, and you pick a spot outside the effect, you are missed. Otherwise, you are hit, and take knockback as if flying.

RedWhite and the girl both move over to Rocket, tag teaming him...

3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 6) = 13
3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 1) = 10

Both move in ways that compliment each other, making it very difficult for Rocket to figure out where any attacks are coming from!

3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 3) = 14
3d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 5) = 12

Both hit due to Rocket's penalties from the move-by earlier, and their teamwork

2d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 5) + 1 = 11 Girl's punch/swipe
3d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 6) = 10 Cat's rake

Rocket is hit in the chest and back simultaneously!

Girl: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12 Ouch, schoolyard crit. 4 body, 25 stun penetrate
Cat: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 4) = 10 3 body 11 stun penetrate

Rocket takes 7 body and 36 stun, and is constunned

KB: 12 - 3d6 ⇒ 12 - (4, 3, 2) = 3
KB: 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 10 - (5, 5, 1) = -1

Rocket flies through the air and slams into the wall, crumpling at the base of it!

Everyone else is up, AFTER Pulse decides what she does re diving for cover to avoid the car or taking the hit.

Ouch! I don't know if it affects this, but I don't think my DCV is down. I was using a martial maneuver (Passing Throw, but declining the throw part), the same as the last time I attacked her. DCV was still 10.

Ok, in that case, you're still standing as only the second one hit. You've taken 3 body and 11 stun, and your back is stinging like hell from the gasoline in the wound.

PHEW!

Pulse's eyes widen as she sees the car hurtling towards her, and has just enough time to realize it's about to hurt. She resolves, if she makes it through, to establish some sort of PARKOUR! routine. Because there were way too many flying objects in the world.

Ill advised! TAKE IT IN THE FACE maneuver!

Car to Face: 10d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 1, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 4, 2) = 28 8 stun penetrates defenses

KB: 8 - 2d6 ⇒ 8 - (4, 4) = 0

The car slams into Pulse, and while the initial blow doesn't send her flying, the two tons of moving metal slams her into the wall, pinning her to the wall!

Pin: 10d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 1, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 3, 5) = 45 25 stun penetrates, con-stunning her

Total stun taken, 33 stun

Pulse's force field sparks and snaps as it absorbs most of the damage!

Spark, 15%: 1d100 ⇒ 14

As the rear of the taxi crumpels against the wall, the gas tank ruptures fatally as the car alarm goes bugnuts, and there is a sudden explosion as the sparking forcefield sets off the gasoline that suddenly ruptures from the tank!

Fire: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 5) = 13 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

The rear of the taxi erupts in a ball of fire driven by the half-empty gasoline tank and all it's vapors escaping suddenly and then sparking off Pulse's force field!

The ball of fire erupts in Pulse's face, sending flaming sharpnel up and out!

Pulse takes an additional 52 stun - 20 = 32 stun for 65 total stun

The fireball spreads out, engulfing Mud!

Fire: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 5) + 1 = 10 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 KB: 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 10 - (1, 3, 1) = 5

The thermal bloom washes over Mud and flings him over the nearby car, slamming him into the wall, but not doing any damage to his resilient body. KB Damage: 5d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4, 3, 3) = 17 While hitting the wall hurts his pride, it does nothing to his mudlike body.

The fireball continues on, hitting Blaze!

Fire: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4 KB: 7 - 3d6 ⇒ 7 - (3, 3, 4) = -3

Blaze winces as bits of shrapnel slam into his body, but his own flames mostly protect him! 10 stun taken after defenses

The fireball continues down the hallway toward Vi!

Fire: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 KB: 7 - 3d6 ⇒ 7 - (4, 5, 1) = -3

The flames wash over Vi, but do no damage thanks to her forcefield. The flames continue on through Aegis!

The flames, in the room, are blocked by the interior wall, and thus don't set off the other four crashed cars... yet.

Overhead, water sprinklers engage almost immediately as the flames sweep over them! Water begins to sluice down over everyone in the area!

Blaze's fire powers will be at 75% in the torrential downpour!

Everyone (not stunned/unconscious) up. Pulse's force field will fail at the end of the turn, and if she's still pinned by the burning car, will catch on fire!

Segment 6, Dex 18 - not moving at Ego 23, because I can't see a damned thing in this hallway.

END Tracker (Battery): 60, full

END Tracker (Personal): 50 - 4 (Seg 3, Force Field) = 46, 46 - 4 (Seg 6, Force Field) = 42

STUN Tracker: 35, full

Pushing her way through the flames, Violet pauses at the top of the stairs down into the workbay of the garage, and assesses the situation quickly.

Please don't be using telepathic powers, please don't be using telepathic powers, please don't be using telepathic powers.

PERCEPTION, 13-: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 3) = 9

Regardless of what she finds, Violet can't help but notice Rocket getting batted around like a catnip mouse.

Focusing her attention on the girl with the Anime Catgirl fetish, Violet reaches out with her mind and attempts to shut down the consciousness centers of her brain.

"Naptime, kitty!" Violet shouts. Did I actually just say that? Pulse is rubbing off on me...

5D6 Ego Attack, 5 END

END Tracker (Battery): 60 - 5 = 55

ECV 8 Attack Roll, 19-3D6: 19 - 3d6 ⇒ 19 - (1, 6, 3) = 9

Ego Attack Damage, 5D6: 5d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 2, 3, 5) = 18

3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3) = 7
3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1) = 10

Both cats look at Vi as she steps through the doorway, and then they roar in absolute fury, glaring at her with slitted pupils.

Violet, Mindlink to the whole team: ::Uh... Guys? They're mindlinked and they didn't like me smacking their boss.::

Breakfall 12-: 12 - 3d6 - 3 ⇒ 12 - (5, 3, 6) - 3 = -5 to roll with the blast
Mud watches the car head toward Pulse who catches it in the face. Then, he mouths 'oh sh!t,' when her energy field ignites the spraying gasoline. He sees a bright light and finds himself sitting against the wall.

Breakfall 12-: 12 - 3d6 - 2 ⇒ 12 - (1, 5, 5) - 2 = -1 tries to kip-up
He attempts to quickly stand up and unheroically slips on pooling water from the sprinklers. He moves in front of Violet to protect her.

He summarizes the situation for himself and the others:

::Violet, is Pulse awake under that flaming Honda?

Anyone, where's the civilian?::

Please be aware that I'm role-playing. Please do not take offense at being ordered around by a teenager. Cheers!

Violet, To Mud: ::Pulse is down. Get her out, now. Snap's under the cars, I think? No twenty on the civilian.::

Violet does a quick poll on the entire (conscious) group regarding the Civilian, clear question: Do you know where the civilian is? Relay now.

::I'm gonna get some air. No sight of the civilian, yet.::

He didn't like the idea of getting closer to the sprinklers (they kinda stung a little), but some elevation seemed like a good idea to him. He could move closer to the danger—

What am I thinking here!?

—And give Mud the time he needs to get Pulse out…especially if he singed some cat fur!

Oh god…I hope the sprinklers have washed away any extra gasoline.

Blaze attempts to rise 1.5 hexes up, before making a half move. When he sees the nearest Giant Kitty from Hell, he lets loose with a fire blast.

OCV 7: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 6) = 16

::Civilian is badly injured, over there, straight across from me, beside that car, at the edge of the fire.::, He points.

::Team, I recommend focusing on the Catgirl. Don't hold back; she can take about as much as Aegis can. I suspect that cats might be less of a threat once she's down.::

::Aegis, I think at this point you might need to join the tussle directly. Snap does need a rescue...but she should be stable there for now and if we don't get toughs like you front and center I suspect more of us'll be in need of a rescue within the next few seconds.::

I added a pointer to the civilian on the map (and to me, since I think Mud had missed me in the chaos).

Mud replies to everyone, ::I want to push this Honda on Pulse toward the cats. Rocket, can you get out of the way? What about this fire? Should we be worried about the fire?::

::I'm pretty worries about it! I'm SOAKED with gasoline. So is Snap, I'm sure, if the fire makes it over to the pile of cars she's napping under.

::But yeah, I'm happy to get outta your way.:: (which'll happen on Phase 8)

The sprinklers have really interfered with Blaze's activities, and his fire blast goes very wide, almost hitting Rocket!

16 is almost a critical failure, even with their increased size! If Rocket had unluck, I'd be rolling to see if he caught on fire! :) Aegis is the only one still up on 6 I believe.

Meanwhile, in Hotaru's brain.

::If you've got Pulse I'll move to get Snap and the civilian then.::

Aegis phases through the wall towards the pile up Rocket told them about, she takes a moment to mourn for her shoes before she switches her density to it's full strength causing everything near her feet to be crushed under her new weight while she looked for the best way to get the man out of harms way.

if she can active her Armor and density she'll do that as well if not just density

Aegis phases through the wall, then steps up her density and crushes her fancy shoes as her body takes on the density approaching diamond and her skin hardens and turns gold.

Phase 7

In the fire by the car, Pulse's forcefield flickers and dies. The flames lick at her skin unhindered now.

Flame: 1d6 ⇒ 1 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3 2 Body, 5 stun to Pulse

Phase 8

Flame: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3 3 Body, 9 stun to Pulse

Rocket up

Back searing from the feeling of gasoline in a fresh cut, Rocket takes a breath and says, ::OK, lemme play a bit more cat-and-mouse, and see if I can wear CatGirl down a bit...and get out of Mud's way so he can get that flaming car off of Pusle!::

Rocket builds up a bit of speed and then races around CatGirl, slugging her once in the stomach and then--seeing the opening, and desperate to end this fight--giving her a supersonic kneee to the crotch.

"C'mon Cat-Girl. You're not gonna win this now, and we're willing to help you if you back down. Don't make this any harder than it has to be!"

Passing strike: 11 + 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 11 + 10 - (2, 4, 3) = 12
Passing strike: 11 + 10 - 3d6 ⇒ 11 + 10 - (5, 6, 1) = 9

damage: 8d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 4, 3, 1, 4, 4, 2) = 26 7 body 26 stun (1.5x stun after DEF)
hit loc: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 1) = 12 stomach
damage: 8d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 3, 6, 2, 2, 6, 4) = 35 12 body 35 stun (1.5x stun after DEF)
hit loc: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 4) = 13 vitals

As last turn, 2 passing throws (declining the throw).
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BODY: 11/14
STUN: 27/38
END: 28/56
DCV: 10

Catgirl goes into an active dodge routine when Rocket goes to attack her! His attacks both miss due to her dodging. She aborted to dodge

Phase 9

Fire: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Multiplier: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5 2 Body (min 1 * 1.5) 15 stun

RedWhite and GreenGold both move over to attack Vi, ignoring everyone else, and everything else, including the fire and smoke in their eagerness to attack her. The fire doesn't appear to bother them, nor does the water, as they close in to attack, eyes glaring!

GG: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 3) = 10 Hit
Location: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 4) = 8 Right ARm
Damage: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 3, 1, 5) + 1 = 15 2 body penetrate her forcefield, and she takes 5 stun from the hit!

KB: 15 - 3d6 ⇒ 15 - (2, 2, 4) = 7

The cat's paw raises up, four gleaming scimitar claws flashing in the light from the fire, and then the paw slams down, one claw hooking into Vi's forearm and opening a bone deep slash in the muscle before her entire body is slammed down by the blow into the concrete!

KB Damage: 7d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 1, 3, 2, 6) = 17 VERY lucky, nothing penetrates. But Vi is prone and at half DCV

RW moves, but apparently doesn't have enough movement to move and attack, so he just closes in on his prey.

3d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 4) = 8
3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 4) = 13

Everyone on Phase 9 is up now. Pulse is still slowly cooking under the car.

Meanwhile...

Oh crap oh crap oh crap…what do I do!?

Barry was torn. The giant cats were attacking Violet and threatening Mud. He could only really hit one target at a time, unless he used the fireball—

Bad idea. Bad BAD idea.
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His first notion was to turn and fire at the cat, but the way the sprinklers were screwing with his powers, and the way he nearly hit Rocket…

No…stick to the plan, he determined. Concentrate on the Cat Girl!

With that in mind (and hoping he wasn't totally screwing up), he concentrated his "fire" on the metahuman equivalent of a crazy cat lady.

fire blast OCV 7: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) = 8

The girl lightly side-steps the blast of fire, almost piroueting as if dancing, as the fire blast hits the wall behind her, scorching the wall.

MDT: Do I get a Breakfall roll on that attack? If so, I'd like to roll it to avoid being knocked down, as listed in the FRED. I'll put the roll under a spoiler, and you can assign the -1 to -5 for being wounded as necessary. Spoiler because that way if you decide it doesn't apply, we don't have it cluttering up the feed.

END Tracker (Battery): 60 - 5 = 55, 55 - 5 = 50

END Tracker (Personal): 50 - 4 (Seg 3, Force Field) = 46, 46 - 4 (Seg 6, Force Field) = 42, 42 - 4 (Seg 9, Force Field) =38

STUN Tracker: 35 - 5 = 30

BODY Tracker: 13 - 2 = 11

Violet, To Group: ::My illusions and controls are useless against these cats, guys,:: Violet's mental "voice" is clearly stressed. ::But thankfully if I can see her, I can spank her.::

Violet focuses her mind at the girl again, once more trying to shut down the girl's conscious mind.

ECV 8 Attack Roll, 19-3d6: 19 - 3d6 ⇒ 19 - (6, 6, 4) = 3

Ego Attack Damage, 5d6: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 2, 4, 2) = 10

Edit: NOPE, back to the dice daemon hating me. It's not just you, Pulse!

Vi manages to stay on her feet, although it might be closer to say she ends up in a half-erect crouch, one arm hanging bleeding at her side!

The catgirl however, seems to twist her mind out of Vi's reach as easily as she twisted her body out of the way of Blaze's fire attack!

She doesn't do a lot of damage, but she's very resilient. :)