GM WhtKnt's Forge of Heroes (Inactive)

Game Master WhtKnt

"And taking us here does what?" Voltage asks as his mind still reels from the strange sensations flowing through him.

"I've already got a calculus exam, that enough of a crisis for me. "

Thinking a moment on the other-dimensional being's words, MINOTAR replies carefully with obvious unease.

"Statement: I feel like I'm suddenly taking a VERY important test and I don't know what the questions are. Or even the subject. Very odd..."

He then turns to Straightjacket.

"Earnest Statement: We've been going over your school work together on Calculus for weeks. You will pass your test easily SJ from what I've seen. I assure you."

”Does anyone even use calculus?”
Leon sniped in frustration and shook his head. He wasn’t sure which the twisted world had been harder on, his eyes or his mind.
”And this isn’t helping anyone.”
He made a vague sweeping motion. He tried to reign in his anger and sound a little calmer.
”We can’t stop you. The statues, sure. But you, not likely.”
Leon’s suspicious nature began to rear its head.
’And why would he want to help us?’
He thought darkly.

He quietly grumbles "Yeah, you're not taking the test. "

But he goes back to the 5th dimensional Imp - "I don't get what you mean. "

"Heroes need something heroic to do. What could be more heroic than saving the populace?"

[b]"Umm, why did you decide we need the, er, help? We've been doing alright. "[b]

MINOTAR waves the others off.

"Query and Statement: So if we stop all the statues you will return to the 5th Dimension? Or is there a sub-plot we must uncover first? I'm afraid we would like to know the parameters of your 'help' in order to help us succeed, or is that part of the 'training' we require as well?"

Could it really be that simple?" he imp says teasingly.

MINOTAR sighs.

"Yes, of course."

"Ok then if we need to be heroic how about a kitten in a tree? The owner will be pleased. Nobody ends up risk. That's win-win. "

"If you want to train us, why not tell us where some major villains are hanging out? Then we can train with those who are already a threat rather then creating unnecessary threats?" Voltage asks.

"Hmmmm. A good idea. Let's see..." he snaps his fingers again and nothing seems to happen. Then, a report from a nearby police radio:

"Adam 20 to base, we've got a problem! A seven-foot tall individual with white skin and hair just appeared out of nowhere, and he looks mad!"

"Hmmmm. A good idea. Let's see..." hen snaps his fingers again and nothing seems to happen. Then, a report from a nearby police radio:

"Adam 20 to base, we've got a problem! A seven-foot tall individual with white skin and hair just appeared out of nowhere, and he looks mad!"

Sighing in minimal relief, MINOTAR requests everyone meet at the designated location of the strange individual. He then turns to the small man and bows lightly.

"Statement and Question: It has been a true honor to have met you. You offer the possibility...of possibility itself. This has led me to contemplate non-linear things I had not fathomed yet in my short lifespan. For that I thank you. I assume we will speak again after this 'Second Act' of your play finishes. Humbly, I only ask that you remain impartial from here on while we deal with this. I do not think we can learn what you want us to if you directly control the 'training' narrative too closely?"

"Ok, now I have no idea who that is. Any hint?"

Paper, having had enough of the imp, moved to check on Agent Rothman while MINO and the others tried to reason with him.
”You okay?”
He asked with obvious concern and Sarah nodded.
”I’m okay. I already contacted the local office and told them to stay back. I told them what we were dealing with and they agreed it was safer to wait and see if you guys can convince him to leave.”
She looked up at him inquisitively.
”Can you?”
”We’re gonna try.”
He tried to reassure her when the call came over the comm system. The two looked at each other. Sarah smirked and Leon gave her a grin.
”That’s my cue.”
She chuckled and gave him a ‘shooing’ motion. Leon smiled back and nodded before turning to head towards the Javelin.
”Alrighty, let’s do this.”

Voltage says, ”No idea. Let’s go find out.” He then takes to the air to go find the person on the police report.

Leading the others away, MINOTAR has the group rendezvous near the stranger and surreptitiously surround him at a distance.

"Statement: I am alerting the authorities nearby wireless-ly to get any nearby civilians to evacuate immediately. I will now approach this man and speak to this individual about what he wants or if we can help him. If anything goes badly...please intervene as best you can without causing to much damage to the surrounding area. Remember: Contain and Capture, but only if needed. This may not lead to fighting if I can help it."

What kind of terrain are we in with this 'white' guy? Is he in the middle of a street? In a park? In a mall parking lot...?

In the middle of the street stands a white-skinned, white-haired man in ragged clothing. He is seven and a half feet tall with dead white eyes. His hair is unkempt.

"Son, I think that's Solomon Grundy" comments SJ's dad.

"Who's that?" he answers, which to the rest appears to be unprompted and to empty air. This tends to reinforce his name.

"He's a rather powerful foe of the JSA. He's quite a physical powerhouse. He has been known to match up with Superman even. "

"Uh, guys" SJ speaks up "Dad says this guy is bad news, so be careful"

But being fairly crazy, and confident in his durability he leaps for the pale foe.

As if in answer to SJ's comment, the figure speaks in a voice like gravel, "Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday..."

"Ring, access information on Solomon Grundy; query: can we deprive it of oxygen or energy. Cross referrence information on the JSA defeating the giant in the past."

Unsure of the man's identification, MINOTAR reaches out to stop Straightjacket, but the rubbery man eludes his slow grasp.

"Statement: Don't antagonize this 'Grundy' yet! Maybe he can be reasoned with!"

SJ stops at his next bounce "Talk to it? Us? What?"

** spoiler omitted **

On comm, "Guys, Grundy has been destroyed by the JSA multiple times: he's basically undead. Like a really strong, really durable lich or something. Maybe we just go all out? I'm happy to start testing how high we can drop him from ..."

MINOTAR thinks for only a moment and quickly responds.

"Query and Statement: Do I look alive to you? No. I look like a machine, which to most people's mind is not similar to anything normally alive. But I am. What IS this Grundy? We were just in the 5th dimension for only a few moments...but now? I have a much different perspective on all of this. Just because Grundy doesn't APPEAR to be alive like you understand things, does not mean he is not...he could just be in another 'state' of living we do not yet understand. What is 'Life?' You could ask the exact same question in another way: What is 'Magic?' Can you answer either question with any real certainty? Grundy is 'Grundy' obviously, whatever that is. He talks...he thinks? Let's at least find out if he has something on his mind first. Maybe he heard the sushi locally is very good, or wanted to take a hike up a mountain trial? Maybe he's just a magical automation created for a purpose. If true, then he and I have many things in common, with the exception of physical nature and birth circumstances. What is the harm in simply asking...what he wants? The worst thing to happen if we ask is he could start throwing punches, correct? This he will inevitably do anyway if we start punching first."

"If someone wants to try to reason with him, go for it. Otherwise we will need to stop him with force." Voltage says as he looks down from above.

Paper enhanced the image on the screen as the JAVELIN made its approach. He had trouble placing a name with the figure until Straightjacket pipped up. He glanced over at him and made a face.
”Grundy?”
He looked back at the screen again and sighed as he finally put name to face.
”Geez, it is him isn’t it.”
Paper sighed.
”I’m gonna need more paper. He’s a real brick s$!~-house.”
He stood and crossed to one of the ship’s storage lockers. Opening it he pulled two reams of paper, one in each hand.
”MINO, I’m real glad to hear you found philosophy but the League has already thrown down with him before. And frankly if Supes or Wondy couldn’t talk him down, I’m not keen on our chances.”
Paper glanced over his shoulder at the machine-man. (not that one, wrong universe)
”Buuut… if you want a shot at talking to him non-human to non-human, I think we can hold off for a minute before we have to get ugly. Or rather, uglier, in his case.”
He points at MINOTAR with one of the paper reams.
”But as soon as he takes a swing, we’re on him like a swarm of bees. Angry, swarming… flailing bees… Okay, not the best metaphor, but you get the point.”

After Leon's comments, MINOTAR would smile if his face could do so.

"Statement: Thank you my friend. Yes, I will...take the chance. It is the least I can do. Who knows? The worst thing that could happen is he hits me? I don't know if I can be damaged that way permanently or not. So it is best I take the hit first if it comes. Come in low and drop me nearby, then stay on standby nearby: I will simply walk up to him and attempt to de-escalate this first."

As Leon pilot's the Javelin over the street that Grundy is on, MINOTAR drops out only a block away and uses his jump jets to land lightly. He then approaches the white behemoth with his hands raised and obviously empty, while keeping his recording and communication system broadcasting broadly for all his allies to hear.

"Question and Statement: I wish to speak to Solomon Grundy. Are you that person? You appear to be so. Can you talk and tell me...us...why you are here? We do not wish to impede you, but you have a history of...breaking things...that we cannot allow here and now."

SJ whispers to Leon "Do we have a repair kit for Mino for when this goes sideways?"

"Grundy... yes. Grundy not know how here. Grundy not know where here is." The giant looks around with a scowl. "Grundy just wants to be left alone. Everywhere Grundy goes, men shoot at Grundy and hit Grundy."

Nodding slowly MINOTAR tries to empathize with the magical monstrosity of a man.

"Agreement and Statement: Yes, I can understand your confusion. You are in the State of Colorado. I can get more specific if needed. It appears you were brought here by non-nefarious means however. No need to shoot at you or hit you if you can remain calm. I promise my friends and I can find you somewhere else to go, and help you get there, if you have somewhere else specific in mind...so you you can be left alone."

"No, no, no!" Myxzptlk shouts, stamping his feet in the air. "You're supposed to fight him! Don't you know anything?" He glares at the towering figure and at MINOTAR. Grundy, for his part, seems confused about his surroundings, but for the moment, he is calm.

MINOTAR turns to the mighty dwarf hovering nearby, trying to sound earnest with his electronic voice.

"Statement: I will not strike Grundy, Sir Myxzptlk. He has done nothing wrong and broken no laws here. He is calm, if a bit confused. I see through you! You are a wonderful teacher! Now my compatriots and I have learned the value of not assuming something about someone without talking to them first. No fight is needed here! You may now return Grundy back to where he came from. Is your class dismissed? I assure you we have all learned a very valuable lesson...and I for one appreciate your wisdom in appearing to be just interested in how much damage we could do to each other. Excellent educational technique in functional diplomacy."

"So I still don't hit him right?" asks the somewhat confused SJ.

MINOTAR turns back to SJ and shakes his head negatively.

SJ sits down.

The imp looks genuinely confused. It would seem that he had expected your reaction would be one of violence. That it is not has left him bewildered. He snaps his fingers and Grundy disappears, presumably returning to whence he came. Myxzpltk sits cross-legged in the air, thinking.

"Let's see. I've done the statues bit, shown you my dimension, brought you someone to fight... what have I missed?" he says aloud, more to himself than to you.

"I'm thinking a physics lecture maybe?"

"I'm thinking a physics lecture maybe?"

on comms "The 5th Dimensional Guy can give Supes a run for his money ... and you want to sass him?"

MINOTAR speaks seriously to the dimensional dwarf.

"Statement and Question: We have been tested physically, had our egos put in check, and learned sometimes the biggest muscle (metaphorically speaking in my case) is the heart. What else can you teach us? You know...there is one powerful magical formula I have learned recently that I do not know the meaning of. Since your knowledge encompasses worlds...galaxies even, maybe you could explain it for me? But it is not for the common man."

MINOTAR then walks over to a patch of dirt and scribbles 'k*l*t*p*z*x*y*m.' He then stands over the scratching so that the dwarf does not see it easily. He then waves the the rest of the group back and asks the dwarf to check it out.

"Warning: Do not let the others view it, otherwise it might tear their brains out of their primitive skulls...or something else similar. As a machine, I'm not vulnerable to such, but it also prevents me from understanding the nature of the formula."

MINOTAR uses his internal transmitter to silently connect to the other's commlinks. "Warning: Step back now! He may lash out if this doesn't work."

The imp casually glances at the word as though bored with the whole affair. "It spells 'kltpzxym' and... Hey! You tricked me!" There is a puff of smoke and Myxzptlk disappears. As he does, everything instantly returns to its normal state. The statue of the buffalo is restored and standing right where it should be, as are all the other statues.

Congratualtions! Everyone can get 5 XP for that stunt! Well done!

"Nice Trick Mino! Though I still think a karaoke woulda worked. " he says while getting up and looking around for any mess to clean up.

"I think that was a better option. Who knows what he would have done to up his performance." Voltage says.

"Nice Trick Mino! Though I still think a karaoke woulda worked. " he says while getting up and looking around for any mess to clean up.

"Guys ... NOTHING is preventing us from performing!"

Straightjacket will happily take the mike "Queue up Bohemian Rhapsody please. "

Then he will proceed to murder the song in a way nearly causing eardrums to bleed, at least until Rigel dispels the constructs to preserve his sanity.

"Statement: Well done everyone."

MINOTAR lets the group celebrate, and have a bit of fun. He also mentally reviews the day and his decisions up to this point, literally reviewing the audio and video of his day...fast forwarding to his recording of the 5th dimension and the revelations revealed there.

After a while MINOTAR turns back to the others, having made some decisions about going forward.

"Question and Statement: Do you know Mr. Roboto on that thing Rigel? SJ tells me it should be my 'theme song,' or my some such thing."

"to be honest, the ring's database has almost EVERYTHING in there ... I'm not sure I'm the biggest Styx fan, but hey, let's do this, right?"
Rigel takes a deep breath, and music blares out
"I'm not a robot without emotions, I'm not what you see, I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free!"