The base is coming together nicely. After a month of work you have installed the following successfully:
- Combat Simulator
- Communications
- Computer
- Defense System
- Fire Prevention System
- Garage
- Hangar
- Infirmary
- Living Space
- Personnel (Robots)
- Power System
- Securty System
- Self-Repairing
- Workshop
- Walls have been repaired and restored to original Toughness (16)
Already "Installed":
- Isolated
- Secret 3
- Concealed 3
Unfortunately you were unable to find half the devices/tools on your list to stock the laboratory, Emit as they haven't been invented yet. You will need to re-roll that check.
Still to be installed:
- Portal
- Holding Cells
- Laboratory
Laboratory
portal
holding cells
To the GoE lady:
Could I please get the members of the GoE patrol team so that I know who I am directing my information to when I contact the police? I want to make sure it goes to the correct place, after you've been so helpful.
I'll accept Tex's invite after writing a short script to play the online cattle market for me.
Let me know if there's anything I may be able to help acquire.
Elli, You find out the following:
Dr. Oz, is a long time mental patient that went crazy sometime around the World Wave. His real name is Oscar Diggs, a retired actor. He has somehow gotten it into his head that he is from another universe altogether. Any further inquiries into how he knows that he's from another world is met with insane babbling. After you captured him, he was sent back to the the Poe-Gone Sanitarium under heavy sedation. His mastery of special effects technology gives him a number of useful illusion creating devices.
Death Mask is a killer for hire known for his penchant of leaving his intended victims "smiling" from a rare poison only he knows how to make. He will take on any mission provided the payout is good. Death Mask is also a master of disguise, capable of changing skin tone and even facial features to appear as nearly anyone else. His favorite tactic is to insert himself as a trusted ally then turn on the target when their guard is down. Rumors have it that Death Mask was a super soldier experiment gone terribly wrong, making him immune to all known toxins and venom, but forever scarring his original face. They inserted special micro-synthetic muscles under his skin allowing him to change it's composition at will.
Rampage, (real name: William Kelton) is a mutant with many features characteristic of a bull: Horns, fur, tail, and hooves. Always shunned by those around him, Bill ran away to join the circus when he was young. After touring the circus for more than twenty years, his career ended when his circus disbanded. Now at loose ends he has apparently joined up with the Knughts of Revelation for unknown reasons. He has been taken to the Maximum City Maximum Detention Ward of the prison north of town.
Knights of Revelation: you find essentially the same information Kyle has. They are an extremist pro-mutant group likely to hole up in abandoned religious sites. They believe themselves to be the harbingers of the End Times and that all will one day be "elevated" to the next stage of evolution.
Baker, the receptionist on the other end hesitates for a moment.
I really shouldn't...Oh i'm sure he wouldn't mind. Hold on just one moment. You are put on hold for a second when a youn, somewhat cocky voice pops up. Yo, Kinetic speaking. Who is this?
Everyone, As you are working on your Week 1 building preparations, a breaking news report. A Mrs. Ellis has been found dead in her upscale home in the Heathgrow gated community. Cause of death: suffocation. Coroners report Mrs. Faye as lacking any signs of forced asphyxiation.
Baker looks the clock on his PDS.
Crap. Still another few hours before I get off work...
His thoughts are cut short by the voice on the other end of the phone. Making sure he won't be overheard,
Hello there, this is Risen Fate speaking. Your receptionist transferred me through so I could talk to someone about the events at the Sphinxonium the other day. I'm glad I got you, Kid Kinetic--
Gonna wait to see what I know about this guy before finishing my sentence.
This can only be Kid Kinetic, a long time member of the Guardians of Earth. He started as a sidekick to but has since become a hero in his own right. Capable of creating electrostatic barriers of force around living objects (including himself) he can stand toe-to-toe with most melee goons without skipping a beat. His usual attire is jeans, dark shades, and a leather jacket with a stylized letter "K" on the back.
--I've been looking to talk to someone with more experience in the hero department than I've got, and your secretary was kind enough to transfer me to you. I wanted to ask if the GoE knew of the incidents at the Sphinxonium these past few days. Two different Supers, Death Mask and Doctor Oz, as well as the Knights of Revelation all converged there at around the same time on the same day. It struck me as a bit odd that our local super group wasn't there given the attention that these groups were giving the museum. I and a couple of other of my fellow B-list supers managed to handle it with some difficulty, but I just wondered if the GoE was aware of the situation.
Also, given that I have my re-test for the GoE in two weeks, I was wondering if you have any pointers on what I could do to do as best as possible. I scored a 120% last time, but they said that was a software fluke; so I'm not sure if I've got what it takes or not and I thought you could give me a tip or two, being a near lifetime member of the GoE.
Elli calls it good for the night and goes home from the library. She decides to go check in on Drake and see if he needs anything since being released from the hospital. She'll contact everyone tomorrow on what she's found on the villains.
Risen Fate? Never heard of you. And my first tip is to never call me "Kid". It's just Kinetic. Has been for awhile.
Yes I've been briefed by the Tower on the situation. I take it you were one of the viggies out here last night? Second tip, kid, quit while you're ahead. Vigilantism is a dead end road. Few survive it and even fewer make a difference. Without backup, your roadkill.
We know all about Dr. Oz and the Knights of Rennovation or whatever. Both just nutcases in spandex.
Death Mask?! You want me to believe you went toe-to-toe with that bad hombre and lived to tell about it? Unlike your run of the mill thugs, Mask will put you down and put you down hard. You do realize he's single-handedly killed at least a dozen supers? You've got some guts to try to lie to me about it, even more if it's true.
Kinetic ponders the info you just gave him.
To be honest this looked like a regular smash and grab but if Death Mask is involved... tell ya what, I'll look into it and you go pass your exam. Who knows maybe you'll get to help me put him down eventually. Third tip, always go with your gut. Hesistation is costly.
Baker smiles to himself.
Well then it looks like I'm just darn lucky, because I personally did go toe to toe with Death Mask and I'll tell you, with that unnerving grin and all of that poison the man packs a wallop and is a lot to take on... I'll take what you've said about vigilantism to heart, and I appreciate you looking into everything. If I find anything else out, I would like to not have to go through the same red tape I had to this time. Is there a way that I could contact you personally should I find anything that would help your search? I realize that Death Mask is a big-name thug and I really don't want to tango with him again unless I have some serious backup...
Yea, I'll give you my work cell. Just as long as you give me yours. If you're making extra work for me for no reason we are going to have a little...chat.
Emit within this month ports to the apartment to grab some of his things and walks in on trent gearing up for his patrol as Tarantula.
Hey kid going out again aye, tell me what big shot they got showing you the ropes on these patrols? Im guessing not any of the main big shots I bet its some hot shot sidekick that made hero. Either way just don't forget why we do what we do. Its all about helping people and if you forget that then well then your just a man in tights. I just want you to know kid that I think of you as family like a little brother, just dont let them cloud your judgment alright kid. Also what do you know about the museum being hit the other night and why the guardians wern't there? Not that I needed them me and my team handled it just fine but we just were curious why the big leagues didn't want to get involved must not have been a big deal to them.
Emit after hearing what Trent has to say proceeds to follow the kid on his patrol from a distance to see how the bigs train their team maybe get some tips for the team and to keep his eye out on Trent.
as i walk down from my room in the Rothberg's apartment, i see a breakfast of pancakes and bagels.
Good morning my chosen friends, how are you and Shalom. Liora, how goes the pregnancy? it is starting to show if you don't mind me saying, a good sign for his health. Be sure to take it easy as the waitress gig, and hopefully the customers will tip well the mother to be. Abraham, do you need me to help with the slaughtering of the animals, i know Rabbi Finestein usually does it, but i have a pretty lax day this coming semester, many of my students dropped when they realized i am not an "easy professor", i am more than willing to help them in office hours or other times, but i do expect a lot from them. religion is from where many derive their sense of morality and many gain wisdom from the scriptures or tales. they should eagerly relish the chance to learn about other religions and the cultures that worship them, to better understand our fellow man. but i guess this is a silver lining as i have more free time now. Come Judah, lets go for a walk.
I head out the door with their dog and walk around our little ghetto.
hello Ethel, you look fine today. M, oh i am enjoying this blessed day, see you Saturday. hello Morty, how is the arthritis, not acting up too much, you are the best tailor in town, and we will need a slew of dresses for the many Bat Mitzvehs coming up Hello young Jacob, be careful playing in the street, we may be God's chosen people, but not all drivers know that. Lina, i hear your son is now some big time stock Broker, congratulations. yes, but maybe i can remind him to call his mother sometimes.
After having a pleasant meander through the city and giving Judah a good walk i return to Abraham's apartment and head off to work on the bus.
Elli, Drake is happy to have the company. His wound is healing well. He's pretty sure he must heal at an accelerated rate or something because the wound is nearly gone already.
Emit, you tail Trent to an empty rooftop where he meets up with what you assume is his group. One man in a fancy looking jacket is just finishing a phone call. -7777. Got it. You better not be wasting my time... He hangs up and turns to the rest of his squad.
There are 5 people in the group, the man in the jacket, Trent, a girl dressed all in green hovering a foot above the rooftop, a freckled teenager wearing what looks to be an over-sized McGreasy's costume, and a dark-skinned man with enormous brass knuckles (his knuckles are not actual brass, he is simply wielding a set of brass knuckles).
Knuckles guy: So Kid- errr Kinetic, what was that all about? You get a lead on the museum caper?
Kinetic: Maybe, we'll see. Ok last time you guys did good, the robbers didn't even see you coming Mist Witch. Well done. Tuner, you've got to remember to watch where you aim your abilities, it's a darn good thing all those civvies got was a little tone deafness. Sprint, I got to tell ya man that's what you get for not watching where you're going. Catching your costume on a telephone pole is a quick way to end your career...and quite possibly your life. Tarantula, what was up with that grab though? You've got six arms and they still got away? Mistakes like that in the field are going to cost you. Now focus up everyone. We are going to do a single pass of our route tonight. Everyone stay within sight of each other.[b] He looks at Mist Witch. [b]Or range anyways.
Trent: Hey man try not to get that costume torn up tonight? It belongs to work and any damage is coming out of my paycheck...
Mist Witch=green cloaked flying figure.
Sprint=Kid in McGreasy's costume.
Tuner=knuckles guy
After a good nights sleep, Elli calls GoE back and schedules a test for later in the day.
She then heads over the college to see what projects are going on and see if she can take an initiative on something since its been so slow the past few months. Maybe I should look into working for the government. The work would be much more steady.
Elli decides that while she's here, she'll use the college resources to look into more detailed maps of the Mass. coast line she's interested in. The research would include looking for sea caves, large depressions, or any other interesting and out of the ordinary land features.
Emit, Trent appreciates the gesture and mentions that his group leader is none other than Kid Kinetic. He doesn't like to be called Kid anymore of course.
The one and only Kid Kinetic, ha I guess lets see what they can do I better stay out of sight.
The legend goes that Old Man Marsh's grandfather, a one Captain Obed Marsh settled in the port town of Innsmouth sometime after the War of 1812 after wedding himself a wife from some foreign port of call. He began a very profitable gold refinery business in the then bustling port.
He would sell odd looking trinkets too that netted him a handsome some each year. They were queer in shape and color and his various business trips each year would always seem to net more but from what port of call no one could tell. His wife was rarely seen and some believed her to have a skin disease on account that whenever she was seen she was heavily covered with hardly any skin showing at all. Now skip forward a number of years.
Old Man Marsh inherited his grandfather's wealthy fortune but by this time Innsmouth's fortunes had dried up. The only factory in town still running was Marsh's. No one can explain exactly what caused the decline only that something odd came over the town. Not all at once but insidiously over the decades as the Marsh family grew in power and numbers. More and more people succumbed to skin diseases or hid themselves away from prying eyes. It got to be so bad that hardly anyone above the age of 35 was ever really seen outside and the neighboring towns began to notice more and more a degradation of the Innsmouth natives. It became so profound that it was dubbed "the Innsmouth look". Flat faces and eyes just a smidge too far apart. Despite all of this the gold refinery continued to produce it's gold although some say it had a strange color to it...perhaps some exotic mineral only Old man marsh was privy to.
The few people brave enough to visit Innsmouth quickly left usually without staying the night. The few foolhardy to stay the night were generally never heard from again. One year in the early 1940's a fire was spotted in Innsmouth, big enough it could only have been the entire town on fire. When the blaze died out, the curious few sent to investigate found nothing but burnt timbers and and a hideous smoldering smell like bad fish left too long in the sun. No survivors were found, only a couple odd trinkets much akin to the ones the Marsh's used to sell. It is a mystery as to how the town (even as badly maintained as it had been) could catch fire so easily and completely. Some say the government found out about the Innsmouth "people" and put an end to the entire lot. Some say the Devils that live out in Devil's Reef off the coast came and took the souls of the villagers back to their deep-sea lair. Others say that the Marsh's weren't people at all but rather hideous sea creatures capable of spreading their transforming mutation to others they lived near. No one is sure which story is true...if any of them but the ruins of the town have remained untouched as if there was something actively keeping people away.
Elli, the receptionist tells you that the earliest they can schedule you is two weeks from now (same day as Baker's go figure).
***
Joe, Colonel Kopel has you drive out to Ft. Takoma for a meeting. To your surprise, General Rencore joins you two for the meeting.
Kopel explains, Joe, I have been authorized to let the good General here in on your little secret. In the interest of cooperation between or two military's you have been assigned as a resource temporarily to Fort Takoma under the General's direct authority. You are still technically on leave of course, but should a situation arise where your abilities can prove useful for a mission you will be called to action... Kopel gives the General a sidelong glance. ...so long as your identity can remain secret. Any questions?
***
Baker, your script runs rather slow but at the end of the day you have successfully earned your first Cattleprod for the farm!
***
Emit, the group's patrol runs smoothly and you manage to stay out of sight for the most part. They successfully foil a robbery on their own while Kinetic watches from a nearby rooftop in case they need assistance. Tarantula does have a close shave with the getawayy car driver nearly braining him with the car door but all things considered they did exceptionally well. Tuner seems able to project a sonic cone of force, Mist Witch is able to create shapeable fog banks and seem able to determine enemy's movements before they even make them, and Sprint is your average speedster with a twist: he shrinks whenever he is speedy and can grow larger than normal at the cost of becoming slower.
Baker sends a mass text out:
I'll have fancy new toys for you all next time we meet.
Timeline follows the group until Trent returns back to the apartment and pops up behind him on the roof.
Well that was quite the show out there. Maybe one day you can join my team id love to fight side by side with you but for now it seems your in good hands. I do have a favor from you if you here anything about the museum heist let me know, my team didn't take a beating stopping them for nothing we want answers.
Timeline teleports back to the HQ and goes back to work after his little talk with Trent.
that kid needs work but i think they will be good for him if I didnt have so much going on with the team and getting it started id help him but... oh well he'll be fine.
[b]Will i be using my alias as the star of Zion while working with the U.S. Government or will i need a new identity? in addition i assume you have a means of contacting me. Lastly, while i will work with you if the need arises, if you could respect me following of the Sabbath. I will still fight if you need, but please make sure it is an emergency, Faith is quite important for my person and abilities.[/n]
Emit, you scare the crap out of Trent. AHHHHH! I told you man! stop creeping up on me like that! I coulda killed you! After you give him a minute to recover, he nods, So you saw that, huh? Yea we did pretty good out there tonight. Wait, you have a team? And you were their at the museum! Why am I just hearing about this now!
Trent looks both ways and asks in a whisper, Got any leads I can impress my boss man with? He's a real hero not like a lot of others. It'll take some serious proving to make him see I'm a step above the rest.
Joe, Kopel assures you that showing the General your "true form" as the Star of Zion is allowable under their full disclosure agreement. The general here will of course accommodate our religious beliefs as best as he can. Although you know perhaps better than some that duty rarely calls when it is convenient.
Thank you general, duty is rarely convenient but i will be ready for when you need. I don't know how much they informed you of my powers, but when you need me, i will require assistance getting to the objective, i may be tough, but i am not fast, i move as quickly as most, and many normal soldiers are more agile than i. I do hope that your mess hall has some accommodations for a kosher diet. and lastly will i be remaining at my current lodgings or are you moving me to the base? also will i be wearing the Israeli uniform or should i adopt an american uniform?
Sorry kid didn't mean to scare you. Yes i do have a team we just got together our first encounter was that of the museum heist we were able to stop them but one escaped. Death mask, a guy calling himself Dr.Oz and the knights of Revelation were all there for some reason perhaps to steal the cats eye opal but we think its strange that they were all there at the same time and are still figuring out if it was by coincidence or they were working together. Now im telling you this in confidence that you will relay any info you get on the subject to me as well. Frankly I doubt the Guardians are to interested seeing they never showed up, maybe if they would have they could of stopped the deaths. But i digress im glad your training is going well and maybe you can train in my state of the art combat simulator sometime it might just give you that edge your looking for. Well kid im off lots of work to do on my new HQ ill be around and you always got my number if you need me.
Emit: Thanks, man. Yea Kinetic said he was going out tonight after the rounds to do some investigating without us cramping his style. But with this information you gave me I bet he'll be impressed at what I can do!
Oh, not sure if you were interested having a team and all, but they are holding open tryouts at the Silver Spire (GoE HQ) in a couple weeks. If you try REAL hard I'm sure you'd be good enough to be my sidekick! Hahahahaha!
Joe: General Rencore:There is no need to change locations at the moment. There really isn't a mission appropriate for your ... erm... skills currently. I would however like to see your powers in action. I would like to arrange a private training session in a couple weeks if you don't mind. We are unfortunately in the midst of some top secret maneuvers this month so we will have to convene elsewhere. The GoE elite owe me a favor or two and I think I can reserve one of their training simulators for the day.
Yeah sure kid ill give it a go but when they reassign you to me as my sidekick don't through a fit. After all I do have a team and an HQ and Im pretty awesome. I guess they will want me to register too oh well its about time I did anyways.
Baker: During one of your visits to the R&D section, you see Lorenzo Pachenti dressed in a lab coat talking to one of the scientists. Finishing his conversation he makes his way over. Baker! Did you hear the good news! I finally got the internship in the R&D section that I've been wanting. I'm going to be working with Dr. Cobalt! Not sure what project i'll be helping with but it's going to be so...like...cool! Dr. Cobalt is the coolest. Did you know he reports to John Johnson directly? He has...like...all these awards and stuff. He's a biochemist mainly but dabbles in a lot of other fields.
Timeline begins patrolling the city shaking down local thugs for any info on death mask or the knights.
Timeline: You visit a number of known gang hangouts in the metropolis and rough up a few lowlifes. You are able to find one that will talk to you about Death Mask but he only knows what Elli already found out. (See back a couple pages) You let the lowlife go with a dread warning about continuing his illicit activities. (you kind of assume he's involved with illicit activities. you don't actually have proof.)
Channel 7 News at 11
Maximum Silver is slated to return to the city next week after his three week peace summit in Australia. Silver was able to force a temporary cease-fire between warring factions in the great Down Under. It is not known whether there will be any lasting peace with the water shortages Australia has experienced since the World Wave raised the height of the entire landmass by approximately 1200 feet.
Police are offering a reward for the wehreabouts of Dr. Corinthian Ellis. Dr. Ellis was a head researched in the R&D department of RoboCorp. It is unclear wether he is supected in the death of his wife only a few days after his disappearance. His wife died from suffocation in her home in the Heathgrow gated community. Initial coroner's report believes her death to be the result of some unknown chemical composition found at the scene.
Protestors in cuddly animal costumes are taking to the streets to protest the incarceration of the Koala man caught breaking and entering a Granola Barn factory after hours. Koala man had this to say, "Hey man, they is yogurt bars not granola bars. And I can't get enough of dem, ya dig. Cortical Pharmaceutical's done put something in 'em man that's like making me crazy. I can't stop eating them." Cortical Pharmeuceutical leadership was unavailable for comment.
Kinetic, the long time sidekick of the superhero Tempest, was seen breaking up yet another attack by Factor X on registered mutants. Kinetic knocked out over a dozen members of the gang before the remainder fled. Eyewitnesses at the scene report that several of the targets were injured and taken to an undisclosed facility for treatment. The victim's names have been excluded to protect their safety.
The Sphinxonium has announced that it is not only rebuilding the museum but it will also add an expansion dedicated to the new discoveries unearthed at the Great Pyramid. Repairs have already begun and should be completed by the end of next month. The mayor is personally funding the new expansion despite his recent injury that left his hands broken. He is recovering slowly but is expected to regain use of them soon.
Elli sends all the guys an email about the information that she found at the library.
Hello to all,
Here's what I have managed to find on the villains and groups we're looking at.
Dr. Oz, is a long time mental patient that went crazy sometime around the World Wave. His real name is Oscar Diggs, a retired actor. He has somehow gotten it into his head that he is from another universe altogether. Any further inquiries into how he knows that he's from another world is met with insane babbling. After you captured him, he was sent back to the the Poe-Gone Sanitarium under heavy sedation. His mastery of special effects technology gives him a number of useful illusion creating devices.
Death Mask is a killer for hire known for his penchant of leaving his intended victims "smiling" from a rare poison only he knows how to make. He will take on any mission provided the payout is good. Death Mask is also a master of disguise, capable of changing skin tone and even facial features to appear as nearly anyone else. His favorite tactic is to insert himself as a trusted ally then turn on the target when their guard is down. Rumors have it that Death Mask was a super soldier experiment gone terribly wrong, making him immune to all known toxins and venom, but forever scarring his original face. They inserted special micro-synthetic muscles under his skin allowing him to change it's composition at will.
Rampage, (real name: William Kelton) is a mutant with many features characteristic of a bull: Horns, fur, tail, and hooves. Always shunned by those around him, Bill ran away to join the circus when he was young. After touring the circus for more than twenty years, his career ended when his circus disbanded. Now at loose ends he has apparently joined up with the Knughts of Revelation for unknown reasons. He has been taken to the Maximum City Maximum Detention Ward of the prison north of town.
Knights of Revelation: you find essentially the same information Kyle has. They are an extremist pro-mutant group likely to hole up in abandoned religious sites. They believe themselves to be the harbingers of the End Times and that all will one day be "elevated" to the next stage of evolution.
Looking forward to working with you all more,
Elowyn Landis, GISP
_______________________________________________________________
Elli hears the news the next day while at work. She received additional information about the expansion of the museum with a request for help on the exhibits.
The Factor X part of the news hits a bit of cord since her encounter with the group. At least Kinetic got to them. I should go thank Shard for getting me out of that situation tonight.
Elli goes about the rest of her day as normal, working on projects with the geology, geography, and sociology departments.
After work, she heads towards the sewers.
Once in the sewer entrance, Elli walks around until she finds one of the "alarm" lines that are set up. She shakes the line a whole bunch and waits for someone to come find her.
Elli, you find the tunnel. Or rather, the place where the tunnel was. It has been patched over completely, to all appearances as just another section of brick wall. Undeterred, you continue searching and find one of their "alarm" systems and set it of.
You wait for what seems like forever in the dark cramped smelly sewer only to be startled by a quiet whisper from behind a nearby sluice grate.
Psssst! Elli, over here! Quickly before the rest of scouts find you. Shard motions you down a small side tunnel. He leads you through a warren of smaller tunnels finally showing you a small alcove filled with cobwebs. We can talk here. This section hasn't been used for a number of years now, being part of the outdated Paramour sewer system. It only sees water flow in the case of severe storm weather.
Shard looks at you, relief evident on his face, I was worried the ambulance hadn't gotten you to the hospital in time. You lost a lot of blood.
He pulls a bundle of ratted cloth out of his tarnished Hello Kitten backpack. He unrolls a set of wicked, blue-tinged blades. They were using these. I have never seen anything like them. Your skin, even your blood seemed to lose...color somehow. I took it for poison and tried to suck the blood out like in those old westerns. Felt sick for days afterwards. I still feel ill just looking at these...
Whatever these are, they apparently make people like us...those with latent talents...sick. It's not a poison, I cleaned each blade off myself and that glow won't go away. Some sort of anti-mutant material.
His tone becomes grim. The worst part is where Factor X found these. The supply crates they were storing down here where marked. He tosses a piece of packing crate onto the floor. In the dim light you can just make out: Property of U.S. Government; Ft. Takoma.
They make me sick! As if the ridicule and the segregation weren't bad enough, now they develop weapons used to specifically target us!
It is another chilly day in October for Maximum City and there is a large turnout for the Guardians of Earth open tryouts. Hundreds of fanboys, reporters, police, and looky-lous crowd the streets leading towards the Silver Spire, the Main Guardians HQ. The Spire is of unique construction reaching almost as high as the RoboCorp building downtown. It is conical, tapering to a spiked top nearly 160 stories above the ground. It is made of a strange silvery metal that is believed to be from another world, scavenged by Maximum Silver himself.
Baker, Elli, Joe (Emit too if you want): You find yourself bumping into each other as you enter the building. The secretary, a hard-faced woman with more than a little grey in her hair, gives each of you a number, and asks you to wait in line. There are numerous people filling the lobby of this prestigious building and you would guess that only a few of them are truly gifted. Many wear outlandish costumes ranging from an old bear pelt (and nothing else) to styrofoam "armor" that looks similar to Battalion's. It has an almost Comic-Con feel to it.
Rag-tag is not the word for this... I've been to better dressed conventions.
Baker whispers under his breath.
Well this will be fun wont in now. Say I didnt know you all would be here today, Well i might have some competition after all.
Timeline takes his number and begins scanning the crowd looking at all the ridiculous costumes.
Lets get this over with im only doing this to show my roommate who's better.
Well I guess ill just show up Trent and get out of here, but i guess as long as im here i might as well check out the talent.
@Shard
I wanted to come back and thank you for saving me. If you ever need anything, you only have to ask.
Elli takes ablade to examine it. Do you mind if I take one of these? I want to see what I can find on them and having one around might be useful. I want to know why the government has any reason to be making these...or commissioning them...or something!
I wonder if they've finally gotten too afraid of us to let us live...or if they're secretly supplying these groups.
_________________________________________________________________
@GoE
Elli gives a wicked smirk to the boys and winks.
Oh you'll have competition hehe. Didn't know either of you would be here either. Should be a fun though.
Baker looks at the others.
Best of luck to you both. I've been through these trials once before, and they weren't so bad.
Using the thousand faces ability, i disguise myself as St. Patrick, with full priest garb including the badass hat, and walk to registration. Top of the morning to ya, i believe their is a special slot arranged by some nice fellows from the local Base, i believe the code they gave me was PRO 112358 5T0N3 5TA4. That should cover everything, I'm sure.
Recognizing Timeline and Risen, i walk over and wish them the luck of the Irish to be with them, then casually point towards the comm. device. and then with my detail head in.
@Elli: Take them, maybe you can find a way to put an end to whoever is making this. I will assist as I can but I cannot be discovered talking to you. Puritan doesn't hold the authority he once did over us. Chardy holds a lot of sway and with you showing up and Factor X at our door... Sealing off that tunnel wasn't the only precaution we took. I know you wouldn't let anything bad happen to us but the others view you as an outsider.
If you need to contact me again, just leave an empty bottle or can wedged inside the Cross and Ford intersections's sidewalk grate. It'll let me know to meet you here.
DC 15
Each of your numbers comes up within a few minutes of each other. Technicians with bored expressions on their faces run each of you through what looks to be a metal detector of some sort that scans your entire body through your clothes. The holo-suites are large silver spheres that are hollow on the inside. You guess thare are about a dozen of them inside a large hanger-like basement level.
Once inside, a technician's voice comes over the interior comm system. Please prepare yourself in anyway necessary for the Guardians of Earth application simulation. Be advised this simulation will likely take a couple hours and is designed to push you to your limits both physically and mentally. You are taking this exam at your own risk and G.O.E. Inc. will not be responsible for bodily or mental injury or for lost or destroyed possessions. If you agree to these terms and conditions, then place your arm or appendage on the stand before you.
A metal stand with a large green button labeled "GO!" materializes in front of you.
***
You each spend the first hour and a half running through the first 9 levels of the simulation. Each time, the Phantom, a mysterious, dark-robed villain, has attempted to push elderly people down stairs, rob banks, tried to blow up city hall, steal the crown jewels etc... Each time the plot is more complicated, and the Phantom more elusive. He evolves as you pass through the levels, becoming harder to stop and harder to predict. You've managed to stop him each time, but the last time was close...too close. You take a quick breather before proceeding to the tenth and final level.
The Phantom's superpowered henchman are attempting to make off with the Orb of Osiris, a priceless (if fictional) relic. You are in a foreign place, and your split second decision (based on your roll) determines if the Phantom's henchmen succeed at stealing the item.
EXAMPLE:
Kid Kinetic is happy that he'd made it to level 10. Six years as Tempest's sidekick are more than enough. It's time to be my own hero!
Kinetic starts level 10 and finds himself in Paris, specifically the Louvre. A shape-shifting henchman of the Phantom has turned himself into a perfect replica of the Orb of Osiris and had both him and the real Orb loaded onto separate trucks driving to separate destinations. Kid Kinetic has only one chance to guess the correct one or the real Orb will get away.
Kinetic spots the shape-shifter fake and chases the correct truck down on his Kinetic Skates. The henchmen attempt to fight but he uses his kinetic ability to de-frictionize their vehicle's tires. Unable to escape, the hired goons surrender.
Timeline when he signs up he signs his name Timeline under the superhero name. Powers time travel/teleportation. Under the Alias or real name He smirked as he told the lady at the desk you may have heard of me for my science fiction novels I wright, the names H.G. Holentheground as he pens it to the paper.
Timeline not quite as tired as others looks at the button that appears in front of him. He reaches his hand out to the button pressing it the program initiates and he finds himself in an abandoned warehouse district where he followed phantoms goons the entered this old building. Timeline ports to find they are entering a strange portal it looks oddly familiar the last guy to enter just as timeline ported in looks back and says good luck catching up I hear Egypt is nice this time of year then jumps though.
Timeline runs up to the portal its dna based and only works for those programed and any tampering looks to be destructive based on a quick diagnostic but he said Egypt maybe... he looks to the panel the last date and time was in the computer.
Timeline thinks back to his time in Egypt to remember the location of the orb of Osiris so he could teleport to the exact location.
Not only did timeline remember the location he remembered when it was rumored to go missing and ports to Egypt just before the henchmen arrive They appear in Egypt to a tank aimed down at them. The henchmen through down their guns and Timeline takes them back through time in turn preventing them from stealing the orb.
Well boys i thinks its Time for a Time out.
I place my fatherly hand onto the pedestal and agree to go forth.
By the time i have reached this stage, i have changed my appearance every round, from Rabbi's to Guru's to Priests, and saints, i find myself looking like Papa Noel in red garb.
I find myself in a seemingly abandoned warehouse. as i look around i see henchmen loading two near identical large orbs into two separate trucks, whilst hiding behind a pair of crates i look intently at both, focusing in on the appearance of the god Osiris. Thinking back to my days of studying, i try to remember anything that would give Osiris a distinctive look.
Remembering a tale of when Osiris was dismembered and put back together by his wife, Isis, except for one piece that was eaten by a catfish. looking at the two figures, the one to the south has a bulge, where none should be after his dismemberment, and i chase after the northern truck, using my cone of stomp to stop the truck in its path and beat the treasure away from the henchmen, singing Here comes Santa Claus the entire fight.
Baker steps up into his pod and lets the metal door hiss shut behind him. Unsure of what exactly is to come he steels himself,
Baker breathes in, holds it, and breathes out again before he sets his hand on the green button and closes his eyes. As he blinks them open again he is standing in the bridge of a massive flying fortress. Wind whips through the shattered front viewport, and thick smoke chugs from damaged controls. A man dressed in a tuxedo and a cape made of scarlet and shadow stands grinning at the helm, next to a glowing orb that has been mounted to the control deck. The slumped bodies of crewmen lie strapped into their seats.
Today!
He shouts over the roar of the wind.
Today you and I make history! You will be the first man to crash-land a citydome, and I will be the first to gain unrequited power from The Orb of Osiris. Pity that it just so happens to also have been what is, or rather was, powering the shields of this city.
With that he wrenches the glowing orb from its mountings as his silent metal bodyguards step around him. The faint crackle of energy that had earlier been wreathing the ship flickers and fails.
You have two choices Fate: stop me from taking the orb and have a front-row seat to the destruction of this city and the countryside for miles around, or let me go and spend your time saving everyone on board, as I am sure a man of your talent would have no problem at the controls.
With that, the man nudges the helm earthward, smiles, and begins walking towards the rear bulkhead, his bodyguards keeping between himself and Risen Fate.
Good luck flying this beast all by yourself.
The man bows in a flourish before turning to the blukhead door.
Taking a last look at The Phantom, Baker makes his decision. Dashing to the control panel, he ignores the sounds of the steel wheel cranking open the bulkhead behind him. Using nothing but Beginner's Luck Baker decides to press his luck and choose option C: all of the above.
=>12 + 15 = 27
Grabbing the wheel and shoving, Baker dips the nose of the citydome towards the earth. Green fills the horizon where before was clear blue.
Wait! What are you doing you fool!?
Shouts the cloaked figure from above and behind him. The Phantom has just enough time to barely grab onto the door wheel before his metal guards tumble through the blasted out viewport and into the sky. The Phantom begins to lose his grip, drops the orb in an attempt to get a better hold. Barely catching it with one hand Baker keeps the other hand on the wheel, trying to bring the citydome out of the crazy maneuver it was never meant to do.
I will not stand for this! Fine! You want the orb so bad, it's yours! I hope you enjoy it in the last few moments of your life!
With that, the Phantom lets go and dives through the front viewport. Baker barely registers that The Phantom gets caught up by one of his guards before swooping away on a trail of rocket exhaust. He has more pressing matters to attend to.
After jamming the orb back into its mountings as carefully as one can while hurtling towards the ground at terminal velocity, Baker grabs the wheel with both hands and pulls hard. Nothing budges. Baker puts all his might into forcing the wheel upward. With a shriek of protest, the wings of the great city level out and the ships frame screams under the stress. Tense moments pass. The ship shudders. The altitude warning lights cease their blaring as the ship levels out.
That was a close one... Baker thinks to himself.
Wild Fire walks into the last stage and finds herself in a large ruined palace of some sort. Hearing the voices of the henchmen, she runs quickly through the building, following the echoes. On a table in a large library-esque room, she finds a map! With a quick read, she might be able to find out how the henchmen are getting out of here!
After some deciphering and little bit of getting oriented, she finds out where they might be heading. She runs out of the room and decides to fly through the rest of the hallways, the span of her wings just barely inches from the walls. Following the map through the maze-like building, she finally falls upon the henchmen.
Wild Fire soars in, roaring dragon fire at the henchmen at the back of the group. She then flies right through the still burning flames to grab the relic right from the hands of one of the henchmen. With a kick to the face of one and fire ball to another that was about to pull a gun out, she flew back up out of reach. Wild Fire then sends up a tower of magma around the henchmen, trapping them inside the column so they could cook for a bit.