rando1000's Mutants and Masterminds 2nd edition (Completed) (Inactive)

Game Master rando1000

Last post for Subplot: T&E

Secure in his evening, he again calls for a cab to help Emily home, while he himself calls for his personal driver after she leaves. During the ride home, he can't help but consider where things might lead. Sooner or later, they might have to contend with the fact they're both newly established superheros. Can even a friendship survive such a reveal? He certainly hoped so. But even with these thoughts, he can do nothing but smile. It truly was a fantastic evening, one unlike any other he's experienced.

We'll be watching you, other heros... always watching you...

Subplot: Reece Wells

"You shouldn't quit...!" Reece starts to lecture, but stops and shakes his head slowly. After calming himself and collecting his thoughts for a moment, he continues. "Sorry, I know I don't have any right to tell you what to do. I have made plenty of bad decisions in my life. But, if I may, some advice? Think about it very carefully before you make your decision about school. You're smart and I trust that you know what will make you happy."

Clearing his throat, he returns to their problem. "Why don't you tell me exactly what has happened with your accounts and I will see if there's anything I can do."

...always watching

Subplot: Tesla

"WHAT?" Tesla shouts into the phone. "Fine. You just try naming your company "Ford" and see how that goes!
Guy was kind of a git, but man could he throw a barbecue!

I don't think they'd want to take this to court. Never can tell how that's gonna go. Look what happened to the WWF!
I think I could win on the "who loves pandas more" vote!"

Subplot: T&E

Subplot closed...for now. Take 1 PP reward.

Subplot: Tesla

Nikola waits nervously in the small cafeteria for a return phonecall from the lawyer.

After a few fuming hours where the stocks of Telsa Technologies continue to lose traction, she finally calls back.

"Okay, it seems some newbie lawyer at Tesla Motors got overzealous. They're willing to drop the lawsuit if you sign off on the original contract within 36 hours, as well as printing a full retraction in The Wall Street Journal to help your stocks rebound. Is that acceptable?"

Sidenote: is it slightly weird/voyearistic to anyone else that we're reading an imaginary date taking place between two fictional character being acted out by two different people?

only slightly. much more weird when it happens between two straight same-gendered people playing different gendered characters at an actual table...

Subplot: Atticus Wells

"Just wanted to give you fair warning. Keep your eyes open. Now let's get this work out in and maybe get out of here for a couple hours..."

End Atticus subplot. Atticus gains 1 PP to spend.

Subplot: Reece Wells

"Why don't you tell me exactly what has happened with your accounts and I will see if there's anything I can do."

"Well, you know, the usual identity theft nonsense. Changed passwords, closed longstanding accounts to screw my credit, that sort of crap," Russel says. He seems almost embarrassed to be talking to you about this, like it's unmanly somehow to ask for help. But he's not an ass about it.

Subplot: Tesla

After a moment Tesla mumbles something that sounds like assent. "Ah. Well, then yes. All is as it should be then."

After hanging up the phone, Tesla shouts, "Curses on you, Edicson! I know you have something to do with this! Ooooo, there will be a reckoning!"

Subplot: Reece Wells

"And you're sure it's our father and not an actual identity theft?" Reece asks as they are finishing desert. "If you will let me know which bank you are dealing with, I will look into it."

He doesn't insult Russel by offering him a loan until things get straightened out, but he does pick up the check for lunch, insisting that he hasn't had an opportunity to treat his little sister in a long time.

He reaches out to shake the man's hand as they get up to leave. "I wish the both of you the best and I will do what I can. Don't feel bad, dad has been screwing people over since before you were born!" he says with a wry smile.

Once he gets back to the hotel, he opens up his laptop and starts investigating Russel's finances.

Computers: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Investigate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Subplot: Tesla

Subplot completed. 1 PP for Tesla.

Subplot: Reece Wells

Reece is unable to solve the issue right away, but he's got some leads. Subplot will continue into the next adventure. 1 PP for Reese.

I'm working on the next adventure. I'll go live middle of next week sometime, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Cool bananas.

Issue 2: The Counterstrike

The heroes have gathered together for the first time since the Kiener Plaza incident two weeks ago in their headquarters, still under construction in North St Louis. A meeting room is appointed with serviceable furniture, though the protective glass paneling has still not been installed in the frame walls. One of you is just now plugging the large monitor which hangs over one wall at the head of the table. Unexpectly, it not only turns on, but spurts to life as a data feed comes across the media server.

"Ah, heroes. Glad you're there." A rather robust looking African American gentlemen in his early 50s stands at the other end. Behind him, Atticus recognizes Danny Hanson.

"My name is Freeman Washington. I represent an organization known as AEGIS. I assume you're familiar with it?" A pause for acknowledgement or denial.

"In any event, we have a...situation that we could really use your help with. A few minutes ago, this video was delivered to our servers." The man flips a switch, and an image appears in a subscreen on your main screen.

The image on the screen shows the head and shoulders of a heavyset young man in green fatigues, a black ski mask, and gloves. It is unclear where the video was shot, but it was clearly done indoors under fluorescent lighting.
“Gentleman and ladies,” the man begins. “At approximately 7:00 this evening, armed associates of mine forcibly entered the residence of Professor Grant Petersen, taking him, his wife, and a house full of dinner guests hostage.
“If you have not met all of our demands by 9:00, I or one of my... associates will kill Professor Petersen." The man's hand glows with electric fire as he states this.
"At the stroke of every hour thereafter that our demands go unmet, they will kill another hostage. I hope I make myself clear.

“Our demands are that you deliver the following to the Petersen residence. First, a black nylon backpack containing $10 million in unmarked, nonsequential one-hundred-dollar bills. Second, an identical black nylon backpack containing the original manuscript of Die Handgeheimnisse. Please do not think to substitute a forgery or reproduction. My associates and I know how to identify the genuine article. Third, and finally, a fully fueled Bell model 212 helicopter. Instruct the pilot to land on the roof, leave the engine idling, disembark, and take the stairs down to the ground floor. We will not be needing his services for departure.

“I urge you to treat this matter with the utmost gravity. Our terms are quite non-negotiable, and my associates understand their assignment perfectly.
“Good evening.”

The screen flickers momentarily, then the image cuts to three men in a large, polished-wood-floored room that looks like an opulent foyer. One is older and dressed in gray robes. The second, a middle-aged gentleman dressed in a jacket and tie, is being held in a headlock by the third man, who appears who to be crafted of solid Marble.

“Help,” the grappled man says. His voice is hoarse and strained, as though he’s having trouble breathing through the other’s grip. “They’re serious. They haven’t. . . .”

The video ends abruptly.

When Theodore went and sent out those invitations to the others- Through various complicated methods, getting the one to Atticus was harder then he expected for some reason -he never expected anyone to actually show up. He had told his mother that he was 'borrowing' this place for a project a week back, and he felt relieved that she didn't press him on the matters aside from the occasional phone-call since moving in. He considered it oddly trusting of them, but he was ecstatic about the entire prospect

Clearing out the dust and reversing things back to how they were took up most his time while living here in one of the converted offices. Things were finally recognizable and non-hazardous by the time the first hero arrived, and he was glad for any assistance they offered. They were going to become an actual team... an actual team with a headquarters and everything! This really was the happiest moment of his life.

Until the video.

Suddenly the reality of what it meant by taking on the role of a supehero brought him back down to earth. There were hostages, villains with strange abilities, and a mysterious organization counting on them to fix it. Just how were they going to manage that?

Would I or anyone recognize the things mentioned, or the scientist involved? Would a check be required to get some more details?

"Oh dear..."

Atticus ponders this. If Aegis was bringing this problem to him and the band of misfits, it probably meant that the situation was volatile enough that any well-known cape would end up turning hostages into bodybags.

Not good.

"Danny, this that speck of nervousness I detected earlier?"

He didn't expect him to answer, now that their was official AEGIS business, but he did still poke fun at him out of habit.

"I think we've just received our first official request for assistance." Atticus dresses the others, wondering how they're dealing with this kind of situation before. He'd done a fair share of criminal activity, but until his recent switch had never really expected people to die. This had to be handled carefully, but quickly.

BTW, Atticus is now out of the wheelchair (retconned so that the wheelchair was performing minor surgery to repair his spine from an injury). Didn't want to be too Charles Xavier you know...

Reece had just flopped down in a chair when the monitor activated, a bit tired from helping with the rebuilding effort in the Plaza. He'd been trying to improve the group's image, showing that they were not another one of those superhero teams that just showed up when things went bad, smashed up the villain (along with the area) and left, but that they cared about the city and its people.

He straightened up when the AEGIS officials started talking and listened attentively, hiding his nervousness. "Do you know anything about this group, why they have targeted Professor Peterson or why they want this manuscript? It seems like an unusual request."

While the others of the group make the sounds of the talking, Tesla whips out his T-phone and spends one minutes to start several customized search engines running checks on the faces of the video he made of the video when it was playing.

Gather Information on bad guys, Contacts, take 10: 10 + 10 = 20

Then, just for fun, he runs a check on AEGIS.

Gather Information on AEGIS, Contacts, take 10: 10 + 10 = 20

Or if this an Investigation roll? I have a hard time telling the difference. They both are so ambiguous as to either be extremely useful or never used. :/

Rift leans back in her chair, her legs propped up on the table. Wearing her new costume which, whilst having much in common with what she wore during the ant-fight, now consists of a tight-fitting mesh-weave suit, complete with a face mask and large, tinted goggles. As the video springs to life, she pulls her feet down and leans forward, concentrating on the images flashing across the screen.

"Those poor people," she says, after the video stops. "We have to help them! Does anyone recognise where they were or who those thugs are? We've only got a couple of hours to do something!"

Rift's statement seems to jar a thought in Tesla, and he pipers up, "Ah, yes, Mr. Freemen, and what will be the remuneration for our services? Will you be retaining us under a short-term government contract, or a longer term contract with retainer? And of course you've prepared the diplomatic immunity clause to protect us from retaliatory legal battles, hm?"

Rift shoots a look over at Tesla, her eyes wide with shock. "Is that really important? Those people are in trouble!"

"Ah, Tesla is, of course, joking. We are ready to help in any way we can! We would just like to get more information so we can come up with a plan." Reece interjects even before Tesla has finished speaking, motioning to him to quiet below the range of visibility of the monitor.

"Tesla, they'll cover our asses. After all, they have to in order to cover there's. We'll figure out the final details later, but let's focus on the human lives currently. I'll pay you out of my trust if I have to, alright? I'm sure AEGIS will compensate us."

Welcome to issue #2 of Tesla and the Young-ins.

Theodore frowns under his mask, "Mr. Tesla, sir, as much as I respect your work, I'm honestly appalled you'd think about... compensation, in a case like this! Have you not read the legal codes regarding superheroics, either?" He shakes his head, dismissing that for now. "We have to act. Gather the facts, organize the evidence, construct a plan... All within a few hours. They'll be time for... whatever it is you want after the civilians are safe and criminals in custody. Sir, Mr. Washington, my name is Stopwatch. Is there anything your own people have been able to gather in regards to the video before we launch our own investigation?"

Sidenote, Stopwatch sounds different then to how he was during the initial crisis, but after two weeks you might not notice.

Well, thanks for spoiling the entire movie for me there Atlas, for one.

"What‽ I have no intention of... of killing anybody! That's for the law to decide, not us! And even if... an accident was to occur, I'll do whatever I can to set things back to how they were. I don't care for property damage as much as the next hero, but at least I'll be able to put things back if something happened."

He takes a breath, "And no, I don't expect to just be... paid by someone for this! I don't care if it's risking my own life, as long as I'll be helping people, then I'm perfectly happy going out there. And if you're seriously worried about money, you should know that it's usually donations that tend to make up the majority of a hero's 'income', if they even accepted any. Why is money even a subject of debate here, Mr. Tesla? You have your own entire company!"

Things are getting out of hand...

Atticus considers giving them all a mind whammy, at least commanding them to shut up for a minute, but that move tended to take a lot of others off the table.

"Stopwatch, Tesla has already conceded on the points of him being paid. As you said yourself, there is a delicate, volatile matter at hand. I suggest we move on to the point of diffusing the hostage situation first and foremost. Should all parties emerge unharmed, then we can debate and argue to our continued working relationship. If you or Tesla feel that walking away would be best, then you are free to do so now, or later. But since lives are at stake I recommend we take action, now."

He looks to Rift and Guardian, hoping they'll be reasonable.

"Do you know anything about this group, why they have targeted Professor Peterson or why they want this manuscript? It seems like an unusual request."

Washington slumped a bit, but kept looking straight ahead. "Peterson is an antiquities expert at Saint Louis University. It's possible they expected him to have a copy of the manuscript, and when he didn't, they went off. Why they need it, I have no idea..."

RL has been killer the last few days. I'll catch up on the questions later this evening.

He shakes his head lightly, "I have no plans to walk away from this, but you're right Hijack. There are more important matters at hand... Just why would they want this manuscript? They're already asking for money, so what purpose could it hold? Hmm..." He seems to mostly be talking to himself.

Would I or anyone recognize the things mentioned, or the scientist involved? Would a check be required to get some more details?

The only item unusual in their list of demands is "Die Handgeheimnisse". A quick computer check will tell you it's a German manual of sorcery, but not much about it in specific. A computer check might gain you more information, as might Knowledge/Arcane Lore.

Gather Information on bad guys, Contacts, take 10

Then, just for fun, he runs a check on AEGIS.
Gather Information on AEGIS, Contacts, take 10

Or if this an Investigation roll? I have a hard time telling the difference. They both are so ambiguous as to either be extremely useful or never used. :/

You turn up nothing on the baddies; there are a lot of lower end supers running around the world; it will take a little more digging to learn anything about them (this would be a potential example of investigation; if they were known villains, your quick check would have cut it).

AEGIS is a government organization at least nominally under congressional control tasked with monitoring and, when necessary, intervening in Super-hero activities. They've definitely got a dark side, though. Just your quick check turns up all sorts of conspiracy theories related to them, about 10% of which may be true.

In general, if information is known you can research it using GA or Computers, or other skills. If it's something only few people know, it will require investigate.

Mr. Washington seems a little befuddled by the haggling/bickering between Tesla and the others, but waits semi-patiently.

Sir, Mr. Washington, my name is Stopwatch. Is there anything your own people have been able to gather in regards to the video before we launch our own investigation?"[/b]

"Sorry, Stopwatch. We don't have much time on this one. We can feed you the address. Aside from that, you probably know about as much as we do."

"And, to address your concerns, Mr. Tesla," he says, "while we can't legally compensate you for your actions, there are many benefits to having connections to AEGIS among your community. We can discuss those over dinner sometime, but rest assured we can legally sanction your actions...up to a point. Be as careful with civilian life as you can, don't go vigilante and kill the villains, and we here at AEGIS can make sure your legal troubles are very few and far between."

"So, can we count on your help? Because I'm not sure we can handle this in time, and help from Freedom City is probably not coming...", Washington says, referring to the Freedom League.

I tried to address everything here, let me know if I missed an important point anyone made.

"Anything to earn a few points with HQ." Another playfully sarcastic remark.

"You guys really need to get your shit together though."

Reece nods at the screen. "Yes, of course, as I said we will help. One last thing; are there any plans to pay the ransom?"

Once they have signed off, he stands up and starts speaking quickly. "We need to get the professor's address and architectural plans for his house as well as an overview of the neighborhood so we can start making plans. I think our best option would be for Rift to open a portal nearby so that we can move in quickly to surprise them, unless anyone has any other ideas?"

"Of course we can help" Rift answers, shooting a glance over at Tesla. After Reece speaks she considers. "I can get us in if I can see where I'm going. If we can find a building nearby that overlooks the one they're in I could probably open a portal straight in there. I might be able to get the hostages out too if we can get to them without drawing too much attention, or if you can keep the bad guys occupied for a bit."

He nods at Reece, "Yes, it shouldn't be that hard for me to find blueprints for the residence after we have the address, and it'll certainly aid in our endeavors. If I can get a good angle on them, I might be able to pause several of them in order to buy us time to safely remove the hostages. Hijack, would you be able to aid in that endeavor, clouding their minds?"

"Doesn't work like that Stopwatch. My powers are pretty much giving the mind directions, you know: go here, drop that, be happy, hate your neighbor. Not really a stealth element to that."

"Hm. How about, 'pretend we don't exist'? Or, just trying to have them help us instead using your commands?"

"Yes, telling the marble man to let go of a hostage and hit the man in the robes would be extremely useful." Reece adds as he pulls out his laptop and starts checking on anything he can find about Professor Petersen. "But it will really depend on the situation."

The others hear a pleasant female voice start reading the results of his search as he continues to type, not appearing to look at the screen at all.

Computer: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Theodore comes up behind Reece's shoulder, and tries to help by pointing out various things and recommending a few links.

Computer Assist: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Least, I _think_ you can assist a check... If not, treat this as my own check I suppose.

SON OF A...don't have a copy of the material I need to answer that roll. I'll reply tonight after I get home, about 5 hours from now.

As Stopwatch walks up behind Guardian to help him, he discovers that the monitor on the computer is blank, apparently disabled somehow...

Computer Check Results on Grant Petersen

Grant Petersen is an expert in the identification, reclamation, and preservation of relics and curios. He has earned nearly a dozen advanced degrees from the most prestigious universities in the Western Hemisphere, and he is considered among the most knowledgeable people on the planet in areas ranging from antiquarian books to xenobiological models. His wife is Audrey Petersen, a well-educated, urbane woman—the perfect life mate for the professor. She and Grant did their undergraduate and masters studies together, then got married the summer
before they planned to begin work on their Ph.D. degrees.

They've been working at St Louis University for 5 years, though both teach on-line classes for other schools, as well.

"Where's our entry point going to be? Rift, you have to see the place you're opening gateways to correct? does that work through windows and such?"

"Hmm... Let me see if I can locate some plans for the house.." Using the address AEGIS transmits, he uses the main computer terminal to search through various websites and databases. If he locates anything useful for the team, he sends it to the monitors for everyone to get a clear look. Well, almost everyone.

'I'll need to come up with something for him...' He thinks absently, pondering the dilemma of helping a blind man see.

Computers: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

"Windows are fine," Rift responds, "just so long as I can see where I'm going."

"A rooftop entry might be an option..."

Atticus began to think. When he was under the employ of some low-level super villains, he was let in on the scheme process so he could know which targets to whammy. Even though this was AEGIS sanctioned and on the side of justice, the operation was essentially a kidnapping with high level security and no room for error.

Let's see...we need an access and exit point. Extraction of all hostages would be ideal, either that or disabling all hostiles. Wouldn't be a bad idea to prepare their demands either, just in case.

Atticus relays his ponderings to his teammates.

Turns out the rooftop and a window would be the same option...Petersen lives on the 11th floor of a loft in Midtown. You won't realistically be able to see in a window from ground level (well, not on his floor anyway; you could get into someone else's apartment, but that would be inadvisable). You could also get into the lobby or some other common area on the 1st floor and approach via the stairs or elevator.

The building was recently renovated into the lofts; current plans are not online. However, you are able to find a basic structural map.

The building is 125' on a side; assuming the penthouse takes up the entire top floor, entering from any angle should get you into Petersen's property. The front of the building contains the elevator and stairwells. On the penthouse floor, there should be a hallway right behind that, and then the larger living area will be behind that.

Could we get onto the roof of a nearby building to see into the apartment?