Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Issue 31: Of Heat and Heaters!


Big City, the Bronx. Investigation Day One. 11:06pm

Kairos leapt through the rear window of the burning building and crashed into one of the knife-wielding gangsters with his steel staff! KRAK! The thug fell hard to the ground, unconscious!
The three remaining crooks were surprised by Kairos’ sudden appearance.

Then Lightning Strike concentrated and an aura of white electricity flickered around him in crackling arcs of lightning!* BZZZZTTTTTTTT!

Suddenly, two men rushed into the room with Tommy guns. “What the hell?” one said, squinting at Lightning Strike who was expecting them.

“Eighty-six that freak!” snarled one of the crooks near the window, pointing at the electric avenger.

The Tommygunners opened fire on Lightning Strike at point blank range! The sound was deafening!
BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDA!

One gunner shot wide, startled by the impossible electricity surrounding Strike. But the other killer was experienced and calm. He hit Strike squarely in the chest! (12 points of damage! 6 off power points, 6 off hit points.)

The other three gangsters closed on Kairos with knives and clubs! Two clubs struck the young hero! POW! SLAM! (10 points damage! 7 off power points. 3 off hit points.)

Suddenly, there was the sickening crunch of a beam giving way, K-K-K-K-KKKKK, and then collapsing KRASHHH! Half the ceiling caved in, opening the room to the third floor, which was a raging inferno!
Two of the crooks closest to Kairos were buried alive in the flaming wreckage, screaming all the while: one club and one knife.

A deadly wave of crushing heat descended and good air was now hard to come by.

“Ice ‘em!” yelled Kairos’ lone crook to the two Tommygunners.

The floor started to creak.

(OOC: Actions? *LS spent his action activating his Lightning Control defense, which is a pretty good defense against HTH attacks. It stays on until he wishes to end it, at no additional power cost.)

Meanwhile, Slingshot threw his hand at the trio’s leader and expanded it to completely engulf the killer in a living coffin of rubber flesh! The impact knocked the gun from his hands, and Slingshot could feel him wriggling helplessly in his gigantic grip!

The other two thugs swore on the Virgin Mary and opened fire. BUDDABUDDABUDDABUDDA!
The Tommyguns roared as both triggermen coolly laced lead across Slingshot’s black rubber hide!
(20 points of damage! 8 bounce off from Invulnerability. 8 from power points. 4 from hit points.)

When the bullets stopped, the two gunmen peered through the smoke and saw the big man still standing. “Jesus,” one gasped.

Then the crash of a major structural collapse came from the rear of the building and flames were visible, licking the back wall. Slingshot felt the temperature rising.

(OOC: Actions?)

Meanwhile, Sentinel bound the unconscious hit man atop the roof and radioed CHESS. Neither Kirk nor Drake had heard of a Dexter Sinister before and Drake said he’d run the name. Drake didn’t reply to Sentinel’s apology.

Sentinel took to the rain-filled sky and got a better sense of the scale of the fire that raged across the back of the store! In the distance he heard sirens. Below him, within the burning building, he heard the unmistakable racket of Tommygun fire, followed by the sound of a floor collapsing!

The range of Sentinel’s Energy Sense did not allow him to encompass the entire building at once, but by flying around the building, he believed he covered it. His scans detected the following:

Flames were eating greedily into the adjacent building wherein Kirk detected people!
Sentinel got the location of Lightning Strike and Slingshot. LS was surrounded by fire!
Blue Comet was nowhere on the scene.
Sentinel did not detect a bomb or anything else irregular with his Energy Sense.
There were well over a dozen “normal” people inside his target building. Six on the second floor. At least four on the first floor. Four or five in the basement.
There were three extranormals in the target building. Slingshot, Lightning Strike and an unidentified extranormal near Lightning Strike!
Sentinel could tell the overwhelming heat and flames were obscuring his energy senses!

OOC: Actions?
Vanguard’s Current Condition:
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 34 Power Points: 53
Kairos: Hit Points: 41 Power Points: 66
Slingshot: Hit Points: 51 Power Points: 80 Invulnerability: 0 (returns in Issue 33)
Sentinel: Hit Points: 20 Power Points: 52 Armor Shields: Full

Good thing it’s a Silver Age campaign and you can use power points to roll with damage from bullets!

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Sentinel:
OOC: Couple of questions: Has the adjacent building also caught fire already or merely in danger of catching fire. If it has caught fire, how bad? Are the people fleeing the building already? Is it commercial or residential? (i.e. if people aren't on the way out might it have a fire alarm to trigger to get people out?) Are there proper fire escapes? Does this building appear to be a normal building unlike the "abandoned" target building?
How bad is the target building ablaze currently? Are there fire escapes from the second floor?

Are these buildings located near the waterfront so that I might be able to create a funnel and get a major dousing of water this direction to put out the blaze or is a major source of water beyond where my "reach" could extend?

Can I assume that when my shields are up they will prevent damage from the fire - and since I generate an inner atmosphere I would be protected from the smoke inhalation and such? How does it work against this sort of fire? Does it matter if I'm stationary or stay in motion once entering the building?

Are my hit points so much lower because I haven't fully healed from the last mission? I'm assuming that but I was just checking.
Thanks.

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Slingshot:
He looked around more than a little worried. Slingshot was a tough cookie. He could take a beating like few others. Being made of rubber did have its advantages. He shrugged the bullets. Yes they hurt, but it would have killed a normal man several times over. He had but a few flesh wounds. [ooc: Ni!]

Being made of rubber had its inconveniences too. Heat and fire were cut right through him like a hot knife in butter. He had to get out, and get out fast, but he wasn't going to let these goons run around rampant with tommyguns in their hands.

With a snarl, he projected his voice over the roar of the fire. "Drop the guns and I'll let you go. Keep the guns and I'll tear down the roof around your heads." To punctuate his speech, he expanded his remaining fist and made a motion towards the ceiling.

[ooc]
So if they call my bluff, I'll simply slap/hit one of them. I'll hit him in such a way that if there's any knockback, it'll send him out of the building towards safety.
[/ooc]

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OOC GM Replies to Sentinel:
Q: Has the adjacent building also caught fire already or merely in danger of catching fire?
A: Already caught fire. Quote: "Flames were eating greedily into the adjacent building"

Q: If it has caught fire, how bad?
A: Just beginning. Maybe 10% of the adjacent building is burning.

Q: Are the people fleeing the building already? Is it commercial or residential? (ie if people aren't on the way out might it have a fire alarm to trigger to get people out?) Are there proper fire escapes? Does this building appear to be a normal building unlike the "abandoned" target building?
A: Residential, and people in the building are starting to flee. Energy Sense shows some are moving slowly, maybe just waking up. Some are motionless, and you assume them to still be sleeping. No fire alarm has triggered. The adjacent building is a tenement slum, near an abandoned building. Sentinel wouldn't be surprised if it had no fire alarm. (If only Forester were here to play O'Neill and Adams' 1970's Green Arrow to your Green Lantern! )

Q: How bad is the target building ablaze currently? Are there fire escapes from the second floor?
A: Target building is 35% ablaze, centered on the back third of the building (where Lightning Strike and Kairos are). There are side-facing fire escapes from the second floor.


Q: Are these buildings located near the waterfront so that I might be able to create a funnel and get a major dousing of water this direction to put out the blaze or is a major source of water beyond where my "reach" could extend?
A: Harlem River is far from here, but closer than the East River. A funnel would be beyond the range of your power. BUT your current number of creation points could lift one ton! You could create a giant vessel that could carry one ton of water from the river. To do this, your shields would be used to form this vessel and you'd have no protection, if that matters. The vessel could fly(!) and you'd just need to attach yourself to it, or stand on top of it. Or you could carry half a ton of water and have energy armor at half-power. There is no power point cost to change the shape of your already existing energy shields.

Q: Can I assume that when my shields are up they will prevent damage from the fire - and since I generate an inner atmosphere I would be protected from the smoke inhalation and such? How does it work against this sort of fire? Does it matter if I'm stationary or stay in motion once entering the building?
A: The fire will damage your shields, but they should hold for a while. You can breath inside the energy construct, even when surrounded by fire. Stationery or moving won't matter much.

Q: Are my hit points so much lower because I haven't fully healed from the last mission?
A: No. Those are your full hit points. Everyone is fully healed from last mission, thanks to Doc Rocket! Your hit points are lower than other player characters because when building your character, you bought lots of big super powers, and no "heightened abilities" (heightened strength, endurance, etc.) to raise your stats and therefore raise your hit points.
Fortunately, one of your big superpowers is the ability to create regenerating energy armor, so you are incredibly well protected!
If it's more hit points you crave, the next time you go up a level, don't buy a new big superpower, buy Heightened Endurance. But like I said, you can take lots of damage already.

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OOC GM Replies to Slingshot:
[ooc] So if they call my bluff, I'll simply slap/hit one of them. I'll hit him in such a way that if there's any knockback, it'll send him out of the building towards safety. [/ooc]

GM Question: Just so I know, so I can continue the narrative...
-If they agree, will you let them go?
-Does 'letting them go' include the captive inside your giant hand?
-What if they insist on it including the captive inside your giant hand?
Thanks

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Slingshot:
> GM Question: Just so I know, so I can continue the narrative...
No problem.

> -If they agree, will you let them go?
Yes, I'm a man of my word.

> -Does 'letting them go' include the captive inside your giant hand?
No.

> -What if they insist on it including the captive inside your giant hand?

I'll promise that he'll live, but if they continue pursuing this, they won't. (more bluster). If we stalemate, my character's concern of fire will make him act.

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Sentinel:
Couple of more clarifications so I can figure out what Kirk would do here:
Are there proper fire escapes?
You didn't answer that about the residential building. Also about how many stories high are these buildings (sorry if you told us and I forgot it).

A: Harlem River is far from here, but closer than the East River. A funnel would be beyond the range of your power. BUT your current number of creation points could lift one ton! You could create a giant vessel that could carry one ton of water from the river. To do this, your shields would be used to form this vessel and you'd have no protection, if that matters. The vessel could fly(!) and you'd just need to attach yourself to it, or stand on top of it.Or you could carry half a ton of water and have energy armor at half-power. There is no power point cost to change the shape of your already existing energy shields

Three questions:
(1) Given that I'm not a speedy flier, could I get there and back with the water in a turn? If not, how long would I be out of the action here. Kirk has to balance his need to not abandon his teammates or the mission with his need to help the innocents here. Given his character (and his weakness), helping the people in the building is more important, but if it would take him out to long, then he might reason otherwise.

(2) Seth is stupid here ... exactly how much water is a ton - how well does Kirk think this will handle the blaze - could he potential put out the flames on the residential building and also douse enough of the bordering area of the target building to prevent it from catching ablaze again. Might it be enough to put out the target building too? Is it too little to even definitely put out the residential building? Thanks.

(3) On game rules, whatever you say regarding the weight I wouldn't argue about, but I don't understand why Kirk couldn't remain inside the construct and still be offered his protection. Currently the idea would be to have a huge fire truck rise out of the River with him at the helm - why couldn't he be in the truck construct and be offered the shielding protection?

If the rest of the stats above work, he'll do it with or without the shielding protection, I'm just trying to understand why that wouldn't be possible under the "rules".

A: No. Those are your full hit points. Everyone is fully healed from last mission, thanks to Doc Rocket!Your hit points are lower than other player characters because when building your character, you bought lots of big super powers, and no "heightened abilities" (heightened strength, endurance, etc.) to raise your stats and therefore raise your hit points.Fortunately, one of your big superpowers is the ability to create regenerating energy armor, so you are incredibly well protected!If it's more hit points you crave, the next time you go up a level, don't buy a new big superpower, buy Heightened Endurance. But like I said, you can take lots of damage already.Guess I was just surprised that some of the others hit points are so much more. Right now we'll have to go with natural character development with his mental senses, but when he gets time it seems like he'd definitely take advantage of training with Sgt Stone (how could he not) physically and perhaps some Chess training, although it will likely take some time before it could show in the stats with him pursuing the other stuff too.
Thanks.

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OOC GM Replies:
Q: Are there proper fire escapes? You didn't answer that about the residential building. Also about how many stories high are these buildings (sorry if you told us and I forgot it).
A: Sorry, the residential building has fire escapes. Target building is 3 stories tall. Tenement slum next to it is 4 stories.

Q: Given that I'm not a speedy flier, could I get there and back with the water in a turn? If not, how long would I be out of the action here.
A: You could probably be back in 2 turns, or approximately 30 seconds.

Q: exactly how much water is a ton
A: One gallon of water weighs 8.36 pounds. So a ton of water is 239 gallons! A firehouse sprays 100-250 gallons per minute. So, it's a lot but not like a swimming pool, which holds up to 10,000 gallons. It should go a fair way to stopping the fires in both buildings, though. He could also make several trips.

Q: I don't understand why Kirk couldn't remain inside the construct and still be offered his protection.
A: If your creation points are being used to lift a ton of water and transport it, they need to be engineered to do that safely. The way to carry the most water possible (one ton) would be to create a giant cup, like the top of a water tower.
So your points are going into structural support, a big bowl shape, etc. They are spread out, away from you.
You might get a little protection being inside of a small area of the construct, but nothing close to what your armor normally gives you.
Example:
Let's say you built a bridge with all your points. And you placed yourself into the bridge's main support column.
It might give some protection. A foe would need to chop through the column to reach you.
But that would require a lot less damage than if he had to destroy most of the entire bridge to start to hurt you, which is what he has to do if you placed all those construction points into armor and not a bridge. Now, if you had to lift a one ton weight that was man-shaped, that might be different, because you wouldn't need to spread all your points out, away from you, to capture and support the ungainly size of the object. Hope that helps.

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Kairos:
Kairos will yell, "Follow me or you'll die when this building collapses on top of you!" while pointing to the obvious and starting toward the windows with his grappling hook and line out and ready to anchor.

If they look like they're going to follow without violence, he'll anchor the hook and usher them down, ready to jump out the window to the ground without the aid of a line, if necessary.

If they attack, he'll go ahead and make quick work of them with his staff and then drag them to the window and lower them both without a lot of tenderness to the ground with the line and then get down himself in whatever manner seems necessary at the time.

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Sentinel:
Kirk was unfazed by Drake’s lack of reply to his apology. In fact, he would have been shocked had he received any acknowledgment of either his verbal slight or his apology from Drake; he would expect no less from the consummate professional. But he also knew that Drake mentally kept track of it all, never forgetting. The only way to reply to a prejudice as strong as his was constant positive reinforcement over time.

As Kirk took in the situation, he almost wished he hadn't done so. His heart wanted to leap to the side of his teammates; his head told him that the most important thing was the mission, but his soul had to respond to the residential building and the innocents in it; saving them had to be top priority.

He flew at top speed (wishing he was faster) to the closest water having calculated the time to get there and back and the amount of the precious liquid he could bring to extinguish the blaze. It was his hope to douse the flames of the residential building totally and to put a big dent in the inferno that was the target building.

Witnesses would speak of a young glowing caped man descending from the skies to the water, a beacon of light blazing through the smoky sky. The lone figure came to reside on the surface of the water, astonishingly standing without sinking. His arms outstretched the bright energies flowed from them leaving him touching the surface of the water and reaching into it. Onlookers would speak of the awesome sight, as a bright red fire engine began to emerge from the waters, written across its side in big bold letters was an emblem, “Vanguard Supports the Bronx Fire Department”. The young man leapt aboard the out of place vessel which promptly took to the sky zooming towards the source of the smoke.

Upon reentering the space of the buildings Sentinel will attempt to deploy the water first to the residential building, and then once that fire is doused to the target building. If it seems that Sentinel can somehow deploy the water to the target building in a way to assist his teammates he will attempt to do so.

OOC: From what you said this would likely take two turns, so if something else happens between the time of Kirk leaving and his arriving back that would affect his decision, we can deal with it then, but this is his game plan. Hope I didn't forget anything pertinent.

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Lightning Strike:
Lightning Strike looks around the rapidly collapsing room. He moves to head to the doorway where the two thugs ran in from. He calmly reaches out to thug who shot him and says. "I hope you know that machine guns are excellent conductors." Lightning Strike's goal is to grab the gun and then run electricity through it to shock the gunsel into unconsciousness. I could simply blast him but this looks cooler. LS will also keep the electrical defense up.

After he shocks the thug, he will attempt to exit the room hoping that Kairos will do the same. The eventual goal is to head downstairs and find more crooks to interrogate.