Vanguard had awoken from a madhouse into a strange, otherworldly landscape where they now fought the Crimson Coven for their team mate Avatar!
The Warlock goaded his craven colleagues on! “Yes! Bring the Avatar to his knees! Break him, I command it! Break him ASUNDER!”
Avatar, swordless, battered and besieged, readied his bow from behind the living citadel of Clones! "Powers of the Pantheon, you want? Powers of the Pantheon you may have, then! Ares and Apollo guide these shafts!" The myrmidon of mythology loosed his arrow at the Warlock! thoooo THUNK! The arrow impaled Warlock’s shoulder! The unshielded sorcerer was badly hurt!
Avatar, with the speed of winged Mercury, nocked another arrow and loosed it at the Golem from point blank range! Thooo KRAK! The missile shattered on his impervious hide!
Talon chased the Fallen unrelentingly and slashed again with his savage claws! His and Zephyr’s attacks through the battle had finally taken their toll! SKASH! The Fallen’s damaged helm flew loose revealing nothing beneath it! The black, battle damaged armor, fell to the earth! It was empty! The unholy eyes within the empty great helm were extinguished and a grey vapor left with an evil hiss! The Fallen was no more!
“Good riddance!” said Zephyr.
Soldier followed Zephyr to aid the beleaguered Avatar! But at the Witch’s shriek, he turns to face her.
"Apparently the old bag's a lot tougher than she looks." He leveled the smartgun and fired two explosive rounds in her vicinity! BLAM! BLAMM! KA-BLOOM!!
The Witch screamed like a harpy until she was knocked off her feet from the concussion, and knocked unconscious!
Zephyr said, “I can see again!” Then she said, “Mat, er, Soldier, over there!” and pointed beyond him.
Soldier scanned the area quickly before joining Avatar’s side. When he did, his optical scans picked something up. “Dragon’s an illusion!” he shouted to Vanguard!
Menagerie lifted his big wolf’s head from Superstition, and shook the scent of fear and blood from his nose to confirm what Soldier’s cybernetic eyes detected.
Soldier yelled, “There’s someone in…”
Black Dragon, the human master of martial arts, suddenly leapt from the center of the dragon illusion, like a man passing through a veil! In mid air, he kicked Symbiote’s jaw! CHOK! But Symbiote wasn’t taken by surprise. (13 points of damage! Rolls with 6 and takes 7 from hits!)
Symbiote had doubted the dragon’s existence and was ready. The skeptical super scientist charged his body with electricity so that when Black Dragon struck him, he was electrocuted! KRAKOW!! Black Dragon cried out and crashed to the earth unconscious!
The Warlock could only watch as four Coven members fell in an instant! The tide was turning against him, and he was helpless to stop it!
Lightning Strike saw the Warlock staggered and pressed the offensive. "It was scum like you that took away my loved ones. You want power Warlock!! Feel my power and burn in hell!!" With lightning crackling all over his form, the electric avenger fired a mighty blast into Warlock! SHAKOW! The leader of the Coven fell to his knees, his eyes still open!
Menagerie pounced upon him, his fangs biting deep as he knocked the black-hearted wizard to the ground, his hands flailing.
Clone finished the job, using five of his bodies to systematically beat the prostrate Warlock into unconsciousness with grim determination!
The Golem suddenly stopped his attacks on Avatar. The orange lines that were inscribed across his body (see his image) glowed brighter and then faded into nothingness! He was frozen, lifeless. A mammoth sculpture hewn from rock! The Dragon illusion dissolved like black smoke in a strong wind. Plague stopped reforming his unnatural body, and the insects that composed it scattered. Menagerie couldn’t pick up Mirage’s scent. Soldier and Zephyr detected no other illusions. Vanguard was victorious against the Crimson Coven!
Meanwhile, over the nightmare-scape of the misty wastes…
Sentinel and Slingshot just barely reached each other via Sentinel’s energy construct tendril AND a Slingshot super-stretched limb! Scott reeled Sentinel in and the unlikely trio gazed at the city they were hurtling towards. The elastic engineer did not recognize its silhouette. The architectural style was different than anything he’d seen before, even at the Lost Lands or on the Star Giant. But entwined within it were elements that reminded him of Hellenic Greek architecture!
The wind rushing at them, the city growing closer. Baron Samedi laughed, “You have no idea what you are getting into, do ya boys?! Ha! Hahahahaha!”
Sentinel silently scanned Samedi and found no energy connecting him to Slingshot. Samedi’s hat seemed mundane in purpose, if not in appearance. But Samedi himself read like the Gang of the Living Dead beneath Lonely Town! The crazed Cajun was undead!
Slingshot looked at Samedi, an icy smile on his face, "So your response to me saving you from certain death is this? Did you not just figure out that..", Scott raises his volume to full shout, "..PISSING ME OFF MIGHT NOT BE THE HEALTHY THING TO DO RIGHT NOW!" He resumes his calm voice, "So if you're not interested in becoming a splatter or better yet squished little rag doll, you might want to start talking and make yourself helpful for a change little man."
Baron Samedi’s eyes and lips were filled with a reckless, manic, terrible mirth. The houngan of horror had no fear of physical threats!
Sentinel tried to read his surface thoughts and failed! Whether due to his undead nature or some other reason, Sentinel couldn’t tell! The beacon of liberty asked:
"What are your intentions with Avatar and what is the ultimate goal of your group?"
"What is the connection between your group and the city and your current attack on Vanguard?"
"What does your group fear most that Vanguard can do here to win this battle?"
Baron Samedi laughed! “Hahahaha, pray dat you never read my @#$%&* toughts, boy! I don’t tink you could withstand dem!”
WHUMP! With that the trio landed on the cracked ground of the barren wilderness a quarter mile from the city! From here they could see the mysterious megalopolis at last! A massive city of an impossibly advanced civilization, cast in ruin! (imagine Asgard after Ragnarok, if you dare!) The city and the dream it represented were utterly broken asunder. Within the fallen towers could clearly be seen Greek motifs in the unrecognizable, futuristic architecture. The materials seemed like stone and metal. Sentinel detected no energy source within his range, save the trail he followed from the Battle of the Unseen Pentagram. It led into the heart of the silent necropolis!
(OOC: In the sight of this, Sentinel makes his Cool roll, and Slingy barely misses it.)
The pliable powerhouse was awed. His limbs and jaw went slack as he stared at the cataclysm of the ancients!
Baron Samedi stepped out from Slingshot’s loosening coils with a rooster’s swagger but made no threatening moves. “Hahahaaha! Now you see it, boy! Dat’s right!”
“We are at De Crossroads, child. De intersection of every-ting! De edge of $%&* forever and not-ting! Here, where de walls between de worlds are tinnest, de Loa dwelled!” the scarecrow undertaker laughed, removing his top hat and bowing to the mighty ruin in a mockery of respect.
“But no more!” His stood back up and put his hat over his heart for a moment of silence.
“De Avatar is all dat is left of dem. He holds deir @#$%&* power wit-in him!” His eyes grew animated and wild, and his neck craned his skull face closer! The hat rode his dark nimble fingers and returned atop his crown.
“Long has de Avatar been missing but now he is returned! De Coven wants de awesome power of the Loa for deir own! Dey will not rest until dey wring it from the boy! To dat end, you were pulled to dis place by Warlock’s voodoo!”
“By now your friend is as broken as his birt-place. The unimagined power of de gods will be ours! Haahahaahaha!”
OOC:
Replies/Actions/ Plans?
Slingshot is no longer stunned.
The Warlock, the Golem, the Fallen, Demonoid, Black Dragon, the Witch, Le Fou, and Superstition are unconscious or incapacitated!
Okmenhotep, the Wraith, Plague and Mirage are missing in action!
Veni Vidi Vanguard!
Jeff
--------------------------
Current Conditions:
Avatar Hit Points: 25 Power Points: 27 Manifesting: Heightened Strength and Speed
Clone Bodies: 12 Hit Points: 1 each Power Points: 28 Hit Pool: 12
Lightning Strike Hit Points: 36 Power Points: 51
Menagerie Hit Points: 14 Power Points: 46 Form: Wolf
Sentinel Hit Points: 19 Power Points: 18 Shields: 28 Creation Points: 36
Slingshot Hit Points: 44 Power Points: 73 Invulnerability: 8
Soldier Hit Points: 19 Power Points: 61 Invulnerability: 8 Evading til 126 Symbiote Hit Points: 18 Power Points: 54 Charges: 13 Copied: Strike
Talon Hit Points: 38 Power Points: 43
Zephyr Hit Points: 13 Power Points: 58 Charges: 9 Armor: 25
--------------------------------------------------
Soldier:
With the visible member of the Coven out of commission, Soldier will do a quick scan of the area to ensure there are no more surprises lingering. If he detects nothing, he'll look for something to tie up the unconscious members of the Coven, looking for any signs they're regaining consciousness. As he's doing so, he'll check with his teammates to make sure everyone's Okay, and see what their plan of action is.
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Ack.. Cool rolls are going to be a bitch.
Seth, what do you think? I'm half in, half out. I can lend you mobility and strenght, but I might not be able to make the Cool rolls. I say ditch this guy. I don't know he's an undead mind you (that would give me the option to break his legs and leave him there so he stays out of the way). Then we could go in.
He might be helpful if we find something that scares him more than what he has now. Otherwise, he's mostly a liability.
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC:
On the cool rolls, the percentages are still in your favor on the rolls and if not, we deal. Kirk blew his cool roll in the cave on the last adventure ... so if it happens Kirk will do his best to assist until you snap out of it., and he can still blow it here too.
Here's the post, if you want to discuss anything more, let me know. Per below, Kirk will do his best to make sure you know anything he picks up as soon as it happens so in case he is taken out of things, you know what he does to proceed. I tried to separate new stuff from the issue with bold letters, so hopefully the email cooperates and you get it that way.
Although I'm cool with the two of us doing this, it's driving me crazy that we're missing all the (hopefully) good stuff happening and everyone's posts and interaction in the big battle ... I'm looking forward to reading 125a ... (damn that mail service for losing my issue!!! :) )
Seth
IC:
Gazing at the city: “Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?” Kirk uttered softly from memory and added, “How the mighty have fallen,” with a note of sadness in his voice.
Baron Samedi laughed! “Hahahaha, pray dat you never read my @#$%&* toughts, boy! I don’t tink you could withstand dem!”
Kirk gazed at the crazy Cajun steadily to play down his energetic crazed dialogue and answered in a deadpan tone, “Oh, you’d be surprised what I can withstand.”
Samedi said, “…By now your friend is as broken as his birt-place. The unimagined power of de gods will be ours! Haahahaahaha!”
As Samedi continued his laugh, this time Kirk joined in. Not in the manic style of Samedi, but rather a steady laugh of someone amused at the irony of the situation. He does this until (hopefully) Samedi quiets down for a moment to try to figure what could be possessing Sentinel so.
Kirk then began to speak (giving Slingshot a moment to steady himself as they both took in the situation), “Well you have to admit, it’s sort of amusing that here you are claiming this place is “where ‘de Loa’ dwelled”, that with your motif, clearing advocating the belief of a monotheistic God even though you’d serve his enemy, what, with you being undead (and as he said those words he shot a quick glance to Slingshot) and evil and all, but then in the next sentence you speak of claiming his power, power that is attributed to Pantheon of Greek Gods. Sort of hard to keep the ‘god game’ straight … must be especially true among the Coven with so many of you apparently ascribing to different divine theories… but oh well, to each his own… and in this case, his own ‘God or gods’.”
“So Samedi, since this all seems to be a big ‘kick’ for you, since you’ve already been to the city there, you’ve got to have some last minute advice for those of us ‘going to meet our maker’ for the first time?”
Kirk hoped to get Samedi to reveal at least some of what he knew about what they would find as they entered the city.
Kirk continues to be ‘energy alert’ with Samedi to be sure there is no sneak attack on them as they leave. Unless Samedi further speech gives them reason to believe otherwise, he agrees with Slingshot that there is no reason to bring him to the city and he would just continue to be too big a wildcard if they brought him into the unknown they face. Given Samedi’s apparent lack of quick mobility, unless he makes a move against them, it would be up to Slingshot if he wants to ‘take him out’ as we don’t know if he has any other tricks up his sleeve and time is of the essence here if we hope to do something to assist in the battle.
On the entrance, Kirk will direct Slingshot along the energy trail to take them in Hulk-style as previously suggested and let him know of any readings he gets including if any live beings are detected as they approach in case it would be prudent to change things as they get closer. Time continues to be of the essence. Although Kirk’s power and shields are at a low, if there is an attack that occurs and he can intercept to protect the two of them he will do.
And Kirk couldn’t help but thinking if this is the crossroads of all reality, he’d love to find the path to allow him alternate access to ‘his energy’ by a method different than the norm and get back what was leeched from him or more.
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie turns into his human form. "Vanguard, we have vanquished our foes but at the expense of two of our members. Avatar, our foe was familiar with you; do you know them or this realm? The most puzzling issue is ‘Why are we still here’?”
Menagerie will use his senses to try to figure out how this realm works and where Sentinel and Slingshot are.
“Does anyone have the ability to contact or find Sentinel and Slingshot?”
[OOC] Does Menagerie’s senses give him any clues on finding Sentinel and Slingshot or why Vanguard is still in this realm. I don’t believe Menagerie knows which direction Sentinel and Slingshot left in, so he can’t go in that direction.
Does this realm contain normal smells that Vanguard brought with them? In other words, Could Menagerie change into his wolf form and follow them by smell? I know they flew, so I wouldn’t expect a scent trail on the ground.
So currently Menagerie will hold any actions he has and wait to follow another Vanguard’s lead or what his senses tell him.
Best
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC:
Menagerie and Vanguard saw which direction Slingshot and Sentinel went in: "North" on the map.
The shamanic skinwalker's Wolf form can detect human scents in this mysterious realm.
Menagerie's Occult Skill tells him Vanguard's continued presence in this realm could imply that someone or something other than the Crimson Coven is behind this.
In that case, they would be what's keeping Vanguard here.
Or, one of the escaped members of the Coven is keeping Vanguard here but from what Menagerie observed, he doesn't believe any of them have the power to do it.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie turns into his human form. "Vanguard, we have vanquished our foes but at the expense of two of our members. Avatar, our foe was familiar with you; do you know them or this realm? The most puzzling issue is ‘Why are we still here’? “
“It would appear the Crimson Coven was not responsible for holding us here. We need to investigate whether they had tapped into a mystical power source or if they have an unseen ally.”
Menagerie will use his senses to try to figure out how this realm works and where Sentinel and Slingshot are.
“Does anyone have the ability to contact or find Sentinel and Slingshot?”
“I saw them head North. In my wolf form I can pick up human scents. If no one has a better method to track them, I would suggest I turn back into a wolf and attempt to find them by following their smell.”
If no better method is offered by the rest of Vanguard, Menagerie will change into a wolf. He will head North attempting to track Sentinel and Slingshot by smell. He will make sure that he travels at a speed that all of Vanguard can follow him.
Happy Thanksgiving to Vanguard
Tom
Avatar, swordless, battered and besieged, readied his bow from behind the living citadel of Clones! "Powers of the Pantheon, you want? Powers of the Pantheon you may have, then! Ares and Apollo guide these shafts!" The myrmidon of mythology loosed his arrow at the Warlock! thoooo THUNK! The arrow impaled Warlock’s shoulder! The unshielded sorcerer was badly hurt!
Avatar, with the speed of winged Mercury, nocked another arrow and loosed it at the Golem from point blank range! Thooo KRAK! The missile shattered on his impervious hide!
Talon chased the Fallen unrelentingly and slashed again with his savage claws! His and Zephyr’s attacks through the battle had finally taken their toll! SKASH! The Fallen’s damaged helm flew loose revealing nothing beneath it! The black, battle damaged armor, fell to the earth! It was empty! The unholy eyes within the empty great helm were extinguished and a grey vapor left with an evil hiss! The Fallen was no more!
“Good riddance!” said Zephyr.
Soldier followed Zephyr to aid the beleaguered Avatar! But at the Witch’s shriek, he turns to face her.
"Apparently the old bag's a lot tougher than she looks." He leveled the smartgun and fired two explosive rounds in her vicinity! BLAM! BLAMM! KA-BLOOM!!
The Witch screamed like a harpy until she was knocked off her feet from the concussion, and knocked unconscious!
Zephyr said, “I can see again!” Then she said, “Mat, er, Soldier, over there!” and pointed beyond him.
Soldier scanned the area quickly before joining Avatar’s side. When he did, his optical scans picked something up. “Dragon’s an illusion!” he shouted to Vanguard!
Menagerie lifted his big wolf’s head from Superstition, and shook the scent of fear and blood from his nose to confirm what Soldier’s cybernetic eyes detected.
Soldier yelled, “There’s someone in…”
Black Dragon, the human master of martial arts, suddenly leapt from the center of the dragon illusion, like a man passing through a veil! In mid air, he kicked Symbiote’s jaw! CHOK! But Symbiote wasn’t taken by surprise. (13 points of damage! Rolls with 6 and takes 7 from hits!)
Symbiote had doubted the dragon’s existence and was ready. The skeptical super scientist charged his body with electricity so that when Black Dragon struck him, he was electrocuted! KRAKOW!! Black Dragon cried out and crashed to the earth unconscious!
The Warlock could only watch as four Coven members fell in an instant! The tide was turning against him, and he was helpless to stop it!
Lightning Strike saw the Warlock staggered and pressed the offensive. "It was scum like you that took away my loved ones. You want power Warlock!! Feel my power and burn in hell!!" With lightning crackling all over his form, the electric avenger fired a mighty blast into Warlock! SHAKOW! The leader of the Coven fell to his knees, his eyes still open!
Menagerie pounced upon him, his fangs biting deep as he knocked the black-hearted wizard to the ground, his hands flailing.
Clone finished the job, using five of his bodies to systematically beat the prostrate Warlock into unconsciousness with grim determination!
The Golem suddenly stopped his attacks on Avatar. The orange lines that were inscribed across his body (see his image) glowed brighter and then faded into nothingness! He was frozen, lifeless. A mammoth sculpture hewn from rock! The Dragon illusion dissolved like black smoke in a strong wind. Plague stopped reforming his unnatural body, and the insects that composed it scattered. Menagerie couldn’t pick up Mirage’s scent. Soldier and Zephyr detected no other illusions. Vanguard was victorious against the Crimson Coven!
Meanwhile, over the nightmare-scape of the misty wastes…
Sentinel and Slingshot just barely reached each other via Sentinel’s energy construct tendril AND a Slingshot super-stretched limb! Scott reeled Sentinel in and the unlikely trio gazed at the city they were hurtling towards. The elastic engineer did not recognize its silhouette. The architectural style was different than anything he’d seen before, even at the Lost Lands or on the Star Giant. But entwined within it were elements that reminded him of Hellenic Greek architecture!
The wind rushing at them, the city growing closer. Baron Samedi laughed, “You have no idea what you are getting into, do ya boys?! Ha! Hahahahaha!”
Sentinel silently scanned Samedi and found no energy connecting him to Slingshot. Samedi’s hat seemed mundane in purpose, if not in appearance. But Samedi himself read like the Gang of the Living Dead beneath Lonely Town! The crazed Cajun was undead!
Slingshot looked at Samedi, an icy smile on his face, "So your response to me saving you from certain death is this? Did you not just figure out that..", Scott raises his volume to full shout, "..PISSING ME OFF MIGHT NOT BE THE HEALTHY THING TO DO RIGHT NOW!" He resumes his calm voice, "So if you're not interested in becoming a splatter or better yet squished little rag doll, you might want to start talking and make yourself helpful for a change little man."
Baron Samedi’s eyes and lips were filled with a reckless, manic, terrible mirth. The houngan of horror had no fear of physical threats!
Sentinel tried to read his surface thoughts and failed! Whether due to his undead nature or some other reason, Sentinel couldn’t tell! The beacon of liberty asked:
"What are your intentions with Avatar and what is the ultimate goal of your group?"
"What is the connection between your group and the city and your current attack on Vanguard?"
"What does your group fear most that Vanguard can do here to win this battle?"
Baron Samedi laughed! “Hahahaha, pray dat you never read my @#$%&* toughts, boy! I don’t tink you could withstand dem!”
WHUMP! With that the trio landed on the cracked ground of the barren wilderness a quarter mile from the city! From here they could see the mysterious megalopolis at last! A massive city of an impossibly advanced civilization, cast in ruin! (imagine Asgard after Ragnarok, if you dare!) The city and the dream it represented were utterly broken asunder. Within the fallen towers could clearly be seen Greek motifs in the unrecognizable, futuristic architecture. The materials seemed like stone and metal. Sentinel detected no energy source within his range, save the trail he followed from the Battle of the Unseen Pentagram. It led into the heart of the silent necropolis!
(OOC: In the sight of this, Sentinel makes his Cool roll, and Slingy barely misses it.)
The pliable powerhouse was awed. His limbs and jaw went slack as he stared at the cataclysm of the ancients!
Baron Samedi stepped out from Slingshot’s loosening coils with a rooster’s swagger but made no threatening moves. “Hahahaaha! Now you see it, boy! Dat’s right!”
“We are at De Crossroads, child. De intersection of every-ting! De edge of $%&* forever and not-ting! Here, where de walls between de worlds are tinnest, de Loa dwelled!” the scarecrow undertaker laughed, removing his top hat and bowing to the mighty ruin in a mockery of respect.
“But no more!” His stood back up and put his hat over his heart for a moment of silence.
“De Avatar is all dat is left of dem. He holds deir @#$%&* power wit-in him!” His eyes grew animated and wild, and his neck craned his skull face closer! The hat rode his dark nimble fingers and returned atop his crown.
“Long has de Avatar been missing but now he is returned! De Coven wants de awesome power of the Loa for deir own! Dey will not rest until dey wring it from the boy! To dat end, you were pulled to dis place by Warlock’s voodoo!”
“By now your friend is as broken as his birt-place. The unimagined power of de gods will be ours! Haahahaahaha!”
OOC:
Replies/Actions/ Plans?
Slingshot is no longer stunned.
The Warlock, the Golem, the Fallen, Demonoid, Black Dragon, the Witch, Le Fou, and Superstition are unconscious or incapacitated!
Okmenhotep, the Wraith, Plague and Mirage are missing in action!
Veni Vidi Vanguard!
Jeff
--------------------------
Current Conditions:
Avatar Hit Points: 25 Power Points: 27 Manifesting: Heightened Strength and Speed
Clone Bodies: 12 Hit Points: 1 each Power Points: 28 Hit Pool: 12
Lightning Strike Hit Points: 36 Power Points: 51
Menagerie Hit Points: 14 Power Points: 46 Form: Wolf
Sentinel Hit Points: 19 Power Points: 18 Shields: 28 Creation Points: 36
Slingshot Hit Points: 44 Power Points: 73 Invulnerability: 8
Soldier Hit Points: 19 Power Points: 61 Invulnerability: 8 Evading til 126 Symbiote Hit Points: 18 Power Points: 54 Charges: 13 Copied: Strike
Talon Hit Points: 38 Power Points: 43
Zephyr Hit Points: 13 Power Points: 58 Charges: 9 Armor: 25
--------------------------------------------------
Soldier:
With the visible member of the Coven out of commission, Soldier will do a quick scan of the area to ensure there are no more surprises lingering. If he detects nothing, he'll look for something to tie up the unconscious members of the Coven, looking for any signs they're regaining consciousness. As he's doing so, he'll check with his teammates to make sure everyone's Okay, and see what their plan of action is.
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Ack.. Cool rolls are going to be a bitch.
Seth, what do you think? I'm half in, half out. I can lend you mobility and strenght, but I might not be able to make the Cool rolls. I say ditch this guy. I don't know he's an undead mind you (that would give me the option to break his legs and leave him there so he stays out of the way). Then we could go in.
He might be helpful if we find something that scares him more than what he has now. Otherwise, he's mostly a liability.
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC:
On the cool rolls, the percentages are still in your favor on the rolls and if not, we deal. Kirk blew his cool roll in the cave on the last adventure ... so if it happens Kirk will do his best to assist until you snap out of it., and he can still blow it here too.
Here's the post, if you want to discuss anything more, let me know. Per below, Kirk will do his best to make sure you know anything he picks up as soon as it happens so in case he is taken out of things, you know what he does to proceed. I tried to separate new stuff from the issue with bold letters, so hopefully the email cooperates and you get it that way.
Although I'm cool with the two of us doing this, it's driving me crazy that we're missing all the (hopefully) good stuff happening and everyone's posts and interaction in the big battle ... I'm looking forward to reading 125a ... (damn that mail service for losing my issue!!! :) )
Seth
IC:
Gazing at the city: “Hence! Wilt thou lift up Olympus?” Kirk uttered softly from memory and added, “How the mighty have fallen,” with a note of sadness in his voice.
Baron Samedi laughed! “Hahahaha, pray dat you never read my @#$%&* toughts, boy! I don’t tink you could withstand dem!”
Kirk gazed at the crazy Cajun steadily to play down his energetic crazed dialogue and answered in a deadpan tone, “Oh, you’d be surprised what I can withstand.”
Samedi said, “…By now your friend is as broken as his birt-place. The unimagined power of de gods will be ours! Haahahaahaha!”
As Samedi continued his laugh, this time Kirk joined in. Not in the manic style of Samedi, but rather a steady laugh of someone amused at the irony of the situation. He does this until (hopefully) Samedi quiets down for a moment to try to figure what could be possessing Sentinel so.
Kirk then began to speak (giving Slingshot a moment to steady himself as they both took in the situation), “Well you have to admit, it’s sort of amusing that here you are claiming this place is “where ‘de Loa’ dwelled”, that with your motif, clearing advocating the belief of a monotheistic God even though you’d serve his enemy, what, with you being undead (and as he said those words he shot a quick glance to Slingshot) and evil and all, but then in the next sentence you speak of claiming his power, power that is attributed to Pantheon of Greek Gods. Sort of hard to keep the ‘god game’ straight … must be especially true among the Coven with so many of you apparently ascribing to different divine theories… but oh well, to each his own… and in this case, his own ‘God or gods’.”
“So Samedi, since this all seems to be a big ‘kick’ for you, since you’ve already been to the city there, you’ve got to have some last minute advice for those of us ‘going to meet our maker’ for the first time?”
Kirk hoped to get Samedi to reveal at least some of what he knew about what they would find as they entered the city.
Kirk continues to be ‘energy alert’ with Samedi to be sure there is no sneak attack on them as they leave. Unless Samedi further speech gives them reason to believe otherwise, he agrees with Slingshot that there is no reason to bring him to the city and he would just continue to be too big a wildcard if they brought him into the unknown they face. Given Samedi’s apparent lack of quick mobility, unless he makes a move against them, it would be up to Slingshot if he wants to ‘take him out’ as we don’t know if he has any other tricks up his sleeve and time is of the essence here if we hope to do something to assist in the battle.
On the entrance, Kirk will direct Slingshot along the energy trail to take them in Hulk-style as previously suggested and let him know of any readings he gets including if any live beings are detected as they approach in case it would be prudent to change things as they get closer. Time continues to be of the essence. Although Kirk’s power and shields are at a low, if there is an attack that occurs and he can intercept to protect the two of them he will do.
And Kirk couldn’t help but thinking if this is the crossroads of all reality, he’d love to find the path to allow him alternate access to ‘his energy’ by a method different than the norm and get back what was leeched from him or more.
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie turns into his human form. "Vanguard, we have vanquished our foes but at the expense of two of our members. Avatar, our foe was familiar with you; do you know them or this realm? The most puzzling issue is ‘Why are we still here’?”
Menagerie will use his senses to try to figure out how this realm works and where Sentinel and Slingshot are.
“Does anyone have the ability to contact or find Sentinel and Slingshot?”
[OOC] Does Menagerie’s senses give him any clues on finding Sentinel and Slingshot or why Vanguard is still in this realm. I don’t believe Menagerie knows which direction Sentinel and Slingshot left in, so he can’t go in that direction.
Does this realm contain normal smells that Vanguard brought with them? In other words, Could Menagerie change into his wolf form and follow them by smell? I know they flew, so I wouldn’t expect a scent trail on the ground.
So currently Menagerie will hold any actions he has and wait to follow another Vanguard’s lead or what his senses tell him.
Best
Tom
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GM:
OOC:
Menagerie and Vanguard saw which direction Slingshot and Sentinel went in: "North" on the map.
The shamanic skinwalker's Wolf form can detect human scents in this mysterious realm.
Menagerie's Occult Skill tells him Vanguard's continued presence in this realm could imply that someone or something other than the Crimson Coven is behind this.
In that case, they would be what's keeping Vanguard here.
Or, one of the escaped members of the Coven is keeping Vanguard here but from what Menagerie observed, he doesn't believe any of them have the power to do it.
Best,
Jeff
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Menagerie:
Menagerie turns into his human form. "Vanguard, we have vanquished our foes but at the expense of two of our members. Avatar, our foe was familiar with you; do you know them or this realm? The most puzzling issue is ‘Why are we still here’? “
“It would appear the Crimson Coven was not responsible for holding us here. We need to investigate whether they had tapped into a mystical power source or if they have an unseen ally.”
Menagerie will use his senses to try to figure out how this realm works and where Sentinel and Slingshot are.
“Does anyone have the ability to contact or find Sentinel and Slingshot?”
“I saw them head North. In my wolf form I can pick up human scents. If no one has a better method to track them, I would suggest I turn back into a wolf and attempt to find them by following their smell.”
If no better method is offered by the rest of Vanguard, Menagerie will change into a wolf. He will head North attempting to track Sentinel and Slingshot by smell. He will make sure that he travels at a speed that all of Vanguard can follow him.
Happy Thanksgiving to Vanguard
Tom
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Avatar:
"This is a place from my dreams. I have been here before, seen this wasted landscape in my mind's eye. Penumbra was here. Oracle was here. It's not real...but it is. More and more people want the powers of the Avatar. We need to find out why."
OOC: John will adjust his bow back to the point where his regular strength can handle it and will search for his sword.
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Symbiote:
At this point, we need to get to the bottom of why this all happened.
I propose shredding the cape of one of our opponents (IIRC both Black Dragon and Warlock were wearing one), use it to tie up Warlock and wake him up for questioning.
If he appears to even begin casting any sort of spell...whack him. Ditto if Golem seems to start re-animating, or the runes on his body start glowing. If any of the others start waking up? Whack them too.
Avatar, this appears to be your show. I suggest you lead the questioning.
Viva Vanguard,
Greg
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Lightning Strike:
Hi all,
Strike is all for binding up or securing the rest of the unconscious villain. No sense fighting them for a second time once they wake up. Once that is done, we can wait and interrogate them or we can follow our missing compatriots. Given that we don't know how we go here or who any of these people are, Strike suggests that we bind the unconscous and interrogate the coven with a limited amount of people. This would allow the majority of us to move on ahead while still having someone looking after our back. Can Clone both ask questions and move forward which would solve our problem?
Thanks
Tony
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Clone:
OOC: I have to agree with Greg on this - this appears to be "Avatar's baby" at the moment, besides Clone is definitely not the leader type. He would be looking for someone; most likely Avatar, to take the lead.
IC: With the members of the Crimson Coven unconscious and the other members of Vanguard safe from harm at the moment, the Clones would take a moment to 'lick their wounds' and catch their breath. Although the physically exhausted mob of multiplying mutants would welcome a short respite, they get the feeling that this fight might not be over. "I am not thinking this fighting is now being ended comrades," Clone #3 said as he looked around at the field of battle. "Da . . . this is reminding me of old stories of Grandmother . . ." Clone #9 said as he looked down at the unconscious form of Golem. A half a moment later Clone #5 'chimed in', ". . . she was telling me of when I was young, many stories of old witch by name of Baba Yaga. A evil witch of greatest power that would do eating of small children . . . I believe you are calling of this 'cannonballism'."
Clone #1 then walked over towards the downed granite giant and began to recant another of his grandmothers old stories,"There was also being story of this creature, I am to be believing it is called Golem. Grandmother was telling of this story from when she is traveling to Czechoslovakia. She was saying of how she had been coming upon a small village in hills that a giant stone statue standing in middle. The people there were to be thinking that this statue was to be becoming of life when they were attacked, and would be destroying of all enemies would they to be coming to village." As Clone #1 kneels down to examine the Golem, on the other side of the clearing Clone # 4 explains, "Da . . . Grandmother was to be telling of many things, she was a very wise woman. One time she even was to be telling me of how she learned original way to make Scotch . . . it is Ukrainian invention you know?"
As the other members of Vanguard begin tying up the Crimson Coven, the duplicates will assist them and do whatever they can to make the process move along quickly. As the group finishes up restraining their unconscious foes, Clone #10 will ask, "So what is it that we are to be doing now comrades?" At which point Clone #3 expresses his concern for the missing members of Vanguard,"I am beginning to be fearing for safety of our missing friends, perhaps we are to be finding them, no?"
OOC: Jeff is there anything written or engraved on the Golem's forehead? How about the rest of his body ( perhaps along the glowing orange lines that were running around his body earlier )?
Talk to you all soon,
-Kev
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Soldier:
Soldier, being the type guy that he is, will volunteer to help scout ahead. If nothing else, his can use his implants to help detect anything before they run into trouble.
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Avatar:
OOC: I would rather someone else lead it, Jeff. I have been replying in haste and have not read everything in enough depth to do it justice. I will, of course, interject when I can.
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Menagerie:
Menagerie will do as asked by Avatar. He would attempt to interrogate, hopefully his Charisma and Int scores are high enough to be meaningful. [Any GM hint here is welcome :) ]
He would also be willing to go on the scout team where his heightened senses in wolf form would be a benefit.
Thanks
Tom
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Clone:
The Clone's would never be able to keep up with the other members of the team - they would just slow them down. They'll stay behind with the Coven and stand guard over them. By the way, Jeff - am I correct in assuming that standing around and guarding the Coven will allow Clone some 'rest time'? I only ask because he could really use the Power Points - that brawl really wiped him out.
-Kev
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