Vanguard had awoken from a madhouse into a strange, otherworldly landscape where they were ambushed by the Crimson Coven, and defeated them! The team then divided.
In the lost city of the gods, Sentinel and Slingshot faced the Dark Avatar inside the Temple of Evil!
From the opposite end of the long hall she faced them. Her voice was seductive and her proposition straightforward: “Serve me.”
The exhausted Sentinel put on a brave face and used what dwindling power he had left to create a massive energy construct depicting WWII era soldiers and civilians, singing “Over There!” as they attacked the pillars!
WHAMM! Sentinel’s energy reserves still managed to destroy the center of one the pillars, causing the upper half of the pillar to come down! BOOMM!
Slingshot looked around. He knew construction. He knew how to build things and how to tear them down. The malleable man of might wrapped his arms around two of the pillars and pulled with all of his strength! Straining hard, he knew these pillars were meant to withstand Armageddon. Then KERRACK!! THOOOM! The hero toppled one of the pillars with his bare hands and watched it crash to the floor!
The Dark Avatar was not amused. “Pathetic insects. You dare oppose me? Get on your knees!”
Black flames from hell flew from her hand and blasted Slingshot! VWOOSSHHH!
(Vulnerability triggers double damage! 42 points of damage! 8 from Invulnerabilty. Roll with 7. 27 off hits! Slingshot retains consciousness!) Slingshot would have flown backwards 100 feet except for the stone wall 40 feet behind him! SLAMM! (another 6 off hit points) Slingy crashed into the wall and fell to the ground, still awake.
Then the Dark Avatar attacked again! The same ebony fire burst from her hands and engulfed America’s beacon of liberty in a crackling conflagration of destruction! VROOSH!! (25 points of damage! Your shields take it all, but they are the same energy as your current constructs)
“Fool. Employing illusions to confuse one such as I, is like trying to drown Poseidon.”
Sentinel’s shields and the energy constructs of America’s armed forces were blasted into disintegration! Sentinel’s remaining shields could no longer support his weight to keep him aloft and he fell to the temple floor hard! WHAM!
“That’s better,” the Dark Avatar said at the two prostrate figures before her. She walked slowly toward them like she had all the time in the world.
Slingshot and Sentinel were severely wounded and she wasn’t even breathing hard. Home field advantage didn’t begin to describe this place, let alone this plane of existence. There was no cause remaining for hope. Their prospects were as black as their foe’s malevolent soul.
In the lost city of the gods, Sentinel and Slingshot faced the Dark Avatar inside the Temple of Evil!
From the opposite end of the long hall she faced them. Her voice was seductive and her proposition straightforward: “Serve me.”
The exhausted Sentinel put on a brave face and used what dwindling power he had left to create a massive energy construct depicting WWII era soldiers and civilians, singing “Over There!” as they attacked the pillars!
WHAMM! Sentinel’s energy reserves still managed to destroy the center of one the pillars, causing the upper half of the pillar to come down! BOOMM!
Slingshot looked around. He knew construction. He knew how to build things and how to tear them down. The malleable man of might wrapped his arms around two of the pillars and pulled with all of his strength! Straining hard, he knew these pillars were meant to withstand Armageddon. Then KERRACK!! THOOOM! The hero toppled one of the pillars with his bare hands and watched it crash to the floor!
The Dark Avatar was not amused. “Pathetic insects. You dare oppose me? Get on your knees!”
Black flames from hell flew from her hand and blasted Slingshot! VWOOSSHHH!
(Vulnerability triggers double damage! 42 points of damage! 8 from Invulnerabilty. Roll with 7. 27 off hits! Slingshot retains consciousness!) Slingshot would have flown backwards 100 feet except for the stone wall 40 feet behind him! SLAMM! (another 6 off hit points) Slingy crashed into the wall and fell to the ground, still awake.
Then the Dark Avatar attacked again! The same ebony fire burst from her hands and engulfed America’s beacon of liberty in a crackling conflagration of destruction! VROOSH!! (25 points of damage! Your shields take it all, but they are the same energy as your current constructs)
“Fool. Employing illusions to confuse one such as I, is like trying to drown Poseidon.”
Sentinel’s shields and the energy constructs of America’s armed forces were blasted into disintegration! Sentinel’s remaining shields could no longer support his weight to keep him aloft and he fell to the temple floor hard! WHAM!
“That’s better,” the Dark Avatar said at the two prostrate figures before her. She walked slowly toward them like she had all the time in the world.
Slingshot and Sentinel were severely wounded and she wasn’t even breathing hard. Home field advantage didn’t begin to describe this place, let alone this plane of existence. There was no cause remaining for hope. Their prospects were as black as their foe’s malevolent soul.
--------------
Earlier, Lightning Strike, Soldier, Talon and Zephyr had crossed the weird wilderness searching for Sentinel and Slingshot! They entered the ruin of the lost ancients. They came into a large open area near the center of the World’s Ending, what might have once been a gathering place of the gods. There was a great temple before them whose architecture was a dizzying amalgam of the pantheons of the world. The temple was black and, unlike everything around it, not in a state of ruin!
Before the heroes could act, the mist that covered the stone ground of the entire ruin, perhaps this entire world, undulated and writhed and within its vaporous tendrils, they could see images… visions.
Lightning Strike shook off the terrible prophecy of the future. Having been fooled once before by a bleak vision, he wasn't going to fall for it again. He spoke to the small band of heroes. "These visions are no more real than what we experienced earlier. Something or someone is attempting to convince us that our futures are filled with despair. We can change our futures and are not subject to the whims of fate. I suggest we continue to the temple to try and find some answers. "
These words helped Strike’s teammates shake off their mirages of clairvoyance and they all raced for the temple! As they closed, they heard noises emanating from it; the sounds of a pitched battle!
Before the heroes could act, the mist that covered the stone ground of the entire ruin, perhaps this entire world, undulated and writhed and within its vaporous tendrils, they could see images… visions.
Lightning Strike shook off the terrible prophecy of the future. Having been fooled once before by a bleak vision, he wasn't going to fall for it again. He spoke to the small band of heroes. "These visions are no more real than what we experienced earlier. Something or someone is attempting to convince us that our futures are filled with despair. We can change our futures and are not subject to the whims of fate. I suggest we continue to the temple to try and find some answers. "
These words helped Strike’s teammates shake off their mirages of clairvoyance and they all raced for the temple! As they closed, they heard noises emanating from it; the sounds of a pitched battle!
--------------
Earlier, Avatar, Clone, Menagerie and Symbiote had stayed behind to interrogate Warlock and get some answers. Then Menagerie used his mystic power and this unnatural environment to learn more of Avatar’s origin!
They crossed the barren wilderness. Soon they might have been 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. Entwined within the fallen towers of stone and steel could be seen subtle Greek motifs within the unrecognizable, futuristic architecture.
SKRAAA! Menagerie took the form of Eagle and soared into the scarlet sky!
From his sharp eyes saw movement within the city. Tiny figures on foot, near its center.
Spiraling outward, he spied a crater in the misty wilderness, not far from his group. Descending, he found it covered with footprints, at least six sets walking around the area!
Two sets left the crater in the direction of the mysterious metropolis.
Tracking those footprints from the air proved hard due to the mist that seemingly covered this world. It would have to be done from the ground.
Menagerie returned to the group and gave his scouting report. “I suggest we travel to the crater and track our friends from there."
Avatar said, "I agree. Forward is the way to go."
Symbiote agreed. “Let's find them.”
Clone was uncharacteristically quiet and nodded agreement. Something seemed to be bothering him and he didn't do a good job of hiding it from the others. He continually scanned the landscape, expecting other creatures from myth and folklore to appear, but none did. Not even the Baba Yaga.
With Menagerie in the lead, the four heroes hurriedly followed the tracks into the ruin of the lost ancients! Upon passing beneath the shattered titanic towers of stone and steel they could see the silent city better. Clearer somehow. For now within the architecture they saw Greek motifs, and Norse motifs, and Babylonian motifs, and Chinese and Aztec and Ancient Egyptian and African and Incan and more. All entwined and interlaced. Avatar’s archeology skill identified elements of every known ancient culture on Earth! Menagerie likewise identified symbols from every culture. Symbiote continued to detect no electrical power here, and Clone couldn’t help but recall the words of the wicked Warlock: “Surrender! This plane of existence intersects with all dimensions in the multiverse! Can you even comprehend that?! You stand before the nexus of infinity, with the understanding of an ant!”
(from the now-classic Issue 126! –Ye Ed)
It was Ragnarok and Armageddon and the Apocalypse and the Fall and The Death of the Gods and among this unimaginable scale and disaster wandered four tiny figures who tracked the footprints toward the heart of the cataclysm. (OOC: Our heroes make their Cool rolls thanks to Avatar’s noble powers.)
The footprints in the ash and dust that covered the city’s floor led our heroes into a large open area near the center of the World’s Ending, what might have once been a gathering place of the gods. There was a great temple before them whose architecture was a dizzying amalgam of the pantheons of the world. The temple was black and, unlike everything around it, not in a state of ruin!
Avatar was drawn to this obsidian structure, and everyone saw figures entering its doorway!
Before the heroes could act, the mist that covered the stone ground of the entire ruin, perhaps this entire world, undulated and writhed and within its vaporous tendrils, they could see images… visions!
In the mist, Avatar saw his accursed fate! He was the automaton puppet of long-dead masters, the architects of this doomed city. Fated to endlessly repeat a purposeless existence until the ending of the universe, he was not Heracles, but Sisyphus! Or Tantalus! Doomed to a living purgatory, he was the butt of the universe’s black cosmic joke. He was a man utterly without meaning! His pointless and trivial trials and tribulations had led to nothing! And they would always lead there. Then John saw his own future where he finally discovered the cause of his amnesia: despairing, anguished, and wishing it all to end, John had damaged his own memory that he might forget all of this and try to finally live as a man. It was John’s only hope for happiness, and for peace!
In the mist, Clone saw his future! The Soviets had recaptured him and dragged him back to the Orwellian hell of Moscow! He was restrained in a large dark prison cell before Hammer, Sickle, the new Cosmonaut and the new Siberian. Somehow, his super powers did not work! From the shadows came a voice he knew to be Dr. X. The voice said in Russian, “Did you think we would ever stop? That we would ever give up? We’ve invested far too much in you already, Alexi. Sadly, you’ve proven twice that you cannot be trusted. So we will need other methods to put your powers at our disposal!”
Dr. X spoke a trigger word that caused Alexi to involuntarily create a new body! The newly formed Clone was seized and dragged onto an operating table in the same cement room where Alexi was held. He was strapped down and dissected alive by Dr. X while Alexi watched in horror! When the screams finally stopped, the silhouette of Dr. X calmly wiped blood from his hands, recorded his notes and said, “Again.”
They crossed the barren wilderness. Soon they might have been 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. Entwined within the fallen towers of stone and steel could be seen subtle Greek motifs within the unrecognizable, futuristic architecture.
SKRAAA! Menagerie took the form of Eagle and soared into the scarlet sky!
From his sharp eyes saw movement within the city. Tiny figures on foot, near its center.
Spiraling outward, he spied a crater in the misty wilderness, not far from his group. Descending, he found it covered with footprints, at least six sets walking around the area!
Two sets left the crater in the direction of the mysterious metropolis.
Tracking those footprints from the air proved hard due to the mist that seemingly covered this world. It would have to be done from the ground.
Menagerie returned to the group and gave his scouting report. “I suggest we travel to the crater and track our friends from there."
Avatar said, "I agree. Forward is the way to go."
Symbiote agreed. “Let's find them.”
Clone was uncharacteristically quiet and nodded agreement. Something seemed to be bothering him and he didn't do a good job of hiding it from the others. He continually scanned the landscape, expecting other creatures from myth and folklore to appear, but none did. Not even the Baba Yaga.
With Menagerie in the lead, the four heroes hurriedly followed the tracks into the ruin of the lost ancients! Upon passing beneath the shattered titanic towers of stone and steel they could see the silent city better. Clearer somehow. For now within the architecture they saw Greek motifs, and Norse motifs, and Babylonian motifs, and Chinese and Aztec and Ancient Egyptian and African and Incan and more. All entwined and interlaced. Avatar’s archeology skill identified elements of every known ancient culture on Earth! Menagerie likewise identified symbols from every culture. Symbiote continued to detect no electrical power here, and Clone couldn’t help but recall the words of the wicked Warlock: “Surrender! This plane of existence intersects with all dimensions in the multiverse! Can you even comprehend that?! You stand before the nexus of infinity, with the understanding of an ant!”
(from the now-classic Issue 126! –Ye Ed)
It was Ragnarok and Armageddon and the Apocalypse and the Fall and The Death of the Gods and among this unimaginable scale and disaster wandered four tiny figures who tracked the footprints toward the heart of the cataclysm. (OOC: Our heroes make their Cool rolls thanks to Avatar’s noble powers.)
The footprints in the ash and dust that covered the city’s floor led our heroes into a large open area near the center of the World’s Ending, what might have once been a gathering place of the gods. There was a great temple before them whose architecture was a dizzying amalgam of the pantheons of the world. The temple was black and, unlike everything around it, not in a state of ruin!
Avatar was drawn to this obsidian structure, and everyone saw figures entering its doorway!
Before the heroes could act, the mist that covered the stone ground of the entire ruin, perhaps this entire world, undulated and writhed and within its vaporous tendrils, they could see images… visions!
In the mist, Avatar saw his accursed fate! He was the automaton puppet of long-dead masters, the architects of this doomed city. Fated to endlessly repeat a purposeless existence until the ending of the universe, he was not Heracles, but Sisyphus! Or Tantalus! Doomed to a living purgatory, he was the butt of the universe’s black cosmic joke. He was a man utterly without meaning! His pointless and trivial trials and tribulations had led to nothing! And they would always lead there. Then John saw his own future where he finally discovered the cause of his amnesia: despairing, anguished, and wishing it all to end, John had damaged his own memory that he might forget all of this and try to finally live as a man. It was John’s only hope for happiness, and for peace!
In the mist, Clone saw his future! The Soviets had recaptured him and dragged him back to the Orwellian hell of Moscow! He was restrained in a large dark prison cell before Hammer, Sickle, the new Cosmonaut and the new Siberian. Somehow, his super powers did not work! From the shadows came a voice he knew to be Dr. X. The voice said in Russian, “Did you think we would ever stop? That we would ever give up? We’ve invested far too much in you already, Alexi. Sadly, you’ve proven twice that you cannot be trusted. So we will need other methods to put your powers at our disposal!”
Dr. X spoke a trigger word that caused Alexi to involuntarily create a new body! The newly formed Clone was seized and dragged onto an operating table in the same cement room where Alexi was held. He was strapped down and dissected alive by Dr. X while Alexi watched in horror! When the screams finally stopped, the silhouette of Dr. X calmly wiped blood from his hands, recorded his notes and said, “Again.”
In the mist, Menagerie saw his future! It was inevitable. Over the years, he became less and less of a man and more a member of the animal kingdom, until he finally withdrew from human contact. Nature’s Defender came to the same inexorable conclusion that the Primate did: the animal kingdom would never be safe as long as the human race existed. Menagerie saw himself in the future, standing along Pachyderm, Snow Leopard and others, saying: “Humans of this world, I am Menagerie. Your cruel stewardship of Earth is ended. A new era has begun. No longer will you be permitted to destroy this planet, threatening all the life forms upon it with your shortsighted and insatiable avarice. No longer will you murder my brethren for sport or pleasure or fashion. No longer will we be your slaves. No. Your time here is ended. A new world is dawning, a green world where the harmony of nature is restored.”
In the mist, Symbiote saw his future! His Harness continued to stretch and warp his DNA until finally his DNA was permanently damaged beyond recovery! Hal was out with his family at their favorite restaurant when suddenly he felt his body transform out of control into a ghastly amalgam of all the beings he had ever sampled! The feral animal head of Hyena, the stretchable skin of Slingshot, wings and claws of Talon, the electricity of Lightning Strike sparking off him as his body violently divided from the power of Clone, his face actually splitting in half as he screamed in insensate agony. A thing, a freak, the grotesque result of his own scientific hubris and recklessness! His mind was broken from the shock and he lunged across the dinner table in blind fury at his father and Shelly!
Then the visions broke! (Avatar’s power enables the heroes to withstand these nightmarish illusions)
The heroes shook off the mirages of prophecy and ran for the temple! The figures were no longer visible in the doorway!
------------
Upon an unknown world that intersected with all worlds, within a ruined city of long-dead gods, Vanguard was reunited inside the black temple that was the only structure to survive Gotterdammerung!
The destroyed energy constructs of America’s WW2 fighting effort were replaced with real, flesh and blood heroes who arrived in two waves! Lightning Strike, Solider, Talon and Zephyr burst in first, followed quickly by Avatar, Clone, Menagerie and Symbiote! There, they found Slingshot and Sentinel splayed at their feet! Two of Vanguard’s most powerful members were on the ground and severely injured, but conscious! Slingshot had one arm wrapped around a massive stone pillar that had come down! Another pillar had been destroyed from the center outward.
The interior of the unholy cathedral was filled with supernatural darkness! What light there was emanated from Sentinel’s failing, flickering energy shields. Through the darkness they saw more of the hybrid archeology of the human race across a great rectangular hall, 170 feet long, lined with towering pillars and statues of godlike figures! The ceiling was 100 feet high and in the center of the temple was a black altar, a massive, rectangular solid of obsidian-like stone. There were twelve statues, and there had been eleven stone pillars, each as big around as a mature redwood trunk. Now there were nine pillars.
(See map. Black circles are pillars. Red X’s mark the destroyed pillars. Black triangles mark the statues.)
The statues were familiar and strange; the same sensation of cultural fusion and lost memory that possessed the dead city. These figures were gods, but not those of Olympus or Valhalla or Heaven. These were the others. Gods and goddesses of Death and Hell, of Misery and Tragedy. Gods of Nightmare and Terror. Of Madness and Despair. Of Fear and Horror. Darkness and Shadow. Discord and Destruction. They were akin to Hades and Hecate, Hela and Loki, Set and Nergal, Yen-lo Wang and Mictian, Shiva, Morpheus and Thanatos.
Avatar and Menagerie saw that all of Earth’s many gods of Death were seemingly embodied in one of the statue figures. All the gods of Madness in another, all the gods of Destruction in a third, all the rulers of Hell in a fourth, all the Gods and of Darkness in a fifth, and on and on and on.
This was the progenitor Pantheon of Evil. And in their sacristy stood their Dark Avatar and she was terrifying to behold. (OOC: See image! Cool rolls upon sight! All succeed, thanks to Avatar’s power)
Avatar felt startling recognition of her, and Menagerie’s magical senses detected the Dark Avatar was drawing vast mystical strength from the temple. It was her place of power!
The Dark Avatar was unharmed and untroubled; her voice seductive and full of purring menace. “You are precisely where I want you to be; before my sacrificial altar, within my place of power. Even though you’ve managed to survive my Crimson Coven, you cannot hope to survive me. Abase yourselves, as these two slaves have,” she said pointing a cruel finger at the badly beaten Sentinel and Slingshot.
“…And give me the Avatar. I won’t tell you again.”
OOC:
Replies/Actions?!
At this point you all still have free will.
Please let me know your plans for your next two combat actions, except for Clone, Menagerie and Symbiote who entered the temple last. Those three only get one combat action next issue.
Yes, Avatar entered with this last group but his (fading) Heightened Speed gives him two actions.
Thanks!
Have fun.
Viva Vanguard… I hope!
Jeff
Current Conditions:
Avatar: Hit Points: 25, Power Points: 22, Manifesting: Htd Strength & Speed, Cosmic Awrnss*
Clone: Bodies: 1, Hit Points: 12, Power Points: 48, Hit Pool: 12
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 36, Power Points: 51
Menagerie: Hit Points: 14, Power Points: 55, Form: Man
Sentinel: Hit Points: 19, Power Points: 17, Shields: 3!, Creation Points: 34
Soldier: Hit Points: 19, Power Points: 61, Invulnerability: 8
Slingshot: Hit Points: 11, Power Points: 65, Invulnerability: 0 til Issue 130
Symbiote: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 59, Charges: 13, Copied: Strike
Talon: Hit Points: 38, Power Points: 43
Zephyr: Hit Points: 13, Power Points: 58, Charges: 9, Armor: 25
*Avatar’s Heightened Strength and Speed will fade in 30 seconds!
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Sentinel:
Kirk hit the temple floor hard, but considered himself very fortunate. Had his shields failed to absorb the impact of the blast he wouldn’t be conscious … perhaps ever again. Kirk reassessed his situation and realized he was spent. Summoning his remaining energy would be little more than a light show at this point. Truly, this was the place that hope came to die.
As the heroic images he had summoned from his heart dissipated they were replaced by flesh and blood heroes. Vanguard was here. All of them!
Kirk smiled, his hope renewed.
They needed to know what he and Slingshot knew. At the sight of them, Kirk spoke with a power and determination is his voice. If this was Ragnarok, Gotterdammerung, there were no other companions he’d choose at his side.
“I knew you’d make it... and just in time. The Dark Avatar hit us with visions of our greatest fear first; if she tries it on you, reject it. We thought our best option was to cut off her power source; we’re trying to bring down this temple. Slingshot determined the supports were the main pillars (Kirk shot an affirmative nod towards Slingshot) and we managed to take out two of them; in that same moment she took down both of us in separate attacks. And then you showed up. It was my hope that the antithesis of what this place stands for .. things like self-sacrifice and positive inspiration and good, might serve as an effective focus against it, but it appears that this is the place that hope goes to die.” And then Kirk added with a smile, “Until now.”
Kirk turned to the Dark Avatar and said, “Two things I don’t get. With all of your power, why bother shielding your mind from me when I first felt your presence, I’d think you’d get a thrill out of giving me an inferiority complex… and with all of your power, why is the Avatar so important to you. If what we know about it is true, why would the “Gods of good” empowering him allow their gifts to be used for darkness and bestow them to you anyway. Why wouldn't they simply stop giving their gifts?” Kirk hoped to get the Dark Avatar monologing to give them something more.
And if the gifts of good could be used malevolently, might they be able to somehow use the energy of this place positively?
Kirk turned his energy sense towards the interior of the temple to see if he missed something, to be sure there were still no other entities arriving or around, to see if there were any other sources of energy stirring (other than the altar focus) and to try to understand if possible how the gateway or nexus to this area worked … was there any way he could tap into the power coming together at this place or somehow access more of his energy than he had any natural right to do so? How did time and space arrive and depart here?
OOC: Glad to have everyone back and very anxious to hear what happened to everyone when Jeff allows ... the above should fill everyone in on what you need to know for the moment per Sentinel & Slingshot's doings...
Unless you guys or his energy sense give anything more to our current predicament, he's likely going to try to take out more of the support structure, but I'll hold my actual actions until I hear everyone's dialogue, etc.
Best,
Seth
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Avatar:
IC: John looks around, absorbing what Kirk has said and the temple itself, as well as the Dark Avatar standing before Vanguard. An understanding comes over him and he nods to himself.
"Take it down, my friends...I'll make sure that she's occupied."
With the speed and strength gifted to him, John runs straight at the Dark Avatar, seeking to enfold her in a wrestler's embrace and take her down, hopefully occupying her apparently-terrible power while his friends hit the other pillars. If possible, he'll use his active powers to ram her into the edge of the altar for as much damage as possible.
While grappling with her, John cries out, "You forget that throughout time, in all cultures, all myth and all religions ultimately point to something better. You cannot kill hope!"
OOC: He'll try to take her down with some damage and hold her down while doing some sort of HTH damage, if possible. Primary concern is to contain her while the others can freely work on pillars, taking whatever attacks that she might have (even though he's low on both hp and PR). If self-sacrifice is the name of the game, then that's what he'll do, even to the point of holding her down while the temple collapses upon them.
--------------------------------------------------
Symbiote:
IC: Hal listens to Sentinel's update of events before the arrival of his group, and watches as the fleet-fooded Avatar attacks his evil counterpart.
"They're both right, you know," he says to the other heroes assembled around him. "Whoever or whatever Dark Avatar is, she's definitely from the Dimension Of Trying Too Hard."
Symbiote continues, taking a step forward. "Think about it: Why all this 'theater?' Why try to trick us into thinking we were insane first, then send those Coven losers after us, then try to psyche us out with our greatest fears?"
Hal extends his hands slightly to his side, and begins generating a nimbus of lightning around both of them. "If she were really that powerful and wanted Avatar that badly, why didn't she just yank him out of our reality and into this one and do what she wanted with him? Why this protracted dog and pony show for our benefit?"
He takes another step forward, electricity now arcing between his hands. "Nothing here is what it seems to be, her least of all. I think it's time we called her bluff, "the Superheroic Simulator concludes, his voice raising. The whole situation reminds him of one of his favorite movies, and he can't help paraphrasing it, shouting "Let's show this interdimensional bitch how we do things downtown!!"
And with that, he begins blasting away at a support column.
OOC: Lightning Strike, as we throw our lightning bolts let's try not to cross the streams. It could be Very Bad. ;)
Viva Vanguard,
Greg
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Menagerie:
Menagerie listens closely to his teammates, nods and transforms into his Bear form. "Grr" as he charges towards a column. He will attempt to destroy the column. If he isn't strong enough to damage it then he will assist Avatar.
OOC: Wow this is awesome! I can't wait to catchup on what has happened to the others. Dark Avatar is going down!!!
Regards
Tom
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Soldier:
As Soldier, and the rest of the group, enter the ruins, he'll immediately scan the area with his sensors looking for any threats, as well as for signs of his missing teammates. If he spots anyone, he'll alert the group to their presence. If no threats are detected, he'll continue to quickly, but carefully, continuously observing the path ahead of them, as well as occasionally turning to make sure they're not being followed. With Strike's assurance that what they're seeing is nothing more than a mere illusion, he'll begin to pick up the pace, and head toward the sounds of battle.
Upon entering the structure, Soldier will immediately scan the building for anything out of the "ordinary", if he doesn't detect anything threats, he'll greet the rest of his teammates, and brief them on what's happened so far, as well as listening to what they've encountered. He agrees that something about this whole situation is "off", but can't quite put his finger on it. Once the group starts to react, he'll try to place himself along one of the walls, near the entrance to the temple so that his back is facing the wall, but where he'll have clear view of the rest of the temple. He'll save an action, and prepare to evade any attack, in response to the lightning bolt, and or any other actions Vanguard takes against the temple.
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Sentinel:
Hi Jeff.
Kirk will move towards the altar to see if he can get any better energy sense readings and try to stay alert to any changes on that take place or of of new entities coming into their vicinity. He will quickly alert the team.
For his physical actions - at this point should he re-energize, from what I can tell he'd be doing no better than HTH damage - about all he could do was fly for a few rounds... so he will not re-energize and instead hold his actions until he can do something useful in this order:
(1) If it appears the Dark Avatar is about to blast someone (likely Avatar) and he can mess up that attack, he will do so:
(a) use what little is left of his energy to physically move the direction of her blast (and if possible direct the energy towards damaging the pillars supporting the temple (this could be as simply as an energy arm knocking into her arm - three points should still carry 150 lbs which should still be able to knock someone's arm, particularly when it is unexpected)
(b) try to tap into reading her mind again, this may not throw off her attack, but if she noticed it, it might mess up her attack to prevent his 'read' again - if he actually makes contact, then perhaps they'll learn something useful --- and if he actually does make contact any movement left will be to use the pillars as a shield so if she comes after him, hopefully she'll be blocked by them or part of her attack will do damage to the temple (with the rules being the way they are, if this route appears most possible, he can place himself behind one of the pillars before making the attempt).
If it seems neither of those options will work or are possible, then Kirk will pick up anything he can find in the temple to use as a battering ram or weapon that will allow him to supplement his own physical strength and damage the pillars further without it damaging himself (any maces or medieval weapons or instruments to service the temple around that he can find - anything he can use to better pound on a pillar).
Although he may hold his actions until the last moment to see if he can do something more useful, he won't just let them 'go', at the very least he will do whatever he can to damage the temple supports ... and he will encourage the rest of Vanguard to do so also. If Slingshot or anyone else comes up with any methods where they can combine their efforts for better effect, Kirk will cooperate ... whatever he can do in this regard, he will do.
Best,
Seth
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Slingshot:
Jeff.. One question: The statues: Are they close to a column? I'm considering breaking one as well as a column. (Trying to figure out if the statues focus the magic)
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GM:
Hi Stephane.
Yes.
The statues are against the wall between the columns.
On the attached map, statues are the black triangles. The columns are the black circles.
The four statues closest to Vanguard seem to be depictions of gods or goddesses of: Nightmare, Destruction, Fear and Darkness.
Best,
Jeff
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Slingshot:
The whole team was here now. This Dark Avatar had his number. Scott would not be able to last long under her onslaught.
He needed to find the way to take her power away from her. Taking the whole temple down would take too long. He didn't have this kind of time. He looked at this place. It was a special place. An homage to all these gods. The evil gods. and She was getting power from them.
Maybe taking down the temple was too much. Maybe simply taking down the statues of these gods would disrupt the energies? After all this place was a siphon of energy and maybe the statues acted like antennas?
[OOC: Slingshot will take down/destroy the statues. As many as possible (2-3?). After taking down the first, if the avatar reacts. I will use a luck point to be extra successful or be able to take an extra one of them.]
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Talon:
Hello Everyone,
Upon hearing the threats made by Dark Avatar, Talon launches himself toward the temple ceiling with a quick thrust of his wings. He let's out a savage battle-cry as he barrels toward the Dark Avatar with his unsheathed claws poised to strike upon impact.
OOC: Talon will use his airborne agility to strike at her and draw her attention from Avatar and the rest of the group. He's hoping his speed in flight will make it difficult for her to attack him and allow the rest of the group time to attack the temple and hopefully weaken her powers within.
Sorry for the delays, Jeff. I'm glad to be back.
Viva Vanguard,
Denny
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Clone:
( OOC: Outside the temple ) As the images before Clone faded he felt a slight chill run down his spine. “This place knows my fears . . . “, he thought to himself. As the rest of the team move on, Clone just continued to display the same uncharacteristically silent and nervous demeanor that he had since the interrogation of the Crimson Coven. As walked behind the rest of the group, the rest of the team could just barely hear him utter the words,” . . . there is something of much evil about this place . . . and it is to be coming for us . . . “
( OOC: After the team has re-united and entered the temple ) As the Dark Avatar starts to address him and his friends, Clone quietly and nonchalantly takes a few steps backward and starts to head to the back of a nearby pillar ( OOC: The pillar to his right, next to the stair case ). He knows whatever the Dark Avatar has to say is just more lies and deceptions, and pays little attention to its dialogue. As he reaches the nearby pillar he closes his eye for a brief second, does the ‘sign of the cross’, and takes out the crucifix that he keeps tugged safely inside of his shirt. He keeps his eyes closed as he starts to chant the Lords Prayer to himself softly. As he whispers his prayers, Clone silently asks God for forgiveness and strength in this moment of need. Everything he has experienced since he has come to this evil place has been a lie, a test of ones character, courage and convictions. He and his companions have been beset upon by the denizens of this God forsaken region of the universe since the moment they first appeared in it. Now, as they stand before the would-be master of this dark and twisted realm, they must now, more then ever, hold on to and embrace who and what they are. They must trust the purity that rests within their souls and allow it to give them the strength to overcome the darkness that stands against them. Clone has seen the true face of the beast and he is ready. He has made his peace with the lord and is prepared to do what he must . . . he fears no evil. As he starts to turn and emerge from behind the pillar he splits into two separate Clones.
Clone 1 – Comes out from behind the pillar and starts to walk towards the Dark Avatar with purpose in his eyes. He knows what he must do. He knows that this creature can not win and he is prepared to do what ever he has to. As he weaves his way through his comrades, he makes it obvious to all; even the Dark Avatar, that he is going to attack.
Clone 2 – Once he is certain that the group and Clone 1 have gotten the attention of the Dark Avatar, Clone 2 will make his way towards to stairs on the right side of the map. He starts to head down them as quickly and as cautiously as possible, and thinks to himself,” . . . there must be something down here that we can use!”
OOC: Great Issue Jeff! Sorry again for lagging behind with the responses these last couple of issues. Real Life has been a real bitch these last couple of months - hopefully things will slow down soon enough. I’m not sure if it helps, but Clone is definitely getting ready for another round of getting mind-f^@*$d by the evil critters that inhabit this plane of existence. If you need to ‘eat up’ one of my Luck Points just to have him make a saving throw or something – go for it. Clone 1 is going to do what he can to keep the Dark Avatar busy – his plan is the same one he always use – split up into as many duplicates that he and then ‘dog pile on the rabbit’, or in this case – the Dark Avatar. Clone 2 is hoping that he’ll find something that might be of some help to the group – maybe even the wizard behind the curtain ( Wizard of Oz reference ).
Talk to you all soon,
-Kev
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Lightning Strike:
Strike surveyed this dark temple and looked at Dark Avatar. "Your Crimson Coven was no match for Vanguard. Your evil will always fail when confronted with righteousness. You tried to demoralize us with lies and false visions to no avail. We will bring this temple down and you with it." Strike will focus his attention on Dark Avatar and let the heavy hitters bring down the temple, assuming that is the source of her power. Strike will let loose two blasts of electricity at her to get a sense of her power.
That's all for now.
Take care,
Tony
