Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Vanguard: Issue 153: Wedding Crashers!


On the wedding day of Slingshot and Nanite, Lightning Strike discovered that Jim Harrik had put a price on Vanguard’s head! The reward was membership in Homicide for Hire. Now, the auditioners gathered around the wedding church to claim their prize!

The crowd of well-wishers and paparazzi was starting to notice the dozen or more supervillains who had come with murderous intent. As they departed, people fanned out into the streets for a one block radius around the Cathedral. Stone, Lamb and the CHESS Knight Honor Guard moved with them as protection.

Menagerie assumed the shape of Eagle and took to the sky. “SKRAAA!” Using his eagle eyes, he identified all the remaining assassins he could see and thought-sent their coordinates to the rest of the team!

The Fly! Menagerie sensed he was an enemy of the Natural Order, he flew 200 feet from the street!
Black Ice! The anarchic, ice cold killer was advancing at street level down Fifth Avenue!
Damocles! An armored female enforcer for the Miami drug lords stood atop a 30 story building!
Catman! The expert infiltrator and thief was in an alley at street level!
Triceratops! The Jurassic juggernaut who might be Pachyderm’s equal was at street level!
Chain! Ninja apprentice of the Cat, who was one of Big City’s Five Bosses, was atop a 40 story building!
Inside Man! An albino assassin whose powers were unknown, was at street level!
Dexter Sinister Jr.! The court jester of crime was unconscious atop a roof!
Web! Agile arachnoid who must have survived the failed jailbreak of the Primate, was atop a 15 story building!
Killshot! The high tech blind zen archer, was perched on a 25 story building
Overdrive! The brutal speed freak, wanted for armed robbery, assault and battery, was on the street!
Black Sheep! The outcast gun for hire, who was rumored to be everywhere, was atop a 35 story building!
Jack Lantern! The eerie Halloween killer was at street level!
The Voice! The living death knell flew at a height of 100 feet!
The Silent Killer! New to Big City and looking to make a name for himself, was atop a 25 story building!

The murderous wedding crashers, having ringed the church, still waited. It was a standoff. Until…

Triceratops saw the groom and suddenly let out a growl and charged! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! He was barreling down on Slingshot like a runaway train! His advance became the rallying action that the rest of the criminals had been waiting for, triggering an end to the standoff! They joined his charge, advancing en masse!

Menagerie telepathically reported the advancing wave of extranormal assassins to Vanguard!

Avatar’s subtle powers barricaded the morale of Vanguard in the site of this avalanche of villainy!

Chain was the first to act! With inhuman agility, the preternatural ninja used his namesake weapon to zip-line down to a lower rooftop! He silently detached a blade-hook from its chain, spun and hurtled it directly at Slingshot! THUNK! The blade struck his chest with deadly accuracy! But the malleable man of might was unharmed! [15 points of damage! 8 from Invulnerability, roll with 7]

Overdrive was next! He hurtled down Fifth Avenue, impossibly dodging bystanders at blinding speeds and roared to the side of the church, past Sgt. Stone, whose head held no price, and into Clone! POW! All his speed went from his truncheon into Alex! (21 points of damage!) This Clone was knocked unconscious! With brutal efficiency, Overdrive stopped and readied his weapon in order to club this Clone to death, to earn admission to Homicide for Hire! He gritted his teeth in grim determination, raised his club, and suddenly…

Avatar quickly moved between Overdrive and the unconscious Clone, manifested the Strength of Ares, and readied his spear for battle! [+15 to Strength!]

Web leapt across the rooftops toward the battle! Crawling down the front of the closest building, at a height of 100 feet from the ground, the arachnoid fired a web at the unsuspecting Avatar’s back! [Failed his detect danger] GLORP! The myrmidon of mythology had an adhesive grey cocoon-like slop of web across his spear arm, legs and feet, sticking him to the concrete, in effect pinning him to one spot! [He now has +4 to be hit]

As Web came closer in range, Menagerie detected within him the original disturbance that brought him to Pachyderm and ultimately Vanguard! Web was part of the Animal Revolution that this world had averted!

Killshot was the only one who did not advance. She was deadly at almost any range. “Sentinel!” she called, not wanting to shoot an opponent in the back, unlike her less honorable colleagues. The beacon of liberty turned to face her. Thoo! She loosed an arrow right at him! PAF! It was a flare that burst into pure white light mere feet before Sentinel’s face! Sentinel was blinded! [Failed detect danger and blinding saving throw!]
Then she silently leapt off the roof of her building! She tumbled in midair and landed gently on a roof below, in case Sentinel fired on her last known location!

Symbiote attacked The Fly again! He circled back around the Insidious Insect and raked him with his fierce claws. SKAASSHH! "You been playing with dead things, Gnat, or whatever your name is?" he asked, tauntingly. Then Hal saw what was oozing from the gash he had just carved! Instead of blood, Hal saw insects! Actual flies began to pour from the open slash of his wound!

The Fly droned in an eerie, buzzing mockery of human speech, “I am the Fly, human! And where I trod, Pestilence, Disease and Death follow!” He held forth one black gloved hand at Symbiote and sickly green energy poured forth, enveloping Symbiote for a moment and then it was gone!

Symbiote suddenly felt weakness take hold over him. He shuddered like a man in the grip of a fever, losing strength and vitality by the second! [Symbiote is now Fatigued as per the rules. Movement, stats, damage inflicted, and carry capacity are all halved] The Fly turned his grotesquely masked face toward Menagerie.

The Silent Killer, aka Lightning Strike, descended to a lower rooftop and used his newly invented magnetic power to levitate a manhole cover straight out of its manhole! He then sent the iron disc roaring down the street, over the heads of the now panicked crowd, at Slingshot! Somehow, he misjudged the trajectory and the manhole cover hit Triceratops in the back of the head! KLANG! The Jurassic juggernaut shrugged it off and kept charging Slingshot like a raging bull!

Menagerie,
in Eagle shape, widened the arc of his flight path to get above and behind The Voice!

The Voice
took no notice of the bird of prey!

Menagerie then stopped in mid air and dive-bombed straight down at the Voice on a collision course! At the last second the shamanic shapeshifter assumed the shape of Spider and landed on the back of Voice’s neck without a sound!
The sonic assassin had no idea that the newly venomous vigilante was upon him!
The mysterious mystic used his thought speech to tell Vanguard and Slate: "Vanguard keep moving, there are too many to get bogged down in a one on one slugfest with. I will inform you if I sense any new players showing up," keeping his Nature Sense active. But so far, he detected none!

Catman crept forward in the shadows, warily eying the Silent Killer. Then he stopped and watched the mayhem unfold, content to let others do his fighting for him, for now. [Evade]

Black Sheep coolly leveled his pistol at the nearest Vanguardian, Symbiote, and fired! BLAM! KABOOM!! The explosive round missed, detonating harmlessly past the superhero scientist!

Damocles fired up rockets beneath her armored boots and launched herself at the blinded Sentinel! SKRAG! The beacon of liberty never saw her coming! But he felt the heat of her energy blade as it cut into his shields! [13 points of damage! All off shields!] “You have fallen under my blade, hero,” her exterior speaker crackled.

Jack Lantern strolled up Madison, whistling and leisurely twirling a knife in his gloved hand. “Now now, Jack. All in good time. No need to rush through life’s little pleasures,” he chuckled sinisterly.

Sentinel was blind! He could guess at Damocles location with some luck, but probably not Killshot’s! His telepathic powers enabled him to locate and track human minds [see your sheet]. The heir of heroism paused to consider his next move! [Saved action! Not sure what you’d want to do. Next issue you have two actions!]

Then to make matters worse, Sentinel felt someone attempting to enter his mind! The young telepath knew that it was Inside Man! Kirk shielded his mind, like his grandfather taught him, and the attack was repulsed!

The Voice unknowingly carrying the Spider form of Menagerie, silently flew behind the weakened Symbiote and opened fire with a scream of sonic energy! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! In the nick of time, Menagerie thought-spoke to Symbiote to warn him of the attack! Symbiote was hit, but at least he could roll with the blow! [10 points of damage! Symbiote rolls with 9, and takes 1 hit point of damage!]

The Voice couldn’t believe how Symbiote heard him coming! “How did he know?” he spat.

Black Ice laughed as he coated Fifth Avenue with an ice slick, sending the panicking crowd sliding and falling!
“Mind your step there,” he jeered.

Triceratops charged Slingshot! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! “Hold still, little man!” he roared. KA-POW! The human dinosaur slammed Slingshot with all his metahuman strength! [21 points of damage! Scott rolls with 8, and takes 13 off Hits!]

Slingshot had prepared himself for the impact, stretching his arms out to building outcroppings, anchoring himself sufficiently. As Triceratops attempted to bulldoze through the pliable powerhouse, Scott let his stretching power absorb his kinetic energy and then launch it all back at him! Scott slungshot Triceratops in a high arc, 300 feet high, right at Black Ice! WHAMMMM!!! The massive marauder made crushed ice! Black Ice blacked out! But Triceratops crawled out of the crater he had just made, ready for more!

Chain saw what Slingshot just did and gathered his nerve for a moment. Then he hurled three shuriken at Slingshot, striking in a row across his abdomen! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! [9, 10 and 7 points! Scott can roll with each separately, stretching his body this way and that to avoid them. 19 from Power. 7 from Hits!]

Overdrive
looked at Avatar who had just come between him and Clone, now half trapped in Web’s chrysalis cage! He smiled and then stopped smiling. His face became the perfect portrait of malice. Then he started running. Again, he raced impossibly through the crowds, like a man dodging raindrops, until he built up enough velocity to charge Avatar with his truncheon! Pinned as he was, Avatar couldn’t avoid the attack, and nor could he roll with it!!! KER-RRAK! [24 points of damage! All to hits! Avatar retains consciousness!]
Overdrive chuckled. “Heh! I wonder what they’ll give me fer killin’ two Vanguardians?”

Sgt. Stone, Nathan Lamb and the CHESS Knight Honor Guard continued their protective escort of the crowds away from the scene. “Stay calm!” shouted the Knights.
“Get outta here already!” yelled Stone.
As the crowd moved beyond the battlefield, the CHESS Knights stayed with them but Stone stopped and looked back over his rocky shoulder at Vanguard.
“Nate,” he said. “Those kids need help. You got this under control?”
Lamb replied, “Pretty much.”
Stone said, “OK. I’m going back there.”

Meanwhile, inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral…

Ten Clones quickly moved to their posts around the interior perimeter of the Cathedral, drew their staves, took up defensive postures, and locked the doors. One crashed into another and was reabsorbed!

Slate began to deliberately stride toward the door with intentions of finding whoever outside was responsible, and stopping them.

Four Clones moved to intercept him!

“Ethan! Come back!” he heard his mother call from behind him.

Slate stopped at his mother’s command, as he does, he heard Sentinel’s booming voice, [see last issue!] and cocked his head to one side, listening... processing.

A Clone places his hand gently on Ethan’s shoulder and says, “Please to be coming with me Ethan, your momma she is calling of you to her”.

Slate suddenly shouted, “Clone, Sentinel is right, this is all a ploy to get Vanguard away from the guests. Think about it from everything I’ve read about Vanguard’s encounters with Homicide for Hire, they’ve always had bigger goals, taking down the US economy, removing Vanguard so the bosses could take over the New York underworld…all of the individuals Menagerie is sending are nobodies, where is Harrick? Where is his team? They’ve got to be after the President!”

Clone instantly sent out Slate’s warning to all of his duplicates – the President needed to be secured! Then he discovered that the Clone outside had been beaten unconscious by Overdrive!

Slate and Clone suddenly spun and sprinted toward Nanite, and the basement.
As he runs toward his mother, Slate grabs the nearest Clone by the arm and begins dragging him toward the stairwell. "We have to stop them, and the individual we thought was Rachel Ray may actually be Skin Deep or someone like her. They used you to get into the wedding. We've got to let everyone know..."

Clone sent out Slate’s latest warning to his replicas without further delay.
With the outside Clone unconscious, a Clone in the cathedral reached for his communicator to bring the rest of Vanguard quickly ‘up to speed.’ All he got was static!

No communication existed between those in the cathedral and those outside it! [so please play accordingly ;-) ]

Meanwhile, the Clone descending the stairs with Rachel Ray suddenly froze.

Rachel looked questioningly at Clone as if she was waiting for an explanation as to why they stopped going down the stairs.

Clone then turned to her and said, “I am being most sorry for this stopping, please let us continue . . . I am needing to get to President . . . he is possibly in most serious of dangers it is seeming.”

Rachel said, “What?!”

Clone then stops once again as he receives some additional information from one of his replicas. Clone’s head then snapped around and his eyes open wide as he looks directly at Rachel Ray in disbelieve and gasps.

Rachel said, “Alex, what’s wrong?!” She looked concerned for him.

As Clone and Rachel haltingly descended the northern staircase, Slate and other Clones raced down the southern staircase to find the President. It was perfect mayhem.
The ancient basement of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, smaller than the level above it, appeared to be forged of the original stone. The space was small, cramped and dark. Hundreds of nervous wedding guests packed a small hall to storage and the crypts of every man who ever held the title of Archbishop of the Diocese of New York.

Then five gunshots rang out! The wedding guests panicked! Screams! Pushing! The Clones and Ethan were swimming upstream! They saw Shelley, Doc Rocket, Felicity Chase and Nanite, who was near Scott’s estranged father and brother.
“The President was in there!” Johnny Depp yelled, indicating a direction furthest from the stairwells down.

Slate and some Clones pushed through in that direction, and Nanite followed her son! [see map, below]

They broke from the crowd into an empty area of the basement, burst into a dark chamber and saw Slingshot standing over five unconscious Secret Service agents. Their pistols were scattered across the floor, along with a few cellphones. Scott held the President of the United States in one hand and his other hand was formed into a giant hammer, as he readied to murder the President!

A rat that pushed through a crack in the wall of the dark chamber served as the eyes and ears of Menagerie, who had extended his Nature Sense to watch the area. The vermin followed the gunfire, at his master’s command, and now the sorcerous superhero knew of these events!

Scott looked at Clone, Nanite and Slate and said: “Stop! Trust me. This must be done. For all of us.”

In appearance, speech, mannerism, in every way, this was Slingshot! He raised his hand to strike and…

To be continued!

OOC: Actions please!

Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 148, Power Points: 83, Manifestation: Hera and Ares!
Clone: Bodies: 12, Hit Points: 2 each, Power Points: 40 each, Hit Point Pool: 22
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 48, Power Points: 59, currently disguised as the Silent Killer.
Menagerie: Hit Points: 26, Power Points: 62, Form: Spider
Sentinel: Hit Points: 30, Power Points: 58, Creation Points: 116, Shields: 87, Blinded!
Slate: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 71
Slingshot: Hit Points: 59, Power Points: 55, Invulnerability: 0 until Issue 155
Symbiote: Hit Points: 90, Power Points: 81, Charges: 12, Copied: Talon, Fatigued!

Exterior Map: Each map square is 40 feet / 8”. Characters are not in scale.


Cathedral Basement Map: Each map square is 5 feet / 1”. Characters are in scale.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Avatar:
When Overdrive comes near him again to strike, he'll try to grapple with him and get him stuck in Web's web to neutralize the speedster's main advantage. If he can do this, he'll either grapple Overdrive into unconsciousness (bear hug or some pankration move) or pummel him there.

Not sure exactly how strong this web is going to be but he'll also work on hitting Web with a thrown spear after dealing with Overdrive.

He'll also be looking for some source of fire or heat to try and burn the web away, if possible (gas station nearby, perhaps?). If necessary, he'll drop a power (likely Heightened Endurance) and pick up Immunity to Fire to do this "safely" if there's such a source nearby.
Yes, I know that these are multi-turn things but I'm throwing them out there for you.

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Menagerie:
OOC: Best Line: The massive marauder made crushed ice!

Best OMG Moment: Scott held the President of the United States in one hand and his other hand was formed into a giant hammer, as he readied to murder the President!

Instant classic issue, Jeff! While you always do all of Vanguard well, as the Player of Menagerie, I want to let you know it was wonderful how Menagerie was done this issue. He really supported the team like I was hoping he would. My PC rocked this issue! Thanks!!

Great Issue.

IC: Menagerie with all speed will bite The Voice and injected his Spider's Venom into him. He thought-sent the dire situation that the President is in to the rest of Vanguard and Sgt Stone. He will thought send to Slate, Nanite, Clone, Doc Rocket and Shelley that this isn't the real Scott but has to be the villain that copied his powers and fought him right before Menagerie and Shelley had joined the team. The villain copied Scott's weaknesses as well. He emphasized to Slate and Clone that this villain had stolen Slingshot's power and had tried to kill him. Don't hold back!!!

OOC: He will turn into the Largest and Scariest flying animal he can. A Pterodactyl if there isn't anything bigger. He will swoop down pass the Party Crashers. My hope is they all will have to take cool tests against the combination of the flying beast and Menagerie's Charisma. I don't think this counts as an action but if it does then I will do that next turn.

Save the POTA!

Tom

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GM:
OOC:
Avatar, You've got one free arm... enough to throw a spear or pull Overdrive into your web.
There are no gas stations in midtown, real estate is too expensive.
But the sword of Damocles seems like it’s giving off heat [see Homicide Unlimited image].

Menagerie, Thanks. Glad you liked it. Jon/Slate pretty much had me sussed! Gotta get more devious, apparently.
It takes an action to transform into a new shape, so it will have to be next issue. But forcing cool rolls may not require an action.
The biggest, scariest flying predator is a Terrordactyl of the Lost Lands, what Symbiote calls a Velocidon. Menagerie is aware of their existence through his Nature Sense!
See Issue 92:
http://vanguardhq.blogspot.com/2009/07/vanguard-issue-92-attack-of.html

Best,
Jeff

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Avatar:
Pull Overdrive into the web for now and pummel him without mercy!

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Menagerie:
OOC: Okay. Menagerie will bite the Voice this turn.

Tom

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Slate:
OOC: Jeff,
I'd like to ask a couple of questions before I respond to everyone. I'd sent some questions about Slates skills back on December 27th, and I don't think we ever finished that discussion. I know we kind of got off track, with my power discussion, but the skill request at that time was:

Primary Skill computer hacking - I know we discussed this being Kirk's Primary also, but with what he's said since them, I'm pretty sure he's OK with this, and even liked the idea that it might bring him and Slate together... If I can do this, I'd like to go ahead and add another slot to this, even though you get two for a primary. I want there to be really no way he won't succeed with these rolls.

Add Hardware and Software knowledge, maybe robotics, a little something for mom. :)

I know we talked about combat skills, but maybe a knowledge area of fighting styles might be more inline... maybe he could tell what type of style, or maybe where someone studied based on observations.

Lastly, I had Vanguard hand signals skill, which I'm thinking might be very useful in the current situation. I can write up a flashback on this one if you approve.

Also, do I just respond to you and Clone, or to everyone... I thought that you were saying the former but with Tom's response, and the rat, it seems like everyone would be aware of everything pretty quickly.

Jon

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GM:
OOC: Sure.

Slate had six empty skill slots, plus English Language.
They could be used like this:
1) Computers (Primary Skill, which encompasses programming, hardware and software knowledge)
2) Computers
3) Robotics
4) Martial Arts Philosophy (won’t include bonuses to hit or defend, just the study of combat styles)
5) Vanguard Hand Signal Skill
6) Still open

Please reply to everyone, being mindful of what your character knows and doesn’t know.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Slate:
Slate enters the room and takes in everything he sees. He takes in the scene before him, and pauses as his the figure before him makes the statement that the president must die. He remembers seeing Rachel Ray as they pass, and realizes she was not the chameleon he had thought. He would have to apologize to her and clone for his mistake.

Flashback: Ethan sat at the computer in their quarters reading the case files of Vanguards adventures… technically, they were protected, and he was not supposed to have access, but what was it Lightning Strike had said, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness that beg permission.” And this was so interesting, learning about how his parents had met, and the adventures Slingshot and his teammates had… He sat enthralled scrolling through it all. He found himself thinking it would be so much faster if I could just copy these files and upload them… At just that time, Slingshot came in from the bedroom, “What’cha doin sport?” He said as he came up behind him. Ethan felt his face grow warm, and a strong desire to not be doing what he was. He looked sheepishly up at his father and said, “I was just reading about your adventures, I hope that doesn’t make you angry.”

Slingshot just grinned, “Well, I know you probably shouldn’t be accessing those files, but we’ll keep it between us. Does your mom know you are able to get to that stuff?”

Slate, “No, She thinks I’m reading the Iliad and the Odyssey. It’s my assignment for tomorrow, but I finished a while ago.”

Slingshot continued, “I know it’s interesting to read about, but you could always just ask me. I’d be happy to tell you anything you want to know, and none of my,” he makes quote marks in the air “files”, “are classified.”

Ethan turns off the monitor, “really, because I do have some questions, for instance, can you show me the Vanguard silent language it talks about in the files? I can’t find anything about it, other than it exists.”

Scott says, “Sure, I can show you, but it’s top secret, so just between you and me for now, K?”

“Yes sir,” Ethan quickly agrees, they quickly run through the basics. They begin to use it when no one else is around, or to Ethan’s great pleasure, when there are around others but no one is looking. It becomes quite a game for them, and he quickly masters it and even adds a few signals that are only known to himself and Scott.

End Flashback

IC: Slate puts his hand in front of Nanite and Clone to stop them, “Then let me do it,” he says. At the same time, he’s making the silent signals to ask if his father’s alright, and if he needs anything. He continues without pausing, moving forward into the room. “I know it could look bad if it were to come out that you had killed the president, but you already have a bit of a reputation after the Silas Caine incident. If I do it, it’s going to reflect on all metahumans. You know I can do this, if it has to be done.” Again he signals, why?

OOC: Slate is almost sure this is not Slingshot, rather someone sent to damage his father’s reputation and put meta’s in a bad light. If that’s the case, and he can convince them he would do that better… maybe they’ll let the president go. If he can delay an attack, the rest of the clones may be able to get here and help. Either way, he’s got to delay the strike. From the file he read, Skin Deep appears to take on all of the characteristics of whomever he/she/it copies, but they yet retain their own abilities as well, as evidenced by the fact that they were still faster than Slingshot when they faced him before. If that’s the case, they probably don’t have his memories, and the silent language is a way of testing this doppelganger. Slingshot had only been able to defeat Skin Deep by using Fire, his one weakness…

Looking at this scenario, I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be possible that Slate had studied some architectural drawings of the Cathedral after Felecity decided on the location, I’m sure he’d have been curious and wanted to read about the places history… it’s not too much of a stretch to think that he might have come across them in his research. I’d be happy to use a luck point to make this happen. If so, Slate would be preparing to use his power to open some kind of gas/propane line (which would probably be located in the basement…I don’t think it takes an attack to use a power on an inanimate object, not in someone else’s control) it’s the only way he can think of creating flames in the building... He realizes there is probably a sprinkler system that would put out any fire, but after the last time Slingshot burned Skin Deep, he’s betting they are as adverse to flames as his dad is, if not more so. It could delay them long enough to get the president to safety, and that’s his goal.

He has no expectation that he would stand a chance against anyone with Slingshot’s power. If he can get the president away from Slingshot, or if Slingshot doesn’t respond to his silent signals, he’ll slice through the line with his power, scoop up one of the Secret Service revolvers and point it at the ruptured line. “If you don’t let the president go, I’ll fire this gun… I don’t even have to get close to hitting anything. The muzzle flash will ignite the gas you smell, and we will probably all be burned badly, but you, I’m thinking more than any of us. You’re not my father, and you have no right coming here today, ruining what was to be the happiest day of my parent’s lives. You deserve to burn.”

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GM:
OOC: Nice stuff Jon!
Re: the gas main: I'll allow it, with a Luck Point expenditure. It's in character, and his Heightened Sense of Comprehension would cover his photographic memory.

You should probably use your final Skill slot retroactively on Superhero History or Vanguard History, given his knowledge of Jim Harrik, Skin Deep and Vanguard. Thoughts?

Best,
Jeff

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Slate:
OOC: Sounds perfect. I think Vanguard History, he doesn't really have any knowledge of other Hero groups, like Sentinel does, other than the overlaps they have had... Dr. Swastika, etc...I think it fits the Flashback as well.

Quick question, on his body power, natural healing rate is doubled... does that apply to power points as well as hitpoints, or does everyone recover power points at the same rate?

Jon

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GM:
OOC:
Great. Will add them to the sheet.
And I have a House Rule where Healing Rates affect Power Point recovery as well.

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Clone:
OOC: Since I just happen to work for the company that supplies NYC with its electricity, gas and steam - let me say this - attacking the 'gas main' as you call it, in this basement, with all these people in it - REALLY bad idea! lol =D

And for the record - there's no water sprinkler in existence that would prevent the kind of damage you're thinking about unleashing lol =P

. . . but that's all from a real world point of view ;)

In comic books I guess there might just be a little fire or something . . . as opposed to a HUGE EXPLOSION that would wipe out about 10% of this building or more ( probably more ) and cause dozens of deaths =P

- Kev

P.S. If I can help out with any information on how the utility stuff ( electricity, gas and steam ) in NYC works; in this or any of the future issues of Vanguard, let me know.

P.P.S. Here's a video / story link about a residential gas explosion that happened in Floral Park, Queens a couple of years back. It all started from a gas leak in the street from what I recall. What they describe in the link is NOTHING like what would happen if Slate did what he has in mind ( in the real world of course ), the damage would be much more severe - it would definitely make the super-powered community look EXTREMELY dangerous and reckless.

LINK -http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/97993/officials-probe-gas-leak-as-possible-cause-of-queens-house-explosion

- Kev

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Lightning Strike:
OOC: I can trump that gas explosion in Floral Park. There used to be a bowling alley at the corner of Tulip Avenue and I believe Hill Street. Monge Man (Seth reference) and I used to go bowling there until it blew up due to a gas leak.

http://www.nassaufdrant.com/forum/floral-park-2184.html

Tony

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Slate:
OOC: I think I said gas/propane line,not main... ouch! Not looking to kill anyone, unless it is the fakeSlingshot, but a threat like that certainly might give someone... reasonto pause. :)

Being uneducated when it comes to thiskind of stuff, is there a difference?

Jon

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Avatar:
OOC: Probably best to REMAIN uneducated. It helps IMMENSELY with the willing suspension of disbelief.


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Clone:
OOC: Yeah - After I sent the first couple of e-mails on this I realized I probably should have never said again anything to begin with. The 'Real World' and the 'Gaming Universe' should always remain two completely separate things, otherwise what fun would it be ;)

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GM:
OOC: I feel compelled to mention: gas main explosions in the comics are somewhat equivalent to gas main explosions in the real world.

This dangerous approach could still be done as a bluff, of course

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Slate:
OOC: I feel the need to thank Kevin for that insightful revelation. :) jk I just hope Skin Deep, or Slingshot has the same knowledge, not sure Slates mature enough to not go through with it... in which case it's not a bluff, it's a threat. Of course that does not accomplish the desired result of saving the president. I'm hopeful clone will have his duplicates moving the other guests as far away from the danger zone as possible. Maybe one of them can find the shut off valve just in case things go BOOOM! I would add he'd be silently signaling Clone and Nanite to get back as well.

Jon

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Sentinel:
OOC: And here I thought we had to worry about Slate unintentionally releasing the Entity into our Dimension causing devastation and humanity to turn against us ... who would have thunk the event had nothing to do with the Entity :)

Seth

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GM:
OOC: Not to pile on, but Kev: Clone's got a weakness that he must always defend innocent civilians. A bluff (or non-bluff) like this might trigger his Weakness.

Your loving GM,

Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC: Damn those morals! Ruining a perfectly good plan.

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Clone:
OOC: Yeah - I was already thinking about that - I hate to say it but Clone might just have to just dog-pile everyone in the room and sought out the good guys from the bad guys after the dust settles . . . sorry Rachael lol

At first I was thinking that he might not know what 'gas service' was, but then I remembered that he watches a TON of television and they're always blowing stuff up on TV attacking gas lines, gas tanks, gas stations, etc. . .

I wonder if Clone will get a second date out of Rachael =/

- Kev

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Slate:
OOC: OK, at this point, Slate rolls into a ball in the corner and begins to suck his thumb...

I think I'm gonna need a mulligan on this one. Now I understand why everyone waits until the last minute to post... jk

Jon

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Clone:
OOC: LOL

Slingshot wrote: “Damn those morals! Ruining a perfectly good plan.”

Pesky little things aren't they? Always getting in the way of a good time lol ;)

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Menagerie:
OOC: Double LOL

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Lightning Strike:
OOC: Believe me, my waiting until the last minute to post has everything do with my overall lazyness and nothing to do with strategy. You would think that after 153 issues, I may have picked up some strategy but thankfully I am still blissfully ignorant.

Tony

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Slate:
As the possible repercussions of his actions calculate, Slate determines that a more direct action might yield less destructive results. He will throw himself between Slingshot and the president, hoping Clone is able to back him up to prevent the death of the world leader.

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Symbiote:
IC: Weakened by The Fly and hit by The Voice, Hal chooses to go on the offensive, and in a way that he hopes will throw off The Fly's juju. He circles around, strikes and strikes at The Voice--with the flat of his palm, hoping to absorb the Vocalizing Villain's powers! (And hoping that in doing so he'll negate the The Fly's spell).



That's probably my maximum movement for the round, but my next priority will be to give The Voice a taste of his own medicine.

Viva Vanguard,

Greg

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Clone:
Slate and some Clones pushed through in that direction, and Nanite followed her son! [see map, below]
They broke from the crowd into an empty area of the basement, burst into a dark chamber and saw Slingshot standing over five unconscious Secret Service agents. Their pistols were scattered across the floor, along with a few cellphones. Scott held the President of the United States in one hand and his other hand was formed into a giant hammer, as he readied to murder the President!

A rat that pushed through a crack in the wall of the dark chamber served as the eyes and ears of Menagerie, who had extended his Nature Sense to watch the area. The vermin followed the gunfire, at his master’s command, and now the sorcerous superhero knew of these events!

Scott looked at Clone, Nanite and Slate and said: “Stop! Trust me. This must be done. For all of us.”

In appearance, speech, mannerism, in every way, this was Slingshot! He raised his hand to strike and…

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One of the Clones moved in front of the others ( i.e. Slate, Nanite, Rachael Ray, etc. ) and acted like human shield in order to keep them safe from harm. Drawing forth his staff he reached out to the other duplicates within the Clone collective and alerted them to what was going on.

With their stave's pointed firmly in his direction, the remaining Clones within the room ( OOC: I hate to admit it, but I’m not sure how many others where in here ) moved into position around Slingshot. Their intentions were unmistakably clear; release the President now or they would take him by force!

As each of the Clones upstairs received word about the situation that was unfolding in the basement; they grabbed their stave's and rushed to aid the others as fast as possible. Within moments a sea of reinforcements would be pouring into the room downstairs to confront the Presidents would be assassin.

OOC:
If any of the Clones that are assigned to take on Slingshot get a chance to act before he does, they will save their action in the hopes that he ( i.e. Slingshot ) will release the President willingly. If he doesn’t and he moves to attack, then the Clones will be left with no other option then to attack what appears to be their good friend.

Should Slingshot release the President willingly; the Clones will move the President to another room for safe keeping and stand guard over him, ready to attack at a moments notice.

Regardless of how it goes down, the Clone that is protecting the others ( i.e. Slate, Nanite, Rachael Ray, etc. ) will quickly usher them out of the room the first chance that he gets.

I was contemplating a more elaborate response; but given the nature of his weakness ( thank you again for the reminder, Jeff ), I figured the above response was more suiting. Needless to say, each of the Clones in the room will fight to the death in order to insure the safety of each of the innocents ( i.e. The President, Slate, Nanite, Rachael Ray, etc. ) within the room.

Talk to you all soon,
- Kev

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Slingshot:
OOC: I know that my character would go down and save the president, especially since his wife and child are there with the imposter.
He would use the full extent of his movement capabilities to get down there.

IC:
"Harrik! I'll get you for this!" Scott yells out to no one in particular. In the communicator, he says, "Vanguard, I have to go and save them. I'm sorry. Take care of the riff raff here."

Then it's as much movement as possible to get down there. Use stretching. Use running, plow through doors, stretch overhead of people if they are on the way (using the walls as anchor) sort of like how jackie chan is able to climb up a wall by using a corner and stepping against one wall and its opposite. As fast as possible.

Once I'm there, "Skin Deep. Let them go, right this moment."

If I have an action left, If she doesn't let go, I'll attempt to grab the arm that's hold the president and regenerate using her body. Otherwise, Scott will glower intently until next round.

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Sentinel:
Kirk had half-expected expected this sort of attack from Killshot, but for some reason he had thought it would be a sonic attack. It temporarily took out his sight, one of his senses. Thankfully unlike the rest of the world, he had one to spare. He had already been focusing his energy senses on the event; he now focused it even more as he had trained to do. When his energy sense first began to develop Gramps foresaw just this sort of event and insisted on one of Kirk’s exercises being his learning reliance on his energy sense to augment and if necessary, replace his sight.

When Kirk heard about the happenings with the POTUS a part of him breathed a sigh of relief. At least we knew Harrik’s primary target. Now we just have to prevent his objective. It was also likely Caine’s move. Eliminate his best competition in the presidency bid and discredit the hero community in one shot. Although even if he was right, he was sure there would be no way to trace the contract back to him. Likely Harrik wouldn’t even know he was the ultimate source; Caine was too smart, too careful for that.

Kirk spoke into his communicator, “Be aware, the Inside Man has at least some sort of telepathic abilities; I felt him trying to get inside my head.”

OOC: At this point from your layout it appears that the three foes currently engaging Kirk, Killshot, Damocles, and Inside Man are all the closest to Kirk and likely he would have had sight on them before his loss of sight and some sort of energy read. We have had Kirk use his energy sense ala Daredevil’s radar sense before so hopefully this is acceptable here and naturally open to your interpretation of limitation and interference as always.

The Inside Man at this point would likely be the one that Kirk has the best fix on since he isn’t on the move and used his action in attack; he would be the biggest concern as a mentalist. Kirk’s attacks would be on him. Hopefully between his action and stored action he can strike twice and take him out of the battle.

If for some reason that isn’t possible or if The Inside Man is taken out in one attack, then the attack would be on Damacles. Kirk’s energy flows towards her and changes dark and assumes the form of a legion of leeches covering her armor and flowing around it looking for any sort of opening and moving inside. The hope here is in addition to the attack that something this bizarre throws her and frightens her. If Kirk’s energy sense picks up anything that might be the power source of the armor (likely emanating a greater energy read than anything else on her) his attack will be to remove or destroy or disable it) – if no source is apparent and his energy manages to find openings inside her armor he will continue the leech effect and hopefully his using the energy as an attack inside will get past ‘armor’ protection or perhaps damage or force the armor off disabling her sooner than a normal attack outside the armor.

If none of the above is possible, then whatever appears to be Kirk’s most effective attacks given the ‘changing board’ would be acceptable action.

Thanks again for the extension and sorry for the delay. … it’s all on you Tony!

Enjoy the game all!

Seth

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Lightning Strike:
OOC: Hi everyone,
OK I have about 45 minutes to kick-off so I have to work fast. Lightning Strike/Silent Killer did not want to blow his cover so soon, but knowing that the President was in jeopardy he had to risk it. Having just ripped off a manhole cover, he will descend down it and locate the first electrical conduit. Once he finds one, he will turn into electrical form and find the fastest route to the basement area. With any luck nobody will notice him appearing in the midst of the chaos and since he is a silent killer, they might think teleportation or something similar is part of his abilities. Since this will take his action, Strike won't be able to do much in the basement this turn but next turn he can hopefully continue to screw up and inadvertantly take villains out.

Whew!! Now I can watch the superbowl in peace.

Take care all,
Tony

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