Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Vanguard: Issue 178: Out For Blood!


In the second leg of their desperate Quest against Cthulhu and the ending of the world, Vanguard had unexpectedly come face to face with the Black Bat, vampire crimelord of several continents, and eight of his cadaverous captains in crime! 




A vicious battle exploded, during which the Black Bat exerted his preternatural will, and now half of Vanguard were his unwilling slaves!

Smoke and fire, from the vampire conflagrations caused by Avatar’s solar power, were quickly filling the crammed room as the battle raged on!

One Clone instinctively dropped his staff and reached to cover his eyes with both of his hands as he hunched over and cried out in pain, "AAaahhhgg! My eyes!"  He had been temporarily blinded by Avatar’s flare!


Sentinel (using his saved action) realized that with half the team possessed and with many artifacts still to be gathered, the priority was no longer this artifact but rather Vanguard itself!

He said to Black Bat, “Big mistake, Bat.  Big mistake.  You should have listened.  You should have gone.”
Then: “Vanguard, we end this today.  Slate’s right.  Ignore the chattel. Take out the Bat.”

The heir of heroism flew over the horde of clamoring, feral revenants and landed at Avatar’s left side, to better coordinate their attack! He then bolstered his energy shields’ strength! (OOC: PR = 8. Shields are now at full!)

He shouted above the bestial fray to Lightning Strike and Symbiote, his enslaved team mates:
“Remember who you are and shake off the Bat’s control.  Remember what he’s done to you.”
As he did this, he used a small piece of his energy (1 creation point) to form a vaporous apparition, a ghost of a memory, of Hank Archer in his prison garb, his eyes full of pain and confusion, looming large over the slavering vampires!

Menagerie, frustrated with his failure to act and help his team, accidently allowed his emotions to influence his transformation. (Using his saved action) He turned into a Honey Badger. Quickly he ran between the legs of his the ravenous bloodsuckers and under large table. Using the table as cover, he moved toward the Bat.
"It’s time to take a bite out of the undead,” he thought as he waited for his moment to pounce!

Sentinel saved his (second saved) action to coordinate his attack with Avatar.

The Black Bat held his action. (His Evasion ends). Vanguard had suddenly changed their strategy from smash and grab, to kamikaze revenge, all at the direction of their newest member: a teenager with PR troubles. He awaited Vanguard’s next move with fascination. A smile played at his pale lips.

Sentinel, seeing Avatar was ready to act, quickly (diverted 8 creation points from his shields and) formed a massive construct that covered the walls and ceiling of the room! Then Sentinel concentrated his mind (and spent a Luck Point in a one shot invention attempt). The energy construct that wallpapered the chamber fluctuated, flickered and rippled like glowing water.


Then suddenly, its form was fixed, crystallized. Every surface was reflective. The room was mirrored!


None of the vampires cast a reflection! Vanguard was astonished by the surreal vision of themselves, struggling against thin air!



Within his shields, golden age-style protective goggles made of construct energy formed over Sentinel’s eyes. He looked at Avatar, and said under his breath, “Now.”

The Black Bat knew what was coming. He (used his held action and) smiled, “Congratulations, Vanguard. You did it. You’ve passed the test. I didn’t think you had it in you. I’m proud of you. Clearly I underestimated your admirable ruthlessness. You have what it takes.
“You have just earned the right to be my stalking horse against the servants of Cthulhu. The artifact is yours. Don’t disappoint me. For all our sakes.”

With that, he simply disappeared into thin air! The wooden stake that Clone had put into his chest fell to the floor with a clatter. Due to the chaos of the fire and smoke and combat, none could see the translucent mist that silently flowed into a floor vent, and away!

But Menagerie and Sentinel’s paranormal senses detected the Bat’s undead essence moving swiftly downward until it left the range of both of their powers! They had lost him… at least for now!

But the battle didn’t abate! The vampires continued their attacks, as did the enslaved members of Vanguard!
No doubt, to cover the Bat’s escape!

Avatar, unable to detect the Bat, grimly stepped into the center of the room and said, “Vanguard! Shield your eyes.” Then the demigod of destiny used the powers of Apollo, god of the Sun, to blast another blinding solar flare! This time however, with the walls and ceilings reflecting his summoned sunlight, there would be no shadow in which to hide!

 “AAAAAUUGHH!!!!”
The room was bathed with unforgiving, purifying light. In the center of that small sun stood the mythic manifestation of powers far beyond the ken of mortal men, and perhaps even himself.
And then it ended; the sun died out, existing now only in the flickering eyes of Avatar. But in that terrible instant all the vampire minions of the Black Bat were horribly burned! The sunlight was like acid on their dead skin.


Three more combusted in flames and inhuman, pitiless screams! 

The vampires writhed upon the floor in spasms of pure agony, screaming hatred and revenge upon the world they despised so much.
The closest one to the window smashed through it in a desperate attempt to escape the pain of the flames! SKAAASHH! He plummeted to the street below, through the supernatural storm, burning and screaming, a fallen star serving as testament to the folly of crime.

Wind blasted into the room, clearing smoke and feeding the fires!

The three vampires who were not ablaze, brought themselves to their feet and attacked Vanguard again! Even now, reduced to this, they still feared their master more than any sunlight. Yet none dared attack Avatar.
With Menagerie hidden, Clone and Slate in the back ranks, and other Clones, Lightning Strike, Slingshot and Symbiote still under the Bat’s power, that left one choice.
All three lunged at Sentinel! One missed and two hit him with their inhuman strength! SLAMM! (23 points of damage! All off shields!)

Then Black Bat played his final card. Faintly, the sound of screeching could be heard. Almost like babies crying. It grew louder and louder until suddenly, out of vents and cracks and holes, poured dozens and dozens of scurrying rats! Over one hundred filthy, black vermin from the bowels of Big City! They screeched and attacked without fear of man!

Somehow they knew only to attack Vanguard, and even then, only those heroes that were not under the Bat’s control!

Over two dozen gutter rats ran up Slate’s legs and covered him in a sea of rippling, roiling fur and teeth! Over 100 lbs. of diseased feral rodents covered the scion of cyberspace!
13 succeeded in biting him!
(26 points of damage! Each attack can’t be rolled with separately because I can’t see you “rolling” will 13 “punches” at the same time, and these aren’t impact attacks to be rolled with anyway. But I think you all should be able to “roll” with more than the normal amount. So, I’ll rule that each hero may roll with half the total damage. For Slate it’s 13 to hits, 13 to Power! Slate remains conscious!)

Over two dozen rats covered Sentinel’s shields entirely! 15 succeeded in biting and clawing at it. (32 points of damage! All off shields! Shields are now at 34%!)

A third giant swarm of vermin attacked Menagerie in his Honey Badger form! Over 100 lbs. of rats pressed down on him! Only 6 managed to bite him (thanks to your Willpower defense! 13 points of damage. And Honey Badger has the power to roll with double the tens digit of his Power score. So all 13 points come off Power. 0 off Hits.)

The final vile wave of rats attacked Avatar! 9 bit him! (Thanks to your Heightened Defense. 20 points of damage. 10 from Power. 10 from Hits. Avatar remained conscious!)

Menagerie struggled back to his feet and charged the broken window! “Honey Badger don’t care,” he thought as he leapt from the window and began wriggling rats off him in mid-air as he fell! Menagerie plummeted down through the storm, and could see the falling, burning vampire below him! His occult knowledge told him that these minions were just that: minions. These young vampires hadn’t all the vampiric powers of their master. They clearly couldn’t transform into mist, or a bat!

Once free of the rats, Menagerie focused his Mystic Sense at the building racing beside him as he fell, and scanned it for the undead essence of Black Bat! Menagerie wasn’t ready to give up yet. He thoughtspoke to Vanguard to tell them what he was doing.

His power’s range, and the solid materials he was scanning through, did not allow him to sense the entire building’s perimeter. Beneath the building were basements, sewers, and subway tunnels. He found nothing.

At the last moment, before his violent impact with the street, Menagerie (used his action and ) transformed into a Terrordactyl from the Lost Lands and swooped up to safety!  “VRAAAAAA!”

Sentinel had received Menagerie’s mindspeech before the shamanic superhero had passed out of its range. “Not today,” Kirk swore and flew through the broken window, spiraling downward, throwing the rats from his shields! The reflective walls evaporated along with the mirage of Hank Archer.
Using his energy sense, the golden age avenger searched the building for the Black Bat, trying to focus on areas that Menagerie may not have scanned. Between his range, and the building’s materials that he was scanning through, he knew he was not covering every inch of the skyscraper.
By the time he had flown to the building’s base, his scan had found nothing! He extended his shields to roughly catch broken glass, rats and the plummeting vampire, SLAM! Even at this hour in New York, people walked the sidewalks and Sentinel didn’t wish any innocent bystanders to be harmed. The vampire was motionless.

Meanwhile, up in the penthouse apartment, vampires shrieked and burned!

Slate shook the vile rats off of him. They writhed on the floor before him, preparing to attack him again (on their next action)!
Seeing his father turn on him, Slate remembered the last time Vanguard faced the Bat, and how he took control of half the team.  Looking around, it appeared the same thing had happened again. 

He barely recognized his father. The good natured mirth, the honest love of life, were gone from his face now. His eyes were hollow and empty. His hand held a massive iron bludgeon with which he wanted to kill Slate.

Then he noticed something with his Heightened Sense of Comprehension. There was an inferno burning in this room. And none of the sprinkler heads had activated! They must have been tampered with, after the building was finished and passed code. The Bat had modified them, just as he allowed no wood on this floor.  He feared the water!

Slate moved around the edge of the room, trying to keep his father between him and the slavering monsters.  "Dad, you don't want to do this.... fight him Dad!"

Then he fired two bolts of digital energy at the two sprinkler heads in the ceiling! ZARK! ZARK!
The heads burst and water flooded into the room! Spwooosshh!

The vampires’ flames were extinguished, but now they were being burned alive by the water itself! They screamed in unimaginable pain and hate and then they all were silent. Their motionless forms steamed.

Slingshot’s sluggishness stilled further until he slowly stopped moving. He fought the impulse to hit his son with all his will. A yell of anguish came out of him as he pulled himself out of the torpor and into his own.

The deluge snapped Clone, Lightning Strike, Slingshot and Symbiote out of Black Bat’s control! And Clone regained his vision (between turns).
Together they made short work of the remaining rats.

Menagerie and Sentinel, meanwhile, completed their search patterns and came up empty. The Black Bat had escaped. They rejoined Vanguard, and the smoking ruins of North America’s crimelords.
Menagerie assumed the form of Man.

Slingshot, frustrated with how he had been mind controlled into almost killing his only son, as well as the Bat’s escape, slammed the iron safe onto the massive granite conference table! KA-WHAM!
The safe broke apart revealing its contents. Stacks of cash and a large golden cross.

Avatar, an experienced archeologist said, “This is from the Middle Ages.”
He picked it up gently and examined it. “These images claim…” 
He paused and began again. “Purported fragments of the True Cross were brought to western Europe, from the Holy Land and the Byzantine Empire, all throughout the Middle Ages. Reliquaries of the True Cross were sometimes made in the shape of a cross.”

He turned it over, and in its back plate was a small cruciform opening. Within the opening was set a small sliver of the True Cross.

Menagerie and Sentinel confirmed that this was indeed the second artifact of power.

To be continued!





OOC:

Immediate actions at the penthouse, as well as actions for the next 6 hours or so, please.

You said you’d like to reconsider a new plan of action, rather than the Magi’s plan of Ready, Shoot, Aim!  J
Now is your chance to discuss it.
There are 8 artifacts remaining, if you count the Soviet Super Soldier’s Spear of Destiny. And you’ve six days.

Go Vanguard!

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For your convenience and to refresh your aging memories of the existing plan and some parameters, here’s a thrilling and abridged exchange from the now classic Vanguard: Issue 170: DoomQuest of Great Cthulhu!

The Mystic said,. “When the dimensions are aligned this winter solstice, a summoning ritual will still be needed to bring Cthulhu’s Pantheon to Earth. There are many mad enough to attempt this, but the ritual requires incredible power. Therein lies our only hope. And our plan of attack.”

Oracle indicated Mystic and Archimedes, “We three have divined that there exist only nine objects on Earth powerful enough to rend asunder the fabric of our reality. Any one of them, if they fell into the wrong hands, could be used to bring Cthulhu here on winter solstice.”

The Mystic said, “We need to secure all nine of these artifacts of power in the next seven days, or risk them falling into the hands of agents of the Cthulhu Mythos, who would bring about an Armageddon final and complete. We three can guide you, expending our energies locating each artifact. And transporting Vanguard to each one, in the interest of time. But that cost will be terrible. Our power exhausted in the effort of location and travel, we’ll be too weak to secure the artifacts ourselves with surety.
“So it must be Vanguard’s quest to secure these nine artifacts of power. We can imagine none better suited.”

The three harbingers of doom were relieved and grateful that Vanguard accepted this deadly quest.

In the face of their questions and suggestions, the Mystic said, “My friends, I’m afraid our situation is direr than you understand. We only learned of this threat mere hours ago, and have no preparations ready.
Furthermore, we three are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. Our powers are finite. It might be best to explain those powers to you, at least those powers that can aid us here. It is the least we can do for you who would risk so much.

“Right now, we have not identified any of the artifacts of power. Nor do we know their locations. Just that there exist nine sources of power great enough to permit a ritual on winter solstice to pierce the veil of this world.”

The Mystic said, “I know a magic spell to open a Gate to anywhere in this world. My plan is that we will forge a new spell to create a Gate directly to one of the “artifacts of power.” If it succeeds, we need not lose time and energy identifying each artifact, and its location.
“This places a greater challenge upon the Questors, for they would be teleporting to an unknown region on Earth. But it is more expedient. And time is of the essence. If this works, we will need to do it nine times.”

Archimedes said, “I am bound to Menagerie, and he to me.  I will know when you have recovered an artifact, and I’ll tell the Mystic to Gate you back here.”

The Mystic said, “Once one artifact is retrieved, I shall open a portal to another dimension and store these artifacts safely there.
“It is very likely that these items have owners, and that these artifacts cannot be destroyed by any power we here possess.  And as I said, we know that interested parties will be searching for them to bring about the end of the world. So this task is not without danger. Or urgency. We three will be spent from our efforts, therefore it makes sense that others, you Questors, be sent to secure the items of power.”

(OOC: With all this healing of Power Points from all these mighty spells, this process is long, hence the desire to begin immediately, and not wait to identify the names of the artifacts and their locations, or to attempt spells of confusion to mask Vanguard’s movements. If Vanguard prefers, the harbingers could spend a few days in the effort of mystical intelligence gathering and/or subterfuge, but then Vanguard would need to collect the nine artifacts with only three or four days to do it. But it gives the opposition, the agents of the Cthulhu Mythos, a head start.)

The Mystic said, “We hope this helps your understanding. If you see a better path for us, we would happily hear it.”

-------------------------

Best,
Jeff

Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 27, Power Points: 45, Manifestation: Apollo

Clone: Bodies: 4, Hit Points: 4, Power Points: 53, Hit Point Pool: 14

Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 42, Power Points: 62

Menagerie: Hit Points: 11, Power Points: 38, Form: Man

Sentinel: Hit Points: 23, Power Points: 46, Creation Point Pool: 92, Shields: 34

Slate: Hit Points: 11, Power Points: 44

Slingshot: Hit Points: 45, Power Points: 79, Invulnerability: 8

Symbiote: Hit Points: 32, Power Points: 74, Charges: 13, Copied: Slingshot

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Slate:
OOC: In the spirit of posting early, and posting often... I'll kick things off

Slate IC: Slate pulls his mask up above his nose, grasping for air... pain is a relatively new experience for him... tiny cuts from the bites of the rats cover his body, seeping blood. He reaches up feeling pain as he touches his side where the Vampire smashed him in the ribs... still, he feels the nanobots in his blood stream moving to the sites of damage, beginning repairs... he will survive.

His focus next moves outward, slowly taking in the carnage of this quick battle, amazed at what happened in such a short time. Burned and twisted bodies strewn about; rats appearing to realize they should not be here headed for the nearest exit; and his father smashing an safe to bits... He's back! with that Slate runs to his father, wrapping his arms around him, burying his face against his chest...

After a moment of consolation, Slate will move around the room looking for clue's/connections. The Bat may be a beast, but if he's doing business in this day and age Slate feels confident he's using technology to track his assets/business. He'll search the office next door, but will stay close to Vanguard as they decide next steps.

He will gather any intelligence that might help them to track the Bat or his resources in the future, including placing a small tracking virus in his system to make it possible to identify where the Bat might access systems in the future. Basically, a program to tell him the location of any computer the Bat might log into whenever he accesses a PC connected to the World Wide Web that is the internet... now a web to catch a rather large black fly.

OOC: I'm thinking Vanguard will return to the Vault via normal transportation, either Slingshot or Sentinel carrying everyone... upon arriving, he will try to sneak to his room and get a clean uniform before checking on his mother... after checking on his mother, he'll check on his computer to see if it's making any progress decoding the hieroglyphs found in the Lost Lands. Using his Heightened Comprehension, and internet access, he'll do a quick study of the Occult, and return to the supply officer to see if he can get some objects that might be useful based on his studies. Lastly, he'll go to the infirmary to see if he can get some medical attention prior to returning to the Mystics prepared for the next mission’s teleport.

Viva Vanguard!

Jon

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Menagerie:
Menagerie will contact in the mystics. he will ask how much of their power it will save if vanguard traveled back themselves.

Menagerie will consult with mystics on a spell to ruin the bat's lair.

Back at Vanguard headquarters he will ask how much more time for the location spell to tell them where they're going before they go. He doesn't care to know what the artifact is just eliminate the blind entrance part of the plan.

Via Vanguard
Tom

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GM:
OOC:
Thanks Jon and Thomas.
In the interest of getting a plan decided in two weeks, I'll do IC replies that affect Vanguard's plan asap.

IC:

The Mystic replied to Menagerie via Doc Rocket's Vanguard communicator: "It will save me a gate spell and hours of rest to recover from it.
"I'd rather not expend precious magical energy to spoil the Bat's lair. We'll need it for the Quest.
"No one was bitten? Good. You know how to destroy vampires, correct?"

Menagerie knew (via his Occult skill). A wooden stake must be put through their heart. Then they must be decapitated and the body burned to ensure they will not return to a state of undeath.

Mystic answered Menagerie's final question: "To discern all the locations would take two days, perhaps less, and much Power. But in half that time, we would possess half the locations."

OOC:
This would be multiple uses of Cosmic Awareness, which is a Yes or No question, at a rate of approximately 30 Power Points per question, to protect the mind of the asker, Archimedes.
Here's an example of how the questions would run (example only! This isn't accurate)
Is there an artifact of power capable of summoning Cthulhu in Europe? Yes (30 PR)
Only one? Yes (30 PR)
Is there one in France? No (30 PR)
Is there one in England? No (30 PR)
Is there one in Germany? Yes, (30 PR)
Berlin? Yes. (30 PR)
East Berlin? No (30 PR)
etc, etc, etc

That's 210 power points, which Archimedes doesn't remotely have, and he's not even done.
So he'd need to rest at least four hours before a full sequence was completed. And he'd be giving you a neighborhood as the location, not the building.
Fours hours X eight artifacts would be 32 hours minimum. 48 hours might be the maximum, depending on how easy their locations are to predict.

But if you guys shifted to a plan involving days of intel gathering, it would enable Vanguard to heal a little.

Best,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
How many days would this take to do half the artifacts verses our timeline?

I would like to use our healing time to perform the search

 Does the rest of Vanguard agree with menagerie?

Viva Vanguard
Tom

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GM:
OOC:
If it takes approximately two days (48 hours) for Archimedes to discover the general locations for the eight remaining artifacts, it would take approximately one day (24 hours) to discover the general locations of four of them.

After they are located, then what?
Mystic gates you to the general neighborhood and you commence a search?
Then that happens eight times? J

Thanks,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
OOC: What does the rest of the team think? Is this a better option than going blind or do we continue with our current plan. I am good with either.

Best
Tom

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Sentinel:
OOC:
With this being just the general area I don't think we gain enough here.  We lose the time for Archimedes to do it and we just have a general area of the object that we may or may not be able to find with Sentinel/Menagerie's senses.  The location could be underground and we'd both miss it even if we managed to cover the entire area physically.  Or perhaps something else would block our senses from such a wide possible area so that we'd miss it.  At least with the porting in we are in the exact location of the artifact so that if something interferes with our senses we have only a small area to search and come close enough to sense it.   And with the general area only we wouldn't even have the option of bringing in other assistance to locate the artifacts since they would be lacking the ability (ie Sentinel/Menagerie sensitivity to the artifact).

I don't see this as an option unfortunately.  Although we certainly could use a better handle on things since time/power/health are running down for us and unless we get some freebies in some of these retrievals we are going to be spent by the time of the event and we are going to go in running on fumes trying to prevent the summoning.

Seth

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Sentinel:
OOC:
Figure we return to HQ on our own power for sure.  First aid for all injured (coupled with rest time to regain power points for next mission). 

Given where we are in the scheme of things (timeline) unless some of these artifacts are just lost to history and unguarded this task is becoming more and more impossible.

So for Intel gathering
(1) How about Kirk's idea of using scientific or magical methods to expand the scope of his energy power to focus in on the artifacts?  Given that Menagerie can also hone in and sense them also perhaps the two of them can be used as the focal point of the spell/device to help hone in quicker and more accurately.  Don't know how quickly the science types could come up with something (although it would seem if they did it would be the basis of a more permanent aid) but it would seem a magical spell to do the amplification should cost less than the method we are using now.  If there are more that are nearby it could perhaps allow for physical transport rather than magical too. 

Could you give the plausibility and time frame for this like you did for Menagerie's suggestion.

And if we did have this intel,  given that the SSS has one artifact already if some are closer to them or within their borders as a last resort we could inform them.  At this point if they are under Swastika's control or working for the enemy  unknowingly whether they have one artifact or several makes no difference (from what we've been told) they have the same opportunity to summon Cthulhu’s Pantheon to earth.  So if we inform them, they can gather them.  At least we'd only have to hit one place to retrieve them or prevent their usage.  We already have to hit them for the artifact they do have if we feel them a threat.  So their having more than one means we gather from less locations (Avatar already suggested having them do the work, so having them do some of it is on the table already).

Another thought if my first suggestion isn't workable:
(2) Oracle can see the future which is shifting. All right.  But the location of the artifacts really shouldn't be shifting (I suppose unless another party takes them in the next few days before us).  In her future sightings she has no idea of where any of them were located or what was guarding them?  Might there be some means, perhaps by a spell, to 'guide' her visions towards some of that intel?  If hypnosis and the power of suggestion can influence a person's actions can we use some form of that to guide her vision into helping us better?  Or might some of her visions of the future already have information about that but she simply didn't focus on that information at the time instead being overwhelmed but the bigger events taking place.  Could her memory contain some of the information we need and she be unaware but guided to it with assistance?

OOC: My first guess on the Bat's artifact was the holiest of crosses but my online research didn't find one (guess the few moments spent weren't enough- I think I tried searching under 'most holy cross') so I my second choice was on the holy grail.  But I was right that it was something along those lines.  Very appropriate for the Bat.

Slate:  If he has time to examine the Bat's computer systems or plant anything before we go sounds great.  I'd thought of him using his skills to track down the money or the Bat's operation, etc and he might pick up some clues that can put him on the right track assuming we save the earth and have time to pursue it.  This could be an opportunity to go on the offensive with the Bat.

Sorry none of this is really written up IC dialogue but I wanted to get it out there ASAP.

Seth

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GM:
OOC:
Thanks Seth.

Re: timeline: Yes. Time is running out, jeopardizing the quest. Hence, the Mages' original plan of Gate first, ask questions later.
It seems that if you spend days on healing and on intel, there may not be time to collect the remaining eight artifacts unless you split up.

1) Creating a new spell that greatly increases the Range of Menagerie's and Sentinel's extranormal senses would be a one shot invention of a very powerful spell. Cost = Luck Point and time to research and invent the spell. Then time to cast the ritual itself which would take hours. 
With no idea how fast they could invent this brand new spell, Mystic estimates it could be two days or more. If it succeeds you would sense the locations of all of them at once.  And have more specific location than just the neighborhood.
So time would be spent researching and inventing instead of healing Power back after Cosmic Awareness use.

Doc Rocket estimates that a scientific amplifier might take around the same time but it’s a guess because they've never studied Menagerie's and Sentinel's powers before.
However this path would be developed by Vanguards scientists, ( and their test subjects Menagerie and Sentinel ) keeping the Mystic rested and ready for when the time came for transport. 

2) Oracle has probably played much of her part already: notifying the other Magi and you of what the sudden new future seemed to hold: the coming of Cthulhu. She'll also serve as a desperate stop gap at the end if everything goes terribly wrong, as she did during the Primate saga.

But the problem of using her in the middle segment is this: she gives Vanguard information from the future. It alters their actions, thus creating a totally different future from the one she saw. So her intel is now inaccurate because the chessboard has just been changed, perhaps for the worse.

This is what happened in the Vanguard Omega saga. Vanguard saw a dystopic future caused by ITs invasion, Caine's Presidency and other things. That knowledge allowed them to alter that future, resulting in another, completely different future: the coming of Cthulhu. 

The same dynamic cost her the lives of her team mates, years ago. So she's hesitant to do it again unless completely necessary.
(Game-wise, this is a Major Psychological Weakness that places restrictions on using her powers)

If things go terribly wrong at the end, she might be able to give you a get out of jail free card. But she's not ready to create yet another brand new timeline. Not yet anyway.

Best
Jeff

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Avatar:
OOC:
What if we continue going on our quests for the items, perhaps breaking up, and have our mystics and/or scientists working on a way to detect where a "mass" of artifacts are so that, near the end of getting them, we can jump into the place/area and try for all of them that we haven't yet obtained.  I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents.  There's no way that we can get EVERYTHING.

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GM:
OOC:
Hi,
If you guys go for the idea of locating them all first, you'd know if any were massed together.
That said, with the Soviets, and perhaps others, trying to collect them, their locations could change.

Best,
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC:
We are hunting down artifacts of immense powers. It seems that they all have been used to create some of the most powerful people on this planet and some of the worse people on it as well. Swastika, Bat..

Side comment: I'm expecting to find Caine on one of these jaunts.

We are running out of time and energy/health.

Can't we make use of these artifacts? Since I'm watching all these TV shows with my boys.. We are the beacons of hope. All these artifacts seem to have backgrounds of holy nature (As opposed to unholy nature). Could it be that we would be able to use them to empower us?

Maybe Sentinel's energy sense, could see if there's a match between one of us and the artifact we have? Maybe gain the ability to unlock its powers? something that will give us an advantage?

Stephane

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Slingshot:
OOC:
Sorry for the late replies, on vacation. I don't have access to the PDF and limited access to internet (blackberry).

I agree with Seth. I don't think the new plan is acceptable.

To date, it was easy. We were within reach of the items. Being in the neighbourhood would likely waste hours in search, instead of wasting hours in research. What's menagerie/sentinel's range for detecting these things? If we get drop shipped with no intel (no idea what or where to look), we might as well look for a needle in a haystack. I mean, what if we had been dropped within a block of this location. What century would we have found the lair of the bat?

1- Are folks that badly hurt? (I know I can regenerate, so I'm at an advantage here).

2- These are items of power. They all helped these powerful villains grow and be who they are.
Can't the mystics tap into them to gain more power points or something? Be able to focus their power?

3- alternatively, can't WE use them? If we decide to split ourselves up and go after multiple locations. We need more horsepower. That would do it.

I think at this point, we don't have a better plan. It's half a plan.

My move, unless someone comes up with something (or my comments above trigger something for someone).
IC:
At Black bat's lair:
Slingshot hugs his son. He looks at him with distress in his eyes. "You know that I would have hurt you. I was looking through my eyes, but I was unable to do anything." He clenches his fists. He looks around the location and says to the air, "Bat, you've made an enemy today. Be sure we never cross paths again."

With that in mind, Slingshot asks Menagerie what can be done to these vampires to put them down for good and helps with the process. He will use his abilities to quickly go through the lobbies of the other floors and gather the necessary wood (chairs, side table) and help finish the job permanently.

Slingshot helps bring the team back to Vanguard's HQ.

When there, Slingshot discusses the various options at the HQ, but sees that we don't have a complete plan and says so. "Unless we have a plan that is better, we need to continue with the current one".

Slingshot will regenerate using the required materials that he had ordered at the beginning of the quest.

He will also study the cross, with the help of either Doc Rocket or menagerie and see if there's any way to make use of it or its energies.
S

--------------------------------------------------


GM:
OOC:
Thanks Stephane.

1.  Many of Vanguard are near or below half their hit points.  This is a good argument to rest and perform intel of some kind.

Slingshot is still damaged from the Homicide For Hire fight. He can't regenerate flame damage, and so is not fully healed.

2 and 3: To date, the plan was for Mystic to lock them securely in a pocket dimension to keep them safe. The thought was that if they are piling up at the Vault, or Vanguard is carrying them in missions, it would be too easy for the agents of Cthulhu to raid the Vault to get them after you guys had exhausted yourselves collecting them.
I'm not advocating that idea, just reporting what was said.

Right now you have one artifact if you split up. You have the true cross fragment.
The Necronomicon is not one of the artifacts you are questing for.
The SSS have the Spear of Destiny.

The idea of scientifically or magically expanding Sentinel and Menagerie's sensory ranges, if it works, would pinpoint the artifacts' locations precisely, unlike the 20 questions approach of cosmic awareness which gives you a neighborhood.

But attempting to invent such an amplifier takes time, committing you guys to splitting up, or some other path/plan that would enable you to make up the lost time.

Best
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC:
Not sure we want to use the book, but the cross might be worthwhile using.

S

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Sentinel:
OOC:
Hi everyone.

(1) Jeff - Cool stuff for Kirk all around in this issue.  Especially liked his attempted pursuit outside after him.  Great stuff for him.  Thanks.

(2)  We know that tech exists regarding mind powers from our last adventure.  Grey needs to leverage our situation with Bat to get us access to it.  We need to be sure we have a defense so that the Bat doesn't take control of half our team in the future again.  Also perhaps we can get some special weapons designed for Vanguard (and even Chess) based on solar attacks so that we can combat vampires in the future.

(3) After the world is saved we should set our sights on the mob bosses known second in commands who seemingly would be the Bat's next round of recruits.  Who was the unidentified mob boss?  If the Bat is still operating after this adventure this would seem prudent.

(4) Proceeding ahead:  Doesn't seem prudent to alter our current plans based off what I read thus far.  It would seem that proceeding with the plan but leaving our scientific types to begin work on the alternative might yield some results down the line (unless they have something more pressing)... perhaps they could work around the area where they need input from Sentinel/Menagerie and between missions they could gather needed info from us or assistance.   Might not take two days but perhaps they will yield needed results while it will still help... unless they are using their talents in something more pressing or advantageous... but it seems right now they are not from what we are aware.

I think I said it earlier before crisis, but first aid for all...

Will try to read other posts to see if anything new popped up.  Sorry no IC and if anything more direct needed, let me know.

Seth

--------------------------------------------------

GM:
OOC:
Re: point 1: Well it's amazing what you can do with three saved actions.  ;-)

Best,
Jeff

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Sentinel:

"Sentinel I am wanting to change into an animal form before we leave the next time. Is that okay with you?"

I'd say the choice is  certainly yours to make.  But given that we don't know what to expect your choice to wait seems prudent so you can choose the best form for what we find.

>Maybe Sentinel's energy sense, could see if there's a match between one of us and the artifact we have? Maybe gain the ability to unlock its powers? something that will give us an advantage?<

If somehow Kirk senses some bond like this he would by all means reveal it but it seems beyond the scope of his power.  Unless somehow he sees unusual energy from the cross flowing towards one of Vanguard and back.   It would seem that Menagerie might be even more sensitive to such an event... and I think our GM would be throwing a major favor our way... but hey we'll take what we can get.

From what I recall from previous discussion the mystics needed the time to recharge and bring us back.  They couldn't do it for more than one item at a time.  So only one group could be sent to one object at any time.  Splitting up would just mean less manpower at the location, not that we could hit more locations in the same time.

Seth

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GM:
OOC:
Yes and no. Mystic is currently gating you with a powerful spell that also locates the artifact at the same time. So the power drain is immense.

If you spent days locating the artifacts first, the gate spells after that would be much cheaper. Mystic could do multiples. (see Teleportation rules.)

Best,
Jeff

--------------------------------------------------

Symbiote:
OOC:
Symbiote is most definitely not in favor of splitting up.  We've barely survived the encounters we've had so far.

We need to rest as best we can and hit it again.  He'll go in with Accelerator's powers activated this time.

Viva Vanguard,

Greg

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Sentinel:
OOC:
If we lose two more days not pursuing items knowing all their locations would only allow us to split up if they were within a distance that we could get to without being transported (and get back to go for another object).  Also we would likely need either Menagerie or Sentinel in any retrieval team to be sure we got the right object/artifact.

If we continue to meet this sort of resistance our ability to complete this mission truly seems questionable... let alone able to handle whatever final threat that will be present  with a summoning.

We need to call in Vanguard Unlimited...  FYI loving the rebroadcast and what a gift seeing so many somehow missed in the VCR days of recording.  I would make the JLU theme song my ring tone if I did ring tones.

Seth

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Lightning Strike:
OOC:
OK, I believe that splitting us up will weaken Vanguard but since we have heard that the artifacts need to be used together why shouldn’t we have a team that guards what we have and another team that looks for others.  Assuming that the power comes from the artifacts linked together, then holding one will be enough to force others to come to us and then we can Vanguard their ass and take all of them for ourselves.

That’s just my opinion but Strike is sticking with it.

Thanks,
Tony

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Sentinel:
OOC:
To my knowledge, we have been told that any one of the objects alone can be used in the summoning.  That is our problem and what is making this task seemingly impossible in the time frame.  We need to know that all of the objects are secured and not in improper hands.  We could get six of the seven and the seventh still be used WITHOUT any other objects.

Worse yet, there could be more than one group planning to use them independent of each other and in different locations.  So if we don't get all the objects, I'd guess the summoning would create a mystical event of magnitude that likely could be detected... and perhaps we could port there to prevent it, but if there is more than one event happening simultaneously at the endgame it would be seemingly impossible to get to them all even split up and assuming we were of any power level and health to do anything about it.

In fact, typing that statement almost makes it seem more plausible to spend the two days locating them all and then perhaps Chess or other allies could also be used in intel gathering to see if the artifacts will be used in a summoning. They could monitor them and if somehow things went awry we could try to go in then.

We just had a battle with the Bat and took damage and it would seem on the surface that he was NOT going to use the artifact in a summoning (of course, he could have been lying).

It really seems impossible that we are actually going to secure all of the artifacts in this time frame.  Perhaps knowing the locations would be more valuable at this point?  I truly don't know?  But unless we get an easy one on the next port our situation will just continue to deteriorate.

I really was thinking continue in our quest but after trying that out am thinking perhaps knowing the locations might be more plausible an approach.  Then maybe we could limit our retrievals to those that truly are high risk.  And if they all are high risk then it seems we would be out of time at that point, but it seems likely that if they are all high risk we won't make it doing it this method either.

Among my notes I made when reading the issue was that 'we need more resources at our disposal' - it would seem that getting the locations would possibly give us more resources to stop the threat and this seems the only method we have currently to do it.

It would seem I just convinced myself we need the locations.  What do you guys think about what I just wrote???

I'd indicated having our scientific types begin work on this without us present.  I suppose if absolutely necessary Sentinel could stay behind to work with them and the rest of the team could go on the next mission without him to get the best of both at this point.  Menagerie would be needed to identify the artifact... and Vanguard would be even weaker in the retrieval without his presence if there is resistance so that would be the downside.  And as a player it would suck as essentially I'd be out of the action for the couple months of gaming that the retrieval takes so I hate it from that aspect, and I hate not being there with Vanguard as a character.  But it seems our current path will not get us to the goal.

Seth

--------------------------------------------------

Menagerie:
OOC: The only way I could get my head around this turn was to take parts of our player discussions and make it In Character discussion. Please forgive me if I over stepped any boundaries but the discussion was too great to leave out and Menagerie's response wouldn't have made any sense if it was one-sided. Please feel free to edit my turn for how you want your character's input to be.  Thanks.

IC: In the Bat’s lair, Menagerie contacted in the mystics, “how much of their power it will save if Vanguard traveled back themselves?”  The Mystic replied to Menagerie via Doc Rocket's Vanguard communicator: "It will save me a gate spell and hours of rest to recover from it.”
Menagerie consulted with The Mystic on a spell to ruin the bat's lair. He replied, "I'd rather not expend precious magical energy to spoil the Bat's lair. We'll need it for the Quest.  No one was bitten? Good. You know how to destroy vampires, correct?” Menagerie knew. A wooden stake must be put through their heart. Then they must be decapitated and the body burned to ensure they will not return to a state of undeath.
Menagerie gathered up the vampire bodies. He quickly found the wood needed to make the stakes.  Menagerie asked Avatar to remove their heads. (OOC: If Avatar refused, Menagerie would borrow Avatar’s sword, doing it himself).
Menagerie worked carefully and quickly in the Bat’s lair. He purified key areas he was able to identify and use the holy cross artifact to bless the building and all that is within it.
Menagerie arranged for CHESS to transport the bodies carried back to the Vault.  At the next sunrise Menagerie burned the bodies in a funeral pry at a location that CHESS had provided.
At Vanguard headquarters he asked how much more time for the location spell to tell them where they're going before they go. Menagerie didn't care to know what the artifact is just eliminate the blind jumps.
Mystic answered Menagerie's question: "To discern all the locations would take two days, perhaps less, and much Power. But in half that time, we would possess half the locations."
Menagerie studied the Holy Cross trying to determine how it could be used to strength the team. He focused on using it to miraculously heal the team. If he couldn’t use it for the whole team he would heal the worse hurt member of the team.
He asked for a pack of stimshots (OOC: first seen in Vanguard issue 75) to be provided to those the cross was able to heal. Menagerie would put his stimshot in a hidden pocket in his cloak.
"Sentinel,” Menagerie said, “I am wanting to change into an animal form before we leave the next time. Is that okay with you?"
Sentinel replied, “I'd say the choice is certainly yours to make.  But given that we don't know what to expect your choice to wait seems prudent so you can choose the best form for what we find.”
Menagerie agreed with the leader of Vanguard’s logic and planned to retain his human form when they went through the portal next time.
The discussion turned to how long to wait before blind jumping to the next location. Menagerie mentioned how he grown dissatisfied with that plan.
Menagerie suggested splitting in two teams.
“From what I recall from previous discussion the mystics needed the time to recharge and bring us back.  They couldn't do it for more than one item at a time.  So only one group could be sent to one object at any time.  Splitting up would just mean less manpower at the location, not that we could hit more locations in the same time.”
Slingshot said, “If we lose two more days not pursuing items knowing all their locations would only allow us to split up if they were within a distance that we could get to without being transported (and get back to go for another object).  Also we would likely need either Menagerie or Sentinel in any retrieval team to be sure we got the right object/artifact.”
Lightning Strike said “I believe that splitting us up will weaken Vanguard but since we have heard that the artifacts need to be used together why shouldn’t we have a team that guards what we have and another team that looks for others.  Assuming that the power comes from the artifacts linked together, then holding one will be enough to force others to come to us and then we can Vanguard their ass and take all of them for ourselves.”
Menagerie said, “Unfortunately it is not the linking of artifacts that is the threat. Each individual artifact is powerful enough to bring the apocalypse by itself. That is why we are magically locking them away instead of keeping in the Vault”.
Symbiote was most definitely not in favor of splitting up.  “We've barely survived the encounters we've had so far.”
Symbiote said “What if we continue going on our quests for the items, perhaps breaking up, and have our mystics and/or scientists working on a way to detect where a "mass" of artifacts are so that, near the end of getting them, we can jump into the place/area and try for all of them that we haven't yet obtained.  I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents.  There's no way that we can get EVERYTHING.”
Sentinel said “Doesn't seem prudent to alter our current plans based off what we have discussed so far.  It would seem that proceeding with the plan but leaving our scientific types to begin work on the alternative might yield some results down the line (unless they have something more pressing)... perhaps they could work around the area where they need input from Sentinel/Menagerie and between missions they could gather needed info from us or assistance.   Might not take two days but perhaps they will yield needed results while it will still help... unless they are using their talents in something more pressing or advantageous... but it seems right now they are not from what we are aware.”
Menagerie suddenly remembered, “I am the only one that informs the mystics that we are ready to return. The team that is without me will have to figure out how to communicate if our Vanguard communicators are out of range or jammed. While I could communicate back to the scientists our last two trips required that my focus wouldn't be split.”
“If I stayed behind that would leave both or the single team without a guaranteed way to communicate.”
Slingshot agreed with Sentinel, “I don't think the new plan is acceptable.”
“To date, it was easy. We were within reach of the items. Being in the neighborhood would likely waste hours in search, instead of wasting hours in research. What's menagerie/sentinel's range for detecting these things? If we get drop shipped with no intel (no idea what or where to look), we might as well look for a needle in a haystack. I mean, what if we had been dropped within a block of this location. What century would we have found the lair of the bat? “
“I think at this point, we don't have a better plan. It's half a plan.”
Menagerie agreed and prepared for the next blind jump.

Via Vanguard
Tom 

--------------------------------------------------

Menagerie:
OOC: Sorry if the email copy is hard to read. I thought I had spaced it properly. It looked good in Yahoo! Mail but it appears "What I see is NOT what I get".

My current recommendations:
    a) 1 more blind jump since the Mystics have the power saved from not returning us.
    b) Hopefully using the Holy Cross to heals works, if not all bring Stimshots with for emergency.
    c) All of Vanguard goes.
    d) Scientists/ Mystic NPCs work on some kind of ranged detection system.
    e) When we return the Mystics perform a spell to find the general locations of the remaining artifacts (3 would have been found - that would leave 6 more to find.

--------------------------------------------------

Slingshot:
OOC:
Power points seem to be the main thing that is an issue here.

Is there a way(spell?) To be able to siphon PP and lend them to a mage?

My character has a lot of PP and doesn't use too much generally(unless we talk about rolling with punches). I could be able to lend a bunch to help each time. It might be worth investigating?

This way we spread the pain and give them more time to research and do their stuff.

--------------------------------------------------

GM:
OOC:
None of the mages have this vampiric spell. ;-)

They could attempt a one shot invention of one, which would take 1-2 days.

Best
Jeff

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Slingshot:

OOC:
:) I'm just saying that it might be worthwhile looking into it.

Since it's the main choke point.

Either that or look for a reservoir of power points (one of the items?)

S

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Sentinel:
OOC: Just had a chance to sign into personal email since this morning now, so reading replies in order.

Jeff's point (about the power cost of gating) would be an additional reason to spend the time locating the artifacts.  This is actually a big positive towards that and means it opens more choices once the locations are known.  Basically the fact that he can do more transports quicker means whether we split into smaller teams or not we may 'make up' the two days spent locating the artifacts in that we can get to them quicker.  (We will lose some resting-recoup time however)

We have to go that route.

Seth

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Avatar:
Avatar will follow along with the majority for now, trying to gain as much rest as possible.  Next time we go into a scenario, he will have Heightened Speed activated.

--------------------------------------------------

Slingshot:
OOC:
I don't think we have a good alternative right now. I'm voting for keeping the original plan, until we have a good alternative.

Alternatives:

The main issue is finding the items.

1) Leveraging the current method, power points of the mages are the bottle necks. Either we come up with giving them a way to regenerate PP faster, which would give us more options.

2)Come up with a different method of finding the items. We only have one item. I would wait to have two items and see if there's a 'resonance' or something linking all these items that we can zero in on. Either do so by science or magic.

I would have Doc Rocket research the Cross and see if he can find anything special energy.

I'll read other emails over the day during down times and see if I can give my input.

S

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Clone:
THE PENTHOUSE
As the battle at the Penthouse comes to an end and the remaining four Clones regain control over their senses and actions, each of the duplicates take a moment to stop what they're doing and just stare at the other three in silence. A strange and unfamiliar sense of anxiety sweeps through each of them as a slight chill races down the back of their necks. They can't help feeling as if they're staring at their own detached reflections from some kind of a dark and disturbing dream. Where were the voices? Where was the perfect harmony of shared thought and emotion that they each knew as their collectively singular self? The moment passed just as quickly as it came and all four of them were snapped back to reality by Slingshot's enraged warning to The Black Bat.

Although they lost the use of their hive-mind, each of the four Clones knew what the other was thinking ( OOC: figuratively speaking ). The newest addition to their list of absorbed Clones brought with it a completely new and previously unknown set of emotions with it - fear and suspicion. Everyone they had ever come in contact with over the course of their life had tried to either harm them or manipulate them for their own selfish needs; everyone except for his family . . . if they actually were his family. Clone knew that the members of Vanguard were his friends, but he couldn't help feeling afraid of them none the less. The 'New Clones' fear and paranoia had kept him alive and safe all of these years and Clone's 'Ukrainian Peasant Farmer' personality had always been insecure and confused - combined, these two personalities only amplified each other. Trust - he wasn't sure if he could ever give this to anyone ever again, not even to the people who had always given it to him. He had to make sure that he kept quiet, that he never tipped his hand to anyone, and that he would always have an escape plan in place should the need ever present itself - never again would he be the victim. So for now he would observe, listen and learn, but all the while playing the role of the humble little Clone that always sat quietly 'at the back of the bus'.

One of the Clone's followed Slate and offered to 'watch his back' as he searched the office next door  ( OOC: He'll use his Computer and Espionage Subculture Skills to try and figure out exactly what Slate is doing with The Bat's computer. Should the opportunity also present itself, Clone will 'palm' anything that he might find in that room that he thinks might be useful to him down the road. He'll only do this of course if he's confident that nobody is looking - he doesn't want to get caught and then have to explain himself - he wants to keep Vanguard as his friends . . . at least for now ).

One of the Clone's walks towards the small group discussing the cross, but makes sure to stand on the outer edge of the discussion area. He looks on silently with wide-eyed amazement and appears to be completely baffled and intrigued by the discussion and the object. ( OOC: He'll combine whatever information the other members of Vanguard discuss in regards to the cross with whatever he can make of it; using his Folklore and Occult Studies Skills, and then keep that information to himself - assuming that there's any additional information even to be gained ).

Two of the Clone's start to walk around the room slowly in an obvious attempt to search for information and to keep an eye on the burned remains of the vampires - hopefully the dead stay dead. ( OOC: These two Clone's will be a bit more obvious in their movements and speed in an attempt to unconsciously take the attention away from the other two Clone's mentioned above - Stealth / Espionage Subculture? Should they actually find anything while walking around the area - they will share it with the other members of Vanguard - again, simply as a distraction for the other two ).

THE DISCUSSION
Clone sits quietly and listens to the other members of the team discussion the options before them ( OOC: he would have merged back into one Clone at this point ). As the discussion starts to take on the form of a debate; rather then a simple discussion, over which course of action to take, Clone offers up the following in his still unfamiliar American accent, "I think we have a lot more time to find these items then any of you realize. Assuming that at least one other group; the Soviet Super Soldiers for example, is out there looking for these objects - all the objects could be snatched up within a few days. All we would have to do is find out where the SSS is storing their objects and snatch them up and combine them with the ones that we're able to find." Before anyone can point out the obvious flaws in Clone's logic, the Duplicating Dynamo continues, "What if while we were out hunting for objects I left one of my duplicates behind with Doc Rocket and he can tried to use his hynotic abilities to find something that would give us a clue as to where their base is located? We could have all the objects within a few days and only have to do half the leg work - what do you guys think?

OOC:
Clone has obviously 'flipped his wig', but hopefully I'll be able to keep that a 'side story' type of thing and not have it become obvious to the other members of Vanguard for quite some time. I think it would be a lot of fun playing around with his newly acquired 'Shattered Psyche' and espionage skills, and keeping it a sub-story thats only know about by the reader and not by the story's characters . . . who knows . . . maybe he'll even act out on his paranoid delusions someday. SEND IN THE CLONES!!!

If I forgot to comment on anything please let me know - I can get a response out by early Saturday afternoon with no problem ( assuming I get the info before that time ).

Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

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Sentinel:
OOC:
Given we are ready for another port now I  vote we go and do it and perhaps acquiring another object will give us additional intel for the overall scope of what is happening and also some of the other suggestions for proceeding.  If any other suggestions are possible to help (ie using the cross to help us), great.

If we are not sending the Cross over to be secured and instead examining further, let's get Sgt Stone and some of our Chess Knights on guard duty just in case someone does try to raid Vanguard HQ for it and have the mystics ready to send it if necessary to protect it.  We don't want to lose the one we have... although you'd think the enemy would have better pickings with other objects than breaking into CHESS/Vanguard HQ to get the one we have... but better prepared.

I say have our scientists (Shelly/Doc Rocket) begin work (two day) for amplifying power to locate all of the objects.  Maybe we get fortunate and our mystics can act as consultants and a fusion of science and magic cuts down the process.  Perhaps they can jump start the project and then Vanguard can assist as necessary on return.

Reasons:
(1) Giving us the locations stops blind porting. 
(2) If any are close enough it saves mystic's power to get there and back.
(3) It gives us the means to perhaps gather more intel before securing them via CHESS and possible other allies.  It may help us to determine which objects are most at risk to be used in a summoning. Perhaps there are some unguarded that we can go and secure before those that will require a battle.

Also, you mentioned that since the mystics won't have to locate them it will make more trips faster possible thus perhaps offsetting the time lost in locating them.
I'd also ask, would this allow them to port us out quicker?  We lost the first object to the SSS because they were able to locate it and port away before we could stop them.  Currently we can't use the 'grab and run' tactic because it takes an hour before we can port back.  If we have the locations would we still be limited to the one hour before the mystics can port us back?  If not, this may be a major advantage in retrieval.  Does the fact that we traveled back under our own power cut down the porting back time period for the current retrieval mission?

Thanks.

Seth

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GM:
OOC replies:

Shelley and Doc are out of Luck Points to invent with. They can start, but this would need to be done by a Vanguard scientist(s).  

You were the one insistent on making sure the Mystic would put the artifacts in a pocket  dimension for safe keeping. :-)
You can store them at the Vault if you like, but you saw the SSS have a teleporter.

If you have the locations first, you won't need to wait an hour to 'port  back after retrieval (unless you do multiple 'ports because the team has split up. But even then, it might be less than an hour. )

That the latest artifact was in New York saves the hour if rest required to retrieve you. It means he could put the cross in the pocket dimension faster, if that's still the plan. If it isn't, it means your next attempt can go quicker if you don't want to rest first.

Please let me know if I missed anything.

Best
Jeff

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Sentinel:
OOC:
Thanks Jeff.

It would seem that the mystics would be able determine if there is anything to unlock or use from the cross to help us and that can determine where we store the cross.  I'd leave that to them to determine... just want to take whatever measures we can for its safekeeping.

I believe the pocket dimension was Mystic's plan when Kirk asked about the safety of the objects, and he held in being peeved at Kirk prompting him about it so much, not that it was Kirk's idea to safeguard them that way.

It seems like everyone is good with doing one more jump.

And we've got at least a couple votes to to try to locate the remaining objects to plan a more coordinated, less power expending retrieval process.

Only other possibility mentioned to my recall was a spell to share power points with the mystics to speed the current process but it doesn't seem others have weighed in on that option.

Kirk's power is power point based, so for him to be of any use if we shared we'd have to wait for him to fully recover or he'd be pretty useless.  And we would still have no further opportunities to gather intel on the areas or plan the jumps better or possibly enlist further ally help so I'd still vote for locations over power point sharing if those are the two options and they are mutually exclusive.

Assuming we take the next jump, just let us know the least amount of time we can port back when we do the next jump.

Best,
Seth

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GM:
OOC:
Vote Now! A few of you weighed in on everything. A few of you weighed in only on one thing. So...

Please answer the following 6 questions:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)
a) Yes, ally with the SSS.
b) Yes, ally with any enemies that don't want to see the end of the world. (please name any beyond the SSS, if you have any ideas.)
c) Never. Let the world fall first!
d) Other (please specify)

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)
a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.
b) Finding a way to transfer Power Points to the Magis, so they can fuel more magic and get us out of this mess!
c) Study the True Cross to try to unlock its power to help us. Lord knows we need a miracle!
d) Cosmic Awareness to locate general neighborhoods of the artifacts, or other info (please specify)
e) Invent new ways to heal us faster. Ouch!
f) Other (please specify)

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)
a) Lightning Strike: "...then we can Vanguard their ass"
b) Sentinel: "I would make the JLU theme song my ring tone if I did ring tones."
c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!"
d) Slingshot: "Bat, you've made an enemy today. Be sure we never cross paths again."
e) Other (please specify)

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)
a) Lock them safely away in a pocket dimension so they won't be stolen from us
b) Study them in Vanguard Vault, under heavy guard, but don't let them leave the building
c) Study them and use them in the field
d) Other (please specify)

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?
a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now!
b) Let CHESS do it.

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

a) "Ready! Fire! Aim!" Keep with the current plan of blind gating directly to the artifact. Magis' time is spent mostly gating and healing their Power Points, so only NPC scientists can work on activities from question 2, and they have no Inventing Points.

b) "Measure Twice. Cut Once." Wait for two days to heal, gather intel, invent a way to expand Sentinel and Menagerie's sensory ranges to locate all the artifacts, and then teleport quicker (and at a lower Power cost) to the artifacts. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel.

c) "Rope a Dope." Rest for 2 or more days. Heal, gather intel, invent stuff from question 2. Then swoop in during the final days (no pun intended) and raid the SSS and whoever else has been collecting the artifacts for us. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel.

d) Other (please specify)


Please hit Reply All and type in your votes, so you can all watch the results live! Like C-SPAN!

Viva Vanguard,
Jeff

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Avatar:
OOC:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)
a) Yes, ally with the SSS.
Not REALLY ally with them but use them to get the other artifacts more easily, if possible.

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)
a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!"

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)
c) Study them and use them in the field
We can't leave them anywhere because the SSS (or others) might have the same ideas we have and come swooping in to get what we've collected.

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

b) Let CHESS do it.
After they get burned a little more! It's great to roast vampires!

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

c) "Rope a Dope." Rest for 2 or more days. Heal, gather intel, invent stuff from question 2. Then swoop in during the final days (no pun intended) and raid the SSS and whoever else has been collecting the artifacts for us. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel.

I just don't see how we can even do all of this and still be in any shape to fight at the end of collecting artifacts (unless that's the point...the collection will enable us to win without subsequent effort). We can't really waste ANY time, though.

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Lightning Strike:
OOC:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)

c) Never. Let the world fall first! Never compromise and never surrender even in the face of Armageddon!

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)

a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts. Hell NO!!!

d) Cosmic Awareness to locate general neighborhoods of the artifacts, or other info (please specify)

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

a) Lightning Strike: "...then we can Vanguard their ass" I may be biased!

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

a) Lock them safely away in a pocket dimension so they won't be stolen from us

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now!

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

a) "Ready! Fire! Aim!" Keep with the current plan of blind gating directly to the artifact. Magis' time is spent mostly gating and healing their Power Points, so only NPC scientists can work on activities from question 2, and they have no Inventing Points.

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Slate:
OOC:
Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."

d) Other (please specify)
Any chance we could call up some previous Vanguard members? What other Super Hero's/teams is Vanguard aware of? I'm not up to date on that, but I think we need some help!

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)
a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.
I think this has merit... at least if we knew where we were going, we could maybe travel to some of the sites more quickly than waiting on a teleport, and perhaps saving some power points for the more distant locations... also, gathering items that were in close geographic locations, so perhaps we could do multiples with one teleport.

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!"
Now that's getting into character!

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

C followed by A - If we wait for the teleports until we can use our Power Detectors to "find" the artifacts, could others use the time to Study the artifacts (minus the Necronomican) to see if we could use them... We appear to be facing supernatural enemies, and it makes sense that items with "Holy" impressions would cause a great deal of damage to those types... if we can't use 'em, lock them away!!!!

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now!
I thought this had been done, if not it needs to be... not sure by whom.

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

I'm for B or C... except the splitting up in either case, I think that's a bad idea.

Have a great vacation, you deserve it!

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Sentinel:
OOC:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)

d) Other (please specify)
d) Use the resources of anyone willing (SSS included) or unwilling to save the world. Ultimately, trust no one. If we get locations use other government agency and their ally resources for Intel, footwork, etc. Anything that will help.

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)

a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

a) Lightning Strike: "...then we can Vanguard their ass"

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

d) Other (please specify)
d) Open to further guidance and input of all Vanguard. Thus far no one with knowledge of them has given us any reason to think we could use the artifacts to assist. If it is a possibility Sentinel is open to it, if not, lets get them as secured and safe as possible. Perhaps using the object(s) as a focal point might lessen invention time or assist in locating the other objects if we go that route?

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

c) If this can be done quickly and not divert from saving the world stuff then a), if too time consuming then b). Although Kirk would like to be 'sure' it is handled properly at this point they cannot divert us from time needed for savings the world.

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

a) "Ready! Fire! Aim!" Keep with the current plan of blind gating directly to the artifact. Magis' time is spent mostly gating and healing their Power Points, so only NPC scientists can work on activities from question 2, and they have no Inventing Points.

d) b) and c) really are versions of the same. Once we know the location of the artifacts then we could plan the best retrieval method(s). We would also know perhaps if the SSS has been gathering other objects successfully. Intel to plan to most effectively use our resources seems to be more important but I'm not sure if another blind jump would lead to showing us a greater pattern involved with the artifacts or if securing a second and bringing it to the first would unlock something in using their power (although any of the objects could be used to bring doomsday perhaps getting them together does make more of a difference than we were led to believe thus far). Since we are ready to jump now if the majority would like to do another port Kirk would be willing. He would also be willing to wait and locate the items first. There doesn't seem a clear advantage either way without knowing the outcome so this one is up for grabs... and the only thing pushing me is that if we don't do a) we basically have a 'talking heads' issue instead of a battle issue which is more of a pc decision than a character/plot based decision. So I guess this means Kirk could be swayed either way by what the rest of Vanguard feels here since there doesn't seem to be a clear benefit either way.

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Menagerie:
OOC:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)

a) Yes, ally with the SSS.

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)

a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!"

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

d) Study the Holy Cross in Vanguard Vault, under heavy guard, but don't let them leave the building. Lock the others safely away in a pocket dimension so they won't be stolen from us

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now!

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

a) "Ready! Fire! Aim!" Keep with the current plan of blind gating directly to the artifact. Magis' time is spent mostly gating and healing their Power Points, so only NPC scientists can work on activities from question 2, and they have no Inventing Points.

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Slingshot:
OOC:

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)

a) Yes, ally with the SSS, if possible - Do NOT trust them under any circumstance - Try to understand on which side they are on - the World or Cthulhu.

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)

a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts

My Answer is A) then C)

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

a) Lightning Strike: "...then we can Vanguard their ass"

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

b) Study them in Vanguard Vault, under heavy guard, but don't let them leave the building

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now! - I already gave my moves for that.

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

b) "Measure Twice. Cut Once." Wait for two days to heal, gather intel, invent a way to expand Sentinel and Menagerie's sensory ranges to locate all the artifacts, and then teleport quicker (and at a lower Power cost) to the artifacts. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel.

I lean towards B) (C is B, in case we get SSS to help), but I'm ok wiht A).

If we go down for two days. I'm not sure how we help Sentinel/Menagerie detect the items better.. would we do it by researching the cross? or by playing about with magical theories? Because if the Cross stays unused for the two days, I'd be tempted to research it on the side while everyone else is working on Sentinel/Menagerie. Not trying to be separatist, but if we waste 2 days, I want to have as many options as possible. So Jeff, let me know if that's doable (ie, Slingshot's contribution to the research only gives an extra +1, while getting a whole roll towards unlocking the Items, might give us a much greater advantage even if it's a longshot with my puny intelligence?

Stephane

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Symbiote:

1) Ally with the SSS. Painful to the pride, but with the ground we have to cover and the things we have to do, it's the only way..

2) Cosmic awareness to find artifacts. We gotta speed this process up.

3) Sentinel with the JLU ringtone. 'Cause I would too.

4) Study and use in the field. We gotta think outside the box, in addition to speeding things up. This is especially true of the Cross, which (hopefully and presumably) only has application for the forces of good.

5) Stake, burn, decapitate ourselves. If you want something done right....

6) Measure twice, cut once. We gotta be accurate, in addition to thinking outside the box and speeding things up.

Viva Vanguard,
Greg

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Clone:
OOC:

Late?!? Again?!? I'm sorry, but I refuse to keep taking responsibility for my own actions - anyone else willing to take the lead on this and take responsibility for me?

1. Avatar said: "I don't think that there's any other way unless we are to somehow ally with our opponents."
Do you choose to ally with the Soviet Super Soldiers or any other opponents, to combat the greater evil of Cthulhu? (Choose ONE)

a) Yes, ally with the SSS. ( My enemy's enemy . . . ??? )

2. What should the Magis and NPC scientists be most focused on during their "downtime?" (Choose ONE)

a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts.

3. Best quote of the issue is... (Choose ONE)

c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!" ( If this wasn't so true, it might actually be funny lol )

4. What should be done with the artifacts of power? (Choose ONE)

b) Study them in Vanguard Vault, under heavy guard, but don't let them leave the building - ( they'll probably be stolen, but maybe we can place a GPS Tracking Device on the thief )

5. What about these burned crimelord vampires?

a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now!

6. Please choose the short term plan you wish to execute next issue: (Choose ONE)

b) "Measure Twice. Cut Once." Wait for two days to heal, gather intel, invent a way to expand Sentinel and Menagerie's sensory ranges to locate all the artifacts, and then teleport quicker (and at a lower Power cost) to the artifacts. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel.

--------------------------------------------------

GM:
OOC: Hey,
Vote results, with thanks to Jon for helping me keep tally:

1: a) Yes, Ally with the SSS (landslide)

2. a) Inventing a way to expand Menagerie and Sentinel's sensory ranges in order to locate the artifacts. (another landslide)

3. c) Clone: "Even I'm starting to forget which part of Clone's fragmented world is real!" (with "Vanguard their ass" a close second)

4. c) Study them and use them in the field. (with B and A a close second)

5. a) We need to stake them, decapitate them, and burn their bodies now! (landslide)

6. b) "Measure Twice. Cut Once." Wait for two days to heal, gather intel, invent a way to expand Sentinel and Menagerie's sensory ranges to locate all the artifacts, and then teleport quicker (and at a lower Power cost) to the artifacts. Splitting up might be necessary due to time lost inventing/healing/gathering intel. (followed closely by A and then C)

Thanks everyone!

Best,
Jeff

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Slate:
OOC:
I couldn't find inventing points on my sheet, Slate has .5 luck points he'd be willing to throw in with the scientist, to develop something around increasing their sensory ranges... since that's the way it looks like we're goin.

Jon
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GM:
OOC: Hi
You had 0.6 Luck Points, which can be used like Inventing Points for one shot inventions.

See here: http://vanguardhq.blogspot.com/2011/03/house-rules.html

Best,
Jeff