The Warlock said
to Demonoid, “No, my friend. Stay your terrible hand. I have no desire to
battle Vanguard in Archimedes’ place of power. Let them hold my dagger. There
will come a time when even Vanguard realizes all is lost. Then, they will
contact us. Then, they may be finally ready to do what is needed, as the Maya
did before us, and the Atlanteans before them.”
The Muscovite mage addressed Strike, Sentinel and Symbiote.
“We await your inevitable awakening.”
This information truly disturbed Sentinel. Two of the most advanced
civilizations of their time sacrificing themselves to stop Cthulhu. He needed
to know more and there was no time in the midst of their battle and departure
for mind reading, so he appealed to the Warlock’s greatest weakness, his ego.
Not hiding his concern, and
summoning a degree of innocence in tone of the Sentinel of earlier in his
career, Kirk asked, “Warlock, what are we missing here? We just have to prevent
someone from summoning Cthulhu, how is it the Mayans and Atlanteans failed to
do that? Why are you so sure we will fail and someone will perform the
summoning ceremony?” and hoped that the Warlock couldn’t pass up a chance to
show how much smarter he was than everyone else in the room.
The Warlock replied, “The
barriers between the worlds were thinner then, my new pupil.”
Knowing Warlock really couldn’t
pass up the chance on this one, Sentinel
asked, “My symbol Warlock, you referred to it earlier, is it connected to these
events?”
Incredulous, the Warlock said, “Why would you choose a symbol that you don’t
comprehend?!”
As Sentinel flew through the portal looking back to be sure he had
Symbiote safely in tow he could have sworn that though his sixth sense, his
energy sense, he perceived the symbol on his chest emanating, glowing outward from within him. But
surely it must have been his imagination. Even so, he was beginning to wonder,
“Did I choose the symbol or did the symbol choose me?”
Vanguard’s new strategy
for the quest had worked! Mystic’s
portal brought them home with the Mayan Dagger, and Strike materialized next to
them. Earth’s greatest heroes were together again, back at in the Special
Projects Room of Vanguard Vault. And Vanguard’s extended family was there to
greet them.
Nanite was relieved
her husband and son were both unharmed, and embraced them. Slate hugged his mother warmly, flushed with the success of the
team avoiding an extended battle with the Crimson Coven.
Doc Rocket handed the Mayan
dagger to the Mystic, who said, “I
shall keep this safely in a nearby realm. Piercing the veil to another
dimension will weaken me.” He turned to address Vanguard, “But I believe that I
should be able to teleport you to the next Artifact of Power in one hour.”
“Let’s be quick about et,” said Archimedes. “Thar’s only two deys and
22 hours until the end of the world!”
Vanguard had the Splinter of the
True Cross and the Mayan Sacrificial Dagger.
At least seven Artifacts remained,
and Vanguard had their locations:
- The middle of
the Atlantic Ocean
- Northern
France
- The Lost Lands
in Antarctica
- The Nevada
desert
- Moscow (This
is assumed to be the Spear of Destiny, in possession of the SSS)
- Northern
California
- China
Slingshot said, “Let's go to the Lost Lands,
since it was the second most wanted location last time. I expect that the
location will likely be that temple we saw.”
When his
father mentioned the Lost Lands, Slate got excited.
Symbiote voted for the Lost Lands of
Antarctica.
Sentinel was still fine with Antarctica,
but added, “In lieu of what Warlock said about the Atlanteans, if now it’s
Antarctica then I say the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is the next location
after that... perhaps we’ll find some clues as to what happened with Atlantis
and the summoning of 2,000 years ago that can help us today.”
Menagerie said, “First choice, Lost Lands
in Antarctica. Second is Middle of the Atlantic Ocean.”
The visibly distant Clone looked up from the secluded
corner he sat himself in and said matter-of-factly, "The
Mid-Atlantic…” The Master of
Multiplicity then nuzzled back into the niche he was rested in and just stared
quietly back at the other members of Vanguard.
Avatar said, “The Middle of the Atlantic
Ocean, too.”
Lightning Strike voted to go to the Nevada desert
as it was the closest.
It was decided. Vanguard would travel next to the
prehistoric realm of the Lost Lands. They quickly made preparations.
Slate checked his
running program for updates on the locations he had programmed in his last search
parameters. He downloaded the mission
logs and debrief files from the team’s past trip to the Lost Lands, and reviewed
CHESS’s intel on Echo, the Soviet Super Soldier of Sound who had been abandoned
in the temple when last Vanguard had visited.
It had always bothered Slate how easily her team mates had left her.
Slate read the report of the
discovery of Nemesis, Nanite’s half-brother, Slate’s uncle [from Vanguard
#96!].
“Inside the Temple of
Terror, Sentinel had found the
source of the silent signal. It was Nemesis, entwined in ancient roots deep
within the inhuman temple. Then the heir of heroism heard a rustling from the
earthen hallways beyond this chamber, from the only door that led out from
here. And then he suddenly felt something sharp slowly severing his energy
lifeline!
Sentinel kept focused on
the lost Freedom Forcer! Nemesis was inert, a synthetic equivalence of
unconsciousness. The beacon of liberty detected that Nemesis was not fueled by
electricity. Nor was he a being of circuitry and wires. His energy would not
work to help the artificial man.
Then something came
into the chamber. The only thing that was remotely human about the intruder was
the color of its flesh. Within the shadows, Sentinel saw a seven foot tall
writhing mass of tentacles, eyes and slavering mouths. The thing’s very
presence created dread and horror within Sentinel; the same dread Vanguard felt
when they entered the Lost Valley, amplified a thousand fold.
Forester suddenly
appeared in the chamber, far from the door. The Zen archer had camouflaged
himself in the shadows and was standing guard. He said, with alarm, “Gather
Nemesis and take him with us. We have to get out of here!”
Then something happened
that Sentinel would not soon forget. The ghastly, tentacled horror screamed: “WE hAve TO gET OUt Of HERE!!” in a
mockery of a human woman’s voice.
The voice was
frightened and in pain.
The sound was so loud
it hurt Sentinel and Forester, but far less than did the dark realization that
came with it: This undulating, misshapen thing had once been the Soviet
superheroine, Echo!
Was this the result of
the mental attack that Sentinel had resisted upon entering this hellish place?!
Kirk couldn’t resist
the urge to flee. He freed Nemesis from his web of roots and took him within
his strengthened energy shields. Forester lit a Flare Arrow to guide them, and
they fled for their lives!"
Meanwhile, Menagerie rested and meditated to bring his Willpower to the
forefront.
Clone sat in a
somewhat guarded position in a remote corner somewhere, keeping to himself and
remaining relatively quiet.
Shelley Harper
approached him, blithely violating his personal space like only a close friend
would. “Alexi? You okay?” she asked as
she put a sisterly arm around him. “Did you ever talk to Rachel?” [Reply
Clone?]
Lightning Strike
remained characteristically aloof but had no plans to leave Vanguard, at least
until all of the artifacts are accounted for. The vigilante drew power from the
electrical system to regain his strength.
Slingshot said,
“Again, I expect that the location will likely be that temple we saw. We need
some form of protection against magic. Is there anything available? I'm willing
to put any effort towards that if I can help.”
Mystic said, “There is
little time.” [OOC: If Slingy’s
question refers to the horror in the temple, Avatar has the power to bolster
morale. Alternatively, does anyone wish to use a Level Advancement or a Luck
Point on something like this? If yes, what’s your idea? Thanks. –Jeff]
Symbiote rested and
loaded Zero G’s superpower template into the Harper Harness for later
retrieval.
Sentinel quietly dwelt
upon Warlock’s words to him: “We are discussing matters beyond your ken, despite
the symbol upon your chest…” And there it was again. My symbol. Why did
it seem everyone else knew more about its significance than I? Kirk thought. He asked for a private
moment with Archimedes, Mystic and Menagerie. He pointed to his chest and said,
“My symbol... it seems to have more significance than I may have thought. When
I asked him, Gramps never indicated a significant reason for his choosing it.
When I took up the mantle he said I could change it, but in all honesty, the thought
never crossed my mind. Part of me has thought about digging deeper before, but
that thought always seems to get lost. I’m starting to wonder if there really
isn’t something more going on here. What do you think?”
Mystic said: “The
All Seeing Eye is an occult symbol with many meanings and interpretations.
You’ll note the triangle is a window into an occult (hidden)
realm, where resides one who can see. Someone apart is peering through,
watching the rest of civilization, and the world.
“Some believe this to be the eye of God. Others, the eye of
Horus, or of Satan. Others still, the eye of enlightened men who can see the world for what it really is; men who wish to
create a new order made in their own
image enabling them to become as gods.
“This group of “enlightened” individuals is often referred
to as the “Illuminati.” The illuminated
ones, who know that knowledge is true power.
“This motif runs deep within most religious traditions. Satan
told Man (Adam and Eve) that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge, they would
become as gods. Lucifer is a Latin word meaning “light-bearer.” The light of
knowledge...illumination.
Avatar would tell you that the trickster Prometheus brought
knowledge (fire) to Man, and was cast out of Olympus for it.”
Sentinel recalled
the word, Illuminati. And its connection
to another man who wished to become a God through the power of knowledge…
[Flashback to Issue 171!]
In the Lost Laboratory
of Dr. Swastika, amongst the papers, Slate found a thick, dusty leather-bound
book. It was the journal of Dr. Swastika! Filled with incredible illustrations and
handwritten notes, the tome was in German, but Slate’s incredible mental
abilities (Heightened Comprehension) allowed him to understand some of it. He
scanned the pages quickly, reading and absorbing information at an incredible
rate.
Dr. Swastika’s given
name was Victor. He was born in 1751 (!) near what is now Switzerland.
He attended the
University of Ingolstadt, in Bavaria. A medieval university where the
Illuminati were born.
Slate’s photographic
memory recalled he had read somewhere that the Illuminati movement was founded
on May 1, 1776, in Ingolstadt by Jesuit-taught Adam Weishaupt who was the first
lay professor of canon law at the University. Dr. Swastika was among them.
The symbol of the
Illuminati was an all-seeing eye in a pyramid, depicted on the back of every
U.S. dollar bill. Hidden in plain sight, it mocked the ignorant masses that
were blind to its true meaning.
After university, Dr. Swastika began experiments in biochemistry designed to extend his life, and then to create life itself. In the 1930’s, he had joined the occultic Nazi party, whom he saw as the continuance of the Illuminati and the Thule society.
The journal spoke of
his search to create man: the Over Man, the Aryan ideal. And that he conquered
science itself to achieve that goal. It
also revealed Swastika’s fascination with sorcery, especially the Cthulhu
Mythos. There was an amazing illustration of the Star Giant, penned in
Swastika’s hand. The journal covered the
Nazi expedition to the Lost Lands of Antarctica, wherein lay the Temple of
Terror. There were illustrations of the Dinosaur Men, and of temple hieroglyphs
depicting a race of beings that resembled the former member of Vanguard,
Inhuman. Next to that, to Slate’s
surprise, was a depiction of a creature that resembled his father, Slingshot! Slate shared all he learned with Vanguard,
except the image that resembled his father.
[End Flashback ]
Sentinel said,
“Warlock said the Mayans and the Atlanteans before them sacrificed themselves
to satiate Cthulhu. Is there any other information or legends as to why they
couldn’t prevent the summonings to begin with?”
Mystic said, “There
was more magic in the world then. It’s
possible the Millennial Convergence was enough to allow Cthulhu entrance into
this world.”
Sentinel thanked them
and returned to his quarters to make final preparations. He rested and ran
through his mental training to prepare himself for Antarctica. He remembered
just being in that inhuman alien temple presented challenges.
After an hour had passed, Vanguard regrouped in the planning room with Mystic, Archimedes, Oracle and CHESS liaisons Agent Sam Drake, Sgt. Stone, Doc Rocket and CHESS Rook Shaw. Sarge rubbed his baby blues and looked at the time. “Three AM. How come the world never needs saving in the early afternoon?”
CHESS Rook Shaw was
ready to brief them a refresher on the Lost Lands when he was interrupted by Slate. The scion of cyberspace had checked
his running program for updates on the locations he had programmed in his last
search parameters. He had also checked
the Vanguard logs and was prepared to update the team.
His running program had accessed
satellite imagery of the Lost Lands from orbit. The valley, nestled deep within
a remote mountain chain in Antarctica, was permanently shrouded in white mist.
Slate explained, “Geothermal
lakes, springs and geysers, and at least three active volcanoes, heat the Lost
Lands and cause the permanent layer of white mist that blankets the valley’s sky.
The mist enables a greenhouse effect that keeps this impossibly fragile ecosystem
viable. A delicate terrarium surrounded by icy desolation!
“That’s not all. Ecological
isolation has enabled dinosaurs to survive there for hundreds of millions of
years. And not just survive, but continue to evolve… over all that time.
Terrordactyls, Tyrannosaurus Maximi, even seven foot tall Dinosaur Men,” Slate
said, barely containing his enthusiasm beneath his Indiana Jones fedora.
“In the Lost Lands, ancient
non-human races formed their own culture, architecture and pictoglyph language,
as evinced by the Temple of Terror.
Slate faced the map. “The valley of the Lost Lands is roughly the size of Rhode
Island. Vanguard covered less than 8% of that
area in their first visit, but as they descended from the Transantarctic
Mountains, their vantage point revealed tropical rainforests, hills, plateaus, plains,
lakes, swamps… an entire ecological system
from prehistoric times that survives.”
“The heat and the mist defy satellite
thermal imaging attempts. Magnetic resonance is likewise impossible, due to the
proximity to the magnetic pole. And the mist and the World Storm thwart visuals
from orbit.”
Two red markers appeared on the
satellite image, at opposite ends of the hidden, cloud covered valley.
“Here is the position of the
Temple of Terror,” Slate said, indicating the first marker. “And here, 32 miles
away, is the Fourth Artifact of Power.”
This concluded Slate’s
presentation. The youth politely gave CHESS Rook Shaw the floor in case he
wanted to add anything.
“Um… No… that about covers it,”
said Shaw.
Mystic regarded the
map and asked: “Where shall I gate you in?”
To be continued!
OOC:
1) Replies to any and all of the above?
2) Where do you want to enter the Lost Lands? Near the fourth Artifact of Power or near the Temple of
Terror?
Is this a smash and grab, or is it
also a fact finding expedition to learn more about the ancient cultures and
races of lost millennia and how they may relate to the threat of Cthulhu,
and/or for Slate and Slingshot to investigate the mysterious pictoglyphs from
Dr. Swastika’s journal?
3) Finally, any other preparations
or strategies like Slingy’s suggestion above or anything else you can come up
with? Unlike the previous three quests for artifacts of power, Vanguard is
semi-familiar with this terrain.
4) Have fun!
Thanks!
Viva Vanguard,
Jeff
Current Conditions:
Avatar: Hit Points: 49, Power Points: 85
Clone: Bodies: 1, Hit Points: 23, Power Points: 67, Hit
Point Pool: 23
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 39, Power Points: 85
Menagerie: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 66
Sentinel: Hit Points: 30, Power Points: 70, Creation Points:
140
Slate: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 73
Slingshot: Hit Points: 79, Power Points: 92, Invulnerability:
8
Symbiote: Hit Points: 43, Power Points: 83, Charges: 13, Loaded:
Zero G
Slingshot:
OOC: Now to ponder what to do.
Thanks for the character sheets!
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
Sentinel thought about all the
three mystics had said and tried to absorb it and make sense of it.
“A being of ultimate power guiding
all of ‘this.’ I’m sorry, I just don’t buy it. I believe we forge our own
destiny. But so-called ‘enlightened’ individuals or groups whether of this
realm or beyond, whether human, superhuman, alien, looking to manipulate and
control ... to shape things to their vision, that's something I’ve seen,
studied, and met.”
“One thing is clear though, I do
need to get a handle of how this (Kirk held up his right hand in front of them
and a flame of his energy emanated from it) relates to this” (and he held up
his left hand and above it appeared the image of the All Seeing Eye he recalled
from all his study, the symbol of the Illuminati) and he sounded a bit
frustrating. “Perhaps once this threat has passed you can help me to do that.”
As Kirk began to turn to leave and
started to lower his hands the image of the All Seeing Eye caught his eye and
he stopped. A smile of excitement came over him as something that was always
there in plain sight yet unseen suddenly became very clear to him. He turned
back to them and raised his hands and said in astonishment, “Do you see it? Why
didn’t I ever see it before?? Do you see it???”
And with both hands again
outstretched the image of his power, his flame in his right hand morphed into
an image of the insignia on his chest, mirroring the symbol of the Sentinel.
The three mages saw the image of the All Seeing Eye in his left hand and the
image of Sentinel in his right hand, a counterbalance with Kirk in the middle.
And they saw the difference. To emphasize it in his excitement, Kirk had the
eyes of both symbols begin to glow. The one being bigger than the other.
And then he said it, “In the All
Seeing Eye the eye is smaller than the triangle looking out, in my insignia,
the eye is larger than the triangle! It’s not looking out of the triangle; it’s
looking into it... into it at them.”
(Reactions?)
(OOC: Jeff - not sure if the
symbol was done that way be your design purposely with that sort of intent in
mind or just by chance, but either way I can’t tell you how cool noticing it
and playing it into events at hand actually was as this scene and that
realization hit me. Thank you!)
(Swastika connection recall)
After leaving the mages and
recalling how Swastika studies had touched all of what was currently happening,
and yes, many of Vanguard’s other missions and activities seemingly unrelated
to him, Kirk was even more convinced that Swastika would play a role in the
pivotal events yet to unfold. Given some of the reactions he had gotten from
his ‘Swastika obsession’ from his teammates in the past he wisely kept that
thought to himself. But he would keep his eyes open to further evidence.
(Distance from the Temple to the
Artifact & Port)
Kirk said, “I’m very surprised the
artifact isn’t in the temple. My head says, given that, along with our time
frame to retrieve the other artifacts, it would be wise not to divert our
attention to the temple. The temple itself is a threat. I will never forget
what it did to Echo, or its affect on me. It’s seems foolish to risk injury
that isn’t a necessary part of our primary objective. And as we know, even the
travel to the temple could result in a dinosaur attack upon us, risking further
unnecessary injury at a time we can’t afford it.”
“But that being said, my gut tells
me that the temple plays a key role in all this somehow.”
Sentinel turned to Avatar and
asked, “John, the glyphs we managed to obtain when we were at the Lost Temple,
anything in your translation and research somehow make the Temple seem relevant
to our current situation?”
(OOC: Going from memory here but I
believe that was the mission where just as Vanguard was being attacked Kirk
used his energy construct to make a copy of the hieroglyphics and that Avatar
was the one with the skill to translate and interpret them - if I’m confusing
adventures then drop that statement or have Kirk direct the query correctly)
Sentinel turned to Slingshot and
asked, “Scott, you could likely transport the team that distance in what, ten
to fifteen minutes, if we traveled incident free?”
“I say we drop in right on the
artifact and grab it first no matter what our decision about the temple. Do any
of you feel strongly enough about visiting the Temple that its worth the
dangers of investigating if we aren’t forced to port out immediately once we
secure the artifact?”
OOC: As
Kramer said to Jerry, "I'm out there baby, and I'm loving every minute of
it". Feels good to post
quickly. Tag. You're it.
Hope everyone is doing all right.
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Slate:
IC: Slate still smiling, flushed
with his success in describing the Lost Lands said, "I have to agree with
Sentinel, we don't have the time for a protracted search. I truly feel Echo is still there, and that
she can be saved, but the fate of the planet is in the balance here. We need to get in, get that artifact and get
out. We still have a lot to do, in less
than three days!"
OOC: Slate will download
everything he can find on Dinosaurs, evolution, and selective breeding in an
attempt to be prepared. He's still
carrying his adventure pack, he adds to this jungle survival gear, some water
bottles, salt tablets, he still has a sword, and somewhere found a bull whip to
go along with his Indy outfit. He also
recalls that Forester had some luck with the Dinosaurs using audible and
scented arrows, so he'll see what he can find that might duplicate those
effects. (not looking at add a bow and
arrow to his ensemble, but a couple of Flash Bang Grenades might not hurt if he
can wheedle them from the Chess Master of Arms.
He'll spend any free time studying
the downloads with Nanite.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: Really liked to idea of
replicating Forester's weapons. Great
idea on your part and very cool way of making use of Slate's research skills
IC.
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC:
Hey Jon,
CHESS won't give out deadly
weapons to someone who hasn't been properly trained to use them, let alone some
kid with Prejudice. ;-)
There's the challenge. How does
Slate solve it so he can implement this great idea?
Want to try another device? Or
another way to procure flash-bang grenades? Or use a Level Advancement to
augment your Heightened Comprehension like we've discussed so that you can
learn skills in an hour (to quickly receive proper training)? Let me know.
Thanks,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Slate:
OOC: LOL, so Slate will use his
computer skills to over ride the Chess safety controls allowing him access...
that should help with his Prejudice. :) Just Kidding!!!
I'm actually leaning toward buying
the Prejudice down, but I'd like to hang on to that for now. I think Slate will just go to one of his team
mates (maybe Sentinel) with the idea, and maybe they can assist.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC: Sentinel hasn't been properly
trained either. Of the Vanguardians, only Soldier has grenade training, but
he's not here.
Sgt. Stone, the granite grunt
himself, has military weapons training. Maybe him?
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Slate:
OOC: Sounds perfect. If he's willing, Slate's willing to put his
Heightened Comprehension to work!
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Do we know (looking at the
map) that the temple and the artifact of power are in two different sites?
Stephane, the player, would like
to do some research into this emerging background, but I'll bow to the team's
priority.
Preparations: I assume that we ran
out of time and that there will not be a lot available. I'm willing to
facilitate acquiring any weapons (such as the flash grenade) if I can do so. If
needed, I'll ask pull a favor and ask Nathan to give me an hour training and
the flash grenades,
Slingshot will be leaning toward
the fact finding tour, but he is feeling the pressure of the deadline and will
be easily swayed against doing some research.
Also. Avatar will likely be the
single individual responsible for our sanity. If he's not in, then it's a
non-starter.
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie recommended the team
traveled directly to the Fourth Artifact of Power’s location. Investigation of
the Temple of Terror could happen after the mission was complete. “While there
is important knowledge to be gained from the Temple, stopping the threat to the
world is of the utmost importance”.
“If we are successful and have to
wait before we can teleport back then would be the best time to investigate how
the ancient cultures and races of the lost millennia relate to the threat of
Cthulhu”.
Menagerie will work with Slate,
Sgt Stone, and the CHESS team on how to best implement Slate’s ideas. He is
hoping his background as a Park Ranger can be useful. While the Lost Lands is
filled with amazing animals and reptiles they are still animals and reptiles.
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
SHELLEY
Clone sat in a somewhat guarded
position in a remote corner somewhere, keeping to himself and remaining
relatively quiet.
Shelley Harper approached him,
blithely violating his personal space like only a close friend would. “Alexi?
You okay?” she asked as she put a sisterly arm around him. “Did you ever talk
to Rachel?” [Reply Clone?]
Clone sighed gently and his mood
seemed to change almost instantly at the mention of Rachel's name. With a hurt
look on his face, Clone turned to Shelley and said in an obviously sad tone,
" . . . look Shelley . . . I know you're just trying to help, and I
appreciate that . . . but the truth is, Rachel doesn't want to be seen with a
freak like me." He than looked down at his feet and continued, ". . .
and I don't blame her."
( OOC: If Shelley tries to ask
questions or looks for some kind of clarification of what Clone said than he'll
continue with this . . . )
Clone looked over at Shelley with
appreciation and sincerity in his eyes; and a soft tone of regret in voice
said, "Shelley . . . I . . . I can't talk about this right now, I have a
briefing I need to attend . . . I'm sorry." The Master of multiplicity
than stood and walked slowly towards the door without saying another word. His
body language told Shelley that this conversation was over, but the backward
glance that he gave her as he left the room said something else - he wanted her
help.
THE BRIEFING
( OOC: Clone was with the Soviets
when he first went to the Lost lands, so if he can offer any information
regarding what the Soviets 'may or may not' have done to do deal with the
computer / satellite / etc interference he will - otherwise - he'll just sit quietly
until the discussion of where to go once Vanguard gets to the Lost Lands comes
up. If Clone does know something that could help with the computer / satellite
/ etc interference, could his Computer and Espionage Subculture Skills help him
to properly explain it to the other members of Vanguard? )
As Vanguard begins to discuss
where they should head first and what they sound do once they arrive in the
Lost lands, a look of upset and confusion crosses over Clone's face. The
Duplicating Dynamo suddenly breaks his silence and barks out a question in a
somewhat sarcastic tone, "We're not really discussing this . . . are
we?" He instantly realizes that he may have come off a little rough and
immediately softens his tone as he continues, "Listen . . . I'm all for
checking things out and flipping over a few rocks just too see whats hiding
underneath, but the Temple of Terror . . . really? I mean, am I the only on
that remembers what happened to Echo at that place?" Clone than tries his
hand at some dark-humor and begins to twist and turn his body wildly as he
frantically wiggles his fingers back and forth. Looking out at the other
members of Vanguard, Clone notices that nobody is laughing and instantly
straightens out his posture and continues with his rant, "Look, all I'm
saying is that we should stay focused on the task at hand - get the artifact,
and than get the hell out. I won't lie; my gut tells me that the Temple has got
some part to play in all of this, but for now I think we should just grab what
we need to grab and move on."
DR. SWASTIKA'S JOURNAL
( OOC: Should the topic of trying
to translate the mysterious pictographs in Dr. Swastika's Journal comes up,
Clone will put in his two cents )
The mere mention of the mysterious
pictographs in Dr. Swastika's Journal is enough to open Clone's eyes wide with
excitement and interest. He quickly chimes in on the conversation with an
obvious enthusiasm, "Perhaps I can help help decipher those; I mean
besides having a healthy interest in the occult, I am fluent in six different
languages."
( OOC: Besides wanting to help out
his friends, Clone is of course looking for some additional information about
his origin )
OOC
Talk to you all soon,
-Kev
--------------------------------------------------
Avatar:
Avatar will tag along with the
group. No powers activated as of yet.
--------------------------------------------------
Lightning Strike:
Hi,
I will simply follow what everyone
else suggests at this point and make the artifact the priority above everything
else.
Thanks,
Tony
--------------------------------------------------
Symbiote:
Symbiote recommended heading
directly for the artifact. He's fascinated by the temple (studying the
properties and effects of magic is still somewhere on his to-do list) and he
felt for poor echo, whom he would love to free and restore to her original
form. But Cthulhu is coming, there's no
time for side missions. Of course,
there's a fair chance the team be lead there anyway.
Heaven alone knew exactly what the
team will encounter once they arrived, but the superevolved dinosaurs was a
fair guess. He'd had a thought about
that--these dinos were supposedly cold blooded creatures (unless they've
evolved into warm blooded, and living in a tropical climate there's no reason
why they would have). They'd never even
seen ice, nor had any of their ancestors.
A cold based attack would probably work well against them--it's why Hal
wanted to absorb Siberian's powers the first time they visited the lost
lands. He spoke to Avatar. "Can you use the power of Zeus to
conjure up an ice storm if it comes to that?" he asked. "I'm betting these creatures will go
comatose quickly, or at least will have no idea how to navigate on an ice slicked
surface."
Hal activated the power of Zero
Gravity just before stepping through the portal, ready for the next challenge.
Viva Vanguard,
Greg
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