Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Friday, January 16, 2015

Vanguard: Issue 196: Home.


CHAPTER ONE: 1943


The golden age Mystic said sardonically, “Allow me to assume the burden of this moral dilemma for you.”

The modern age Sentinel replied with a small laugh, “It appears that whenever we meet we’re going to end up rubbing each other the wrong way unintentionally.  But ponder the possibility that I asked not because of my moral dilemma but rather to be sure you knew you had one before you.”

Agent America shook the modern age Sentinel’s hand last. “Well it’s reassuring to know that even in the future, there will always be a Sentinel making speeches!”

The modern age Sentinel smiled and replied, “I hadn’t realized it was hereditary.  I may use that line in my defense with my teammates in the future.”   And he thought about recent decisions with Shel and what the future might bring for the legacy of the Sentinel.
There was pain hidden behind that smile knowing what would come for Agent America and the League.  He supposed that there was a difference between acting to change your own future and trying to alter that future of someone else which had already occurred for you.  And what if he somehow spared the fate to come for Agent America and instead Swastika ended up destroying another life for that same role?


CHAPTER TWO: VANGUARD VAULT


Vanguard had returned home.  They now had the Splinter of the True Cross, the Sacrificial Dagger of the Maya, the Stone Idol of Cthulhu, and the Ring of Eon. Five Artifacts remained, and Vanguard knew their locations thanks to the Janus Chair:
  • Northern France
  • The Nevada desert
  • Moscow (This is assumed to be the Spear of Destiny, in possession of the SSS)
  • Northern California
  • China
Vanguard voted that their next target would be Northern France. 

The cities of the world were rioting. All the other superheroes on Earth were working with CHESS and law enforcement to attempt to save lives and restore order in the global crisis. Electromagnetic interference from the World Storm had taken down the internet and all satellite communications. There would be no high resolution satellite imagery of the next target site, nor thick CHESS dossier on the location.

Vanguard went to the Vault’s library.  Beneath the emergency generator lights, they poured through oversized atlases and tomes.  Slate’s computer-like mind calculated the coordinates received from Menagerie and Sentinel’s use of the Janus Chair. “Paimpont Forest. In Brittany,” he said.

Avatar peered over his shoulder at the map of northwestern France.  “It’s Brocelïande,” he gasped. 
The hero of ancient history explained.  “According to Arthurian legend, Brocelïande is a mystical forest deep in the heart of Brittany, France.  The Lady of the Lake dwelt there.  And it was the final resting place of Merlin.”

Avatar pulled down several more volumes, paged through them and found himself stopping at the reproduction of a painting of questing knights entering the mysterious wood.


Menagerie wanted to go to France directly. He didn't want to use the Ring yet. "We are not that desperate yet. We may only get to use it once, so let’s wait until we truly need it. Let's leave now I believe I am about to meet Merlin." 

Archimedes raised a great bushy eyebrow and harrumphed.

Menagerie transformed into a lizard to use its power of regeneration. [Limited Regeneration: Heal rate every 10 minutes, rather than every 15 seconds.] The shapeshifting shaman used his mind speech spell to communicate with Vanguard.

Sentinel said, “I’m fine with that if the balance of the team wants to not use the Ring. From what I recall, activating the ring took all of us focusing and was a difficult task.  It would seem that with most of the team well healed it wouldn’t be worth the toll merely to heal Menagerie and me.  But what about the pocket dimension Mystic is using to store the artifacts?  Would it be possible for us to go into that place to heal but then have Mystic retrieve us at this moment in time?

Mystic said, “I’m afraid that wouldn’t work. Time in that dimension passes very slowly, if at all.  I selected it in order to keep the Artifacts of Power as inert as possible.”

As the group discusses the possibility of time travel; the normally quiet Clone unexpectedly made a suggestion regarding its use, “I think it best that I wear the ring.”  As the rest of Vanguard looked towards Clone in surprise, the Replicating Russian explained. “Since none of us have any clear idea about how the ring may affect the wearer, perhaps I could have one of my doppelgangers use it. That way; if anything should go wrong, none of you would get hurt and I could simply absorb the injured duplicate . . . make sense?”
As the party of heroes pondered Clone’s offer, the Multiplying Mutant stretched out his hand as if to ask for the ring and said, “Next stop, Medieval France?”

Lightning Strike said, “Nobody should hold the Ring at the moment and that the pocket dimension is the best place for it.  We should use it only if it will save the world and nothing less than that. That includes saving the life or lives of any member of Vanguard.  The stakes are so high at this point that only saving the world justifies using the ring.  We don't know what would happen if we were to use it but judging from history, nothing good can come of it. All things considered we are not in that bad shape and we are not all that far away from getting what we need.”

Avatar said, “Are there any questions that would help us decide?  I could manifest the wisdom of Athena to narrow down choices.”

Sentinel said, “I hesitate because the toll on you is too great.”

Symbiote agreed with the idea of Clone wearing the ring. He loaded the power template of Accelerator, the slacker of speed, into the Harper Harness and activated it.  [OOC: It grants following powers and weaknesses:

1)     Heightened Speed: +500”, as per the rules. +17 to initiative.

2)     Absorption: Velocity: Accelerator can absorb velocity, store it temporarily, and transfer it to the target of his choosing, including himself.  Range=0”. Accelerator must touch what he is absorbing velocity from, and transferring it to.  PR = 1 PP per 100” of movement absorbed/transferred. Costs movement (1/4 of total) to absorb or transfer velocity.
Maximum amount of velocity he can store = 1000”.  Velocity beyond that is lost.
His stored velocity dissipates at a rate of 50” per turn. 
When Accelerator absorbs velocity, the item he absorbs it from loses that amount of velocity. If the target has more basic hits than Accelerator (for example, he’s stealing velocity from a moving car) the target’s lost velocity is a fraction proportionate to Accelerator’s basic hits/ the target’s basic hits. Likewise if he transfers it to a target with more basic hits.

3)     Weakness: Reduced Charisma/Will: -10 ]

Menagerie changed his mind and agreed to Clone wearing the ring.
Avatar also reversed his initial thought and said "no" to anyone using the Ring.

Clone, Menagerie, Symbiote voted to use the Ring of Eon. 
Avatar Lightning Strike, Sentinel, Slate, Slingshot voted against it.  
It was decided.

Mystic secured the Ring of Eon in the pocket dimension.  Sentinel had an unusual request. He wanted to witness the piercing of the dimensions, and Mystic agreed. 

Sentinel confirmed that the Splinter of the True Cross, the Sacrificial Dagger of the Maya, the Stone Idol of Cthulhu, and now the Ring of Eon, were there. After piercing the dimensions, Mystic would need rest.

Slate sought out his mother, and hugged her tightly.  His father’s words and touch had brought feelings he had not experienced in some time... He wouldn't acknowledge it in front of the others, but with her it was different.  
Burying his head in her shoulder he said, "I was so worried we would return and you wouldn't be here.  The thought of it was unbearable.  I don't know how we could manage it, but maybe you should find a way to the digital realm until things are safe here.  I don't think Cthulhu would have any desire to visit that universe, and I know Nemesis could protect you, I know he could."  He looked up at her.  "If you ask it of me, I will stay with you.  At least if something happens to you it would happen to me too."
If Nanite wished him to stay, he would remain behind, and try to find a way to keep his mother safe, by attempting to get her safely away to the digital dimension.

Nanite brought Scott into the discussion.  “Should Slate and I evacuate to the Digital Zone for our safety?”

Slingshot was very protective of them. He would certainly let them go and even be happy that they would be protected by IT. He would ask if Slate could dig up some technological goody to thwart the magical attack.
“Damn! This is exactly what happened last time, except it was IT. Could we recruit IT to neutralize Cthulhu somehow?”

Menagerie met privately with his spirit guide, Archimedes, and enquired what happened in Central Park.  The great old owl looked down and said, “They fled. But not afore the damage was done.”

Vanguard regrouped and Mystic stood ready to gate them to Brocelïande.
It was noon in New York City.  Two days and 12 hours until the End of the World.

BOOM!  Mystic opened a hole in space and Vanguard went through it, except for Slate.


CHAPTER THREE: TO THE DIGITAL ZONE


Mystic’s gate shut.  There was a brief silence as Sgt. Stone, Doc Rocket, Shelley Harper, Mystic, Nanite and Slate looked at where the gate had been. In that moment, to Slate, Vanguard’s extended family / support team looked exhausted.  Then they went back to work. Mystic left to meditate and rest again. Everyone else went to the Special Projects room to help Slate build a bridge to the Digital Zone.

Slate ran back to his quarters first to get something he needed and on the way back heard shouting.  CHESS Agent Drake was in the ready room. Slate could hear four other voices coming through speakers.  He could only identify two of them: CHESS Director Grey, and the President of the United States.

The President said, “Isn’t this exactly what Vanguard is for?! The country is tearing itself apart and they’re nowhere to be seen?! We need them now, God damn it.”

Grey said, “Mr. President, you know that Vanguard are working to solve the root cause of the crisis.”

Drake said, “Sir, I can report that steady progress is being made.  We are halfway to achieving our objective.”

A third voice, a woman, said, “Only halfway there? We may run out of time. We need options.”

A fourth voice, a man, said calmly: “There are contingencies. You’ve received our brief and our recommendations. But we need to activate them now, while there’s still time.”

Grey said, “Mr. President, no.”

The President said, “Desperate times call for desperate measures, Director.”  He paused. Then, “So authorized.”

The call ended and Slate raced to meet everyone in the Special Projects Room of Vanguard Vault.

Slate knew:

The Digital Zone is what others call cyberspace, a virtual environment of three-dimensional representations of all the information stored in Earth’s computers.  This dimension appears black with billions of glowing chrysalis gossamers that form shapes, landscapes, cities, constellations of data.
The gossamers connected to countless diadem screens, windows into our world. It is unknown whether the Digital Zone also intersected with the computer systems of other worlds, or dimensions. There appears to be no time differential in the Digital Zone.
The Digital Zone [unlike Tron] appears to possess no indigenous sentient population, with the following exceptions:

IT, aka, The Entity: The artificial intelligence program that created Nemesis and Nanite, hybrid lifeforms of our universe and the Digital Zone. It is unknown who created IT.

Vanguard team members have briefly entered the Digital Zone twice. In doing so, they were digitized, rendered in green linear data and translated into “programs” that were still “rejected” by the Digital Zone, as an organic body might reject an incompatible organ, with the exceptions of Slate, Nanite and Nemesis.

Nemesis: An android superhero, Freedom Force member, and son of IT who first appeared in the early 1980s. When Silas Caine hired Homicide for Hire to lock Slate and Nanite in the Digital Zone, and to infect the Digital Zone with a virus to destroy all sentient programs, Vanguard stopped him, and Nemesis stayed behind in the Digital Zone and somehow merged with IT.

Cosmonaut, Siberian and the Luddite entered the Digital Zone, were translated into programs and trapped in the Digital Zone.  Their whereabouts, and current conditions, are unknown.

There have been at least two portals from this world into the Digital Zone: at Vanguard Vault and at Aztechnology Headquarters.  The Vault portal was created by Nemesis and Nanite when they were under the control of IT. The Aztech portal was created by scientists in the employ of Silas Caine.
There was also a window to the Digital Zone that was created by Symbiote and destroyed during the “Datanaut Invasion” of Vanguard Omega.

Slate used his abilities to determine what would be the quickest way to create a new portal.
[OOC: This would be an Invention of a new Digital Zone portal! 
The skills to do this are present among those assembled. You also have the materials you need.
You’ll need a power source; the Vault is on emergency generators right now, the city is blacked out.
You’ll need to spend your last Luck Point like an Inventing Point. Your chance of success is Int x 3%. 
Would you like to make the inventing attempt? Doc and Shelley are all out of Luck Points.]

Slate asked Doc Rocket to make sure there was a kill switch, preferably hard wired, not digital, in case something went wrong.  From his experiences with IT/Nemesis (conscious and unconscious), Slate has no fear of them, but understands the threat they pose to this world, and he does not want to make things worse.  He will attempt to make some type of digital communication with the digital dimension prior to attempting anything.  
[OOC: How? And what does the communication say?  Thanks.]

As Sgt. Stone hauled in the wreckage of the previous Digital Zone portal, Doc Rocket approached the problem from another perspective. He said to Slate, “You know, my boy, Mystic is able to travel between dimensions.  And, to some extent, so are you.”

Slate looked at the heir to the mantle of Einstein.

“Your optic rays, my boy. Objects that you blast are… ”digitized.” They are transported to the Digital Zone. Could you transport a person, I wonder?”

[OOC: And that’s your other choice, Jon.  Rather than Inventing, this might be an opportunity to use your saved Level Advancements to earn the permanent ability to Dimensional Travel between Earth and the Digital Zone, like how Adam Strange’s Zeta Beam allows him to travel between Earth and Rann.  Up to you.
Actions, replies, Slate?]


CHAPTER FOUR: Brocelïande.


BOOM!  Vanguard exited the gate and found themselves immediately attacked by intense heat.

Brocelïande was burning.  The raging conflagration of a full blown forest fire blazed for miles around.
Gigantic trees fell. Black smoke filled the skies. Heat broiled like an oven.  The flames greedily devoured what air there was. The blistering inferno would render normal men unconscious.



    


Menagerie’s Nature Sense showed him how the forest had been, and should be. 
  


Menagerie could hear the ancient spirits of the forest crying out in pain.  This was the second sacred grove he had seen razed by flame.

Menagerie and Sentinel could detect the energy of the next Artifact of Power.  As always, they knew its direction but not its distance.

Vanguard were in a clearing, and relatively safe right now. But the direction of the Artifact would lead them into the heart of the forest fire.

[OOC:  fyi, for those of you that are interested in the rules, here’s what will happen when you enter a forest fire. If you’re not interested in rules, just jump down past this OOC aside. Thanks!

Intense Heat:
Every character will be subject to a Flame Powers attack every turn (i.e.: 15 seconds).  Damage is 1d12 and characters that are “hit” may roll with this damage.  The number of hit points taken is the % chance that the character will catch fire (which serves as an automatic “hit” each turn until the flames are extinguished).

Smoke and suffocation:
Characters without a method of breathing (Life Support, Adaptation, etc.) can hold their breath for Endurance turns (i.e.: Endurance x 15 seconds) at a Power Point cost of 1 per turn.
If they are surprised at the sudden loss of their breathing method, they must save vs. Endurance on d100, or have their breathing time reduced to Endurance phases (i.e.: approximately Endurance seconds).  Once a character is out of air, they pass out and must save vs. Endurance on d100 every turn or die.  Characters with Willpower A may double their Endurance score for these rules only.

Smoke and visibility:
Visibility is 20”, or 100 feet.  Also, fyi, it’s past sundown in this time zone.

Super Power modifications:
Characters with Water Breathing B will become dehydrated four times as fast.
Ice Powers do half damage and ice creations have half their creation points.
Characters with Flame Powers are immune to the heat damage listed above.
Magnetic Powers have 75% of their carry capacity, due to the intense heat.
Winged characters, due to the rising hot air, will gain 8” altitude between turns, and double their PR cost to fly.
Some explosive types will have a 25% chance of detonating per turn due to the intense heat.]

OOC: Actions please.  What’s the plan?


CHAPTER FIVE: THE KREMLIN


 Doctor X turned to face Clone, “When did they turn my boy into a cold blooded killer? When did your heart become as ugly as your face?”

The pistol flew from Clone’s hand and landed in Doctor X’s.  Doctor X had the power of telekinesis!

“Alexi, did you really think I would author a program to create superpowered men, and deny myself that power?”

The six masked soldiers aimed their automatic rifles at Clone.  Movement could be heard in the hall outside.

Doctor X said, “You come at an opportune time, my sweet Alexi.  If we are to survive this apocalypse, Russia must unite with America, as we did in World War II. 
“And to forge that alliance, I can imagine no one better suited than you.”

Realizing he didn’t have many options available to him, Clone thought it might be best to except Doctor X’s offer . . . for now.

Clone turned to the Russian mastermind and said simply, “You're making me an offer to form an alliance at gun point? I’m sorry Doctor X, but for me to even consider your offer you would have to make a gesture of good faith . . . please have your men lower their weapons and leave us alone to talk.”

“Very well,” said Doctor X.  He ordered the six armed soldiers to wait outside.

Appearing somewhat satisfied with Doctor X’s decision, Clone then asked Doctor X, “… and what happens to this ‘alliance’ once we defeat our mutual enemy?”

The old man said, “It remains my hope that you will return to us, Alexi.”  Doctor X recited another Russian proverb, “There are many houses, but only one home.”

Still curious, Clone asked, “…and assuming that I’m open to the possibility of being the harbinger of this alliance, what will you be bringing to the table? I mean you must know that Vanguard has already secured a few of the ancient relics, how many have you managed to obtain?”

Doctor X said, “In addition to the Spear of Destiny from the Lost Lab of Dr. Swastika, we also hold a Mirror crafted in Ancient China. That is not all I have to share. But before I continue, it is your turn to share. I require a gesture of good faith as well, Alexi. Which artifacts do Vanguard hold? For each answer you give me, I shall give one to you.”

OOC: Replies? Actions?


Thanks everyone!

Best,
Jeff


Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 27, Power Points: 85, Manifestation: None
Clone: Hit Points: 16/5, Bodies: 2, Hit Point Pool: 23, Power Points: 67/67 (Stats are France/Russia)
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 41, Power Points: 85
Menagerie: Hit Points: 26, Power Points: 66, Form: Human
Sentinel: Hit Points: 7, Power Points: 62, Creation Points: 124, Shields: 100
Slate: Hit Points: 19, Power Points: 73
Slingshot: Hit Points: 79, Power Points: 92, Invulnerability: 8
Symbiote: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 83, Charges: 13, Activated: Accelerator


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Avatar:
Avatar will pause while (I am assuming) the group is told of the direction of the next artifact.  Upon hearing of the direction, he will manifest first the aspect of Hephaestus to give him immunity to fire and heat (OOC:  Considering the source of the power, would you allow this to also at least partially negate the smoke/suffocation damage?).  He will then manifest the power of Zeus and see about making it rain in the direction of the artifact.

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Slingshot:
So Slingshot looks onwards to the fire and can feel dispair. "I can't do that. I can't go through that. I won't make it." He paces.. Looks at the fire.. paces some more. "Sentinel, Menagerie, How far are we from the artifact?"

[OOC]
Shite! how far are we? I need Menagerie or Sentinel to tell us.


So of course, I'm thinking of a million ways to avoid the fire.

1) How much water is around? I'm thinking maybe symbiote can use Inhuman's powers to do something with water, or maybe Avatar with weather powers?

2) Tunnelling: If you can't go through, go underneath. Calculating how far we are and my engineering skills - how far/fast can we burrow under the dirt to get to the artifact?

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GM:
OOC:
Hi

Harold, when manifesting Hephaestus, smoke will be half as effective on Avatar.

Stephane, buried deep in this issue I mentioned that Menagerie and Sentinel could tell direction but not distance. :-)
Slingshot doesn't immediately see a body of water. The communicators' GPS was still down. Vanguard had no satellite imagery.  But from the atlas, he knew there was a small lake adjacent to the southeast border of the forest, and that several rivers ran through the forest. 

Given the array of superpowers at Vanguard's command, tunneling might be possible at a reasonable rate of speed.  But should the fire move, the tunnel's air source could be lost.

Best,
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC: Sorry, got distracted by the big bonfire. :)

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Sentinel:
OOC:
Hi all.
Some stuff for Jeff:

Looking at the fire and using his energy sense, is this normal Fire or at least partially magic in nature?
For avatar how much of a dent in the fire could his rain control make?
Any reason Kirk couldn't fly the team over the burning forest towards the object?  He could fly high enough to avoid the heat damage and provide environment to breathe. Problem would be when we get knocked out of the sky from whatever threat awaits.
As an alternative he could shield the team in a digging construct underground (like when escaping when they were buried in the tunnels during the battle with the crime bosses and black bat. But since we don't know the distance not sure of the speed that way.
Symbiote as Accelerator isn't fast enough like the flash to run around the fire and deprive it or air to put it out, is he?

Have some other notes on other parts of the issue not pertaining to our next actions on my desk and will try to send during the week but wanted to get these thoughts and questions out there.

Seth

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Menagerie:
OOC: Great ideas.

Can Menagerie sense the fire is natural or magical?

Are there any animals around that he can talk to. He wants to find out who or what did this and if they are still around.

Tom

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Slingshot:
While the team is all together (before Slate and others leave for the tech dimension), Slingshot interrupts the team and says:

"This last mission has given me much to think about. I would like to have a quick review of the situation we are in. We are in a race for artifacts. The soviet are obviously making a run for it as well. How many they have is still up in the air."

"We have recently averted an incursion from the Technological dimension (IT) by making friends with it. I don't think that's an option right now."

"We know that Tech and Magic are different dimensions and are antithesis to each other, we inconveniently live in between these dimensions."

"While we used to become more technological world, now we are becoming more magical world, at least I presume. At this point, I would assume that the magical ones of us should become more powerful. while the technological ones of us may wane."

"What do we do in preparation of this? Can we tap into this to boost us? Before the others do so?"

[OOC] Jeff, I would like to see what it would mean to be able to tap into the ambient magical energies. Sort of something that would give you more juice only when there is a lot of it around, and a LOT of juice if there's a humongous amount of it. I'm looking at a one-shot type of device (magical)? Something that would work only in the current conditions.[OOC]

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GM:
Hi guys.

OOC replies:

Sentinel:
Menagerie and Sentinel detect no magical properties in the flames.

I don't think Sentinel's ever seen Avatar create a rainstorm, so he doesn't know what effect it will have on the forest fire.

Vanguard could fly over the fire, but they would have to go very high to have any visibility due to the smoke.  And when they found the Artifact, they may have to enter the forest fire at that point.

Sentinel's constructs could help in tunneling.

Symbiote's never tried to extinguish flames with Accelerator's powers before, so no one knows if it can be done.


Menagerie:
Menagerie and Sentinel detect no magical properties in the flames.

Menagerie sees no animals at this moment.  In life, Franklin Donovan was a park ranger, and had seen his share of forest fires.  The wildlife would have fled a fire of this scale by now.
He could spend an action (or actions) tracking a predator, if you want. It should be possible. Their direction is predictable in a situation like this.


Slingshot:
This is a one-shot invention as per the rules, except it will cost a Luck Point to attempt.  Chance of success might be Int x 3%.
You guys were at Vanguard Vault for less than two hours.  Before I rule if that's enough time to attempt this, I need to know two things.

What is it? Slingy wants to tap into the ambient, off the scale, levels of mystical energy from the Convergence to do what? Does "juice" means he wants more Power Points if he succeeds in doing this? Thanks.

How?  I need a magical explanation, please.  Is this a spell?  Is Slingy discovering an innate power of his, as a spawn of Nyarlhotep?  Is he using his Occult skill to find a process to make it happen? Other? Thanks.

Best,
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC: No Problem. I knew I wasn't explaining myself right. I was not looking for something that would be Slingshot specific. I was thinking something to generally give the team a boost.

As a power stunt, I was thinking of something like a syphon that would tap in the ambiant magical energy to help regenerate the powerpoints of the user. Something like granting waterbreating B - with the condition that the ambiant Magical energy would need to be at the level that is required to engage the power (your call, is being close to an artifact enough? is it only something that will trigger when we are about to lose the planet to Chtulu? I'll leave it up to you). Very powerful boost, only under very specific conditions, likely for a very short time.

As an explanation: I would assume that Occult skill would need to be used. I'm not sure what to use here, but could it be an amulet with Sentinel's eye? The mechanism could be steampunk-ish. He would leverage his engineering background and use occult  knowledge to make this happen. Not sure if that works with Sentinel's plot/side plot.

Clear as mud? Let me know if it makes more sense.

Stephane.

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Sentinel:
Hi Jeff.

Unless someone comes up with a better plan I think Kirk going above the trees to a point where there is no fear of hitting them and high enough to prevent damage from the heat would be fine.  He doesn't need to physically see the artifact or anything else until they get close enough to grab it.  He can track it with his energy sense and use his energy sense as a radar of sorts to travel through the area - it would just be a matter of going towards the artifact and avoiding anything in their way (hopefully high enough for nothing - and he could make part of his construct work as a feeler ahead in case somehow something was in front of them to prevent a crash).

Also with his energy senses honed in hopefully he could be aware of an incoming attack from any direction in time before it happens to warn the team.  My concern is that I'm not naive enough to fly in thinking that the fire is 'it' and that at some point we are all going into the fire from enemy attack...

If anyone thinks the tunneling will work to avoid the fire I'm open to it but afraid it will take much too long to get to the artifact that way (unless we happen to fall upon tunnels of some sort).

Might I ask if drenching ourselves prior to going into the forest might offer some additional protection when we are exposed to the fire?

Does there seem any chance we can go around the fire in front of us to perhaps get closer to the artifact before entering the fire?  (could the artifact be behind the forest fire - yes, I know you wouldn't be that nice to us but figured I'd ask before we all get toasted)

Again I'm very much open to something other than Kirk flying us in overhead that will get things done in a reasonable time frame but from what I've read it is standing out...  given that we have some teammates that can move VERY fast it might be worth trying to get an idea of just how big the fire is at this point and if we can approach it from another direction to get to the artifact more prudently that way.  (yes I'd bet money that after we check it all the artifact will be at the very center of the fire  but it seems to be the prudent thing to do) - Right now

Symbiote is a speedster and both Slingshot and Avatar can travel great distances quickly - I think Strike too but don't think it will work for him without electronic devices around.

*** As a last thought, if we were going to consider tunneling - perhaps we'd to better tunneling the water from the sources into the forest to clear a way into the fire.  With Slingshot's architectural skill (not to mention Avatar's wisdom if needed) perhaps that might be a means to get us a path to the artifact and actually help nature's current situation - got to be easier to dig some trenches to move the water then to tunnel underground for miles. ***

Seth

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Slate:
OOC: Question on Menagerie's regeneration... [Limited Regeneration: Heal rate every 10 minutes, rather than every 15 seconds.]  I thought normal heal rate was once per day.  Is this for PP or HP?

IC: Slate looked at Doc Rocket, tilting his head to one side, "I had not considered the possibility, but in my experience living matter tends to react differently to my powers than inanimate objects do."  He began to work with Doc, Shelley, Nanite, and Sgt. Stone assisting to put the portal back together.  He focused initially on the monitoring equipment from the original portal.  As he worked, he asked his mother about how she came to this dimension, and how she had come to initially be rescued by his father.  

OOC: He wanted to communicate with Nemesis first to ensure it would be safe for Nanite and himself to enter the digital zone.  He also wanted to know if there would be anyway that they Nemesis/IT/Slate could assist in the coming battle if it came to that.  Slate's prime directive is to ensure Nanite is safe, and then to return to aid Vanguard any way he is able.

Jon

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GM:
OOC:

Hi Everyone,
As always, any player can suggest actions for another player's character. But only you can write the final orders for your own character. Thanks. 

Slingshot/ Stephane:
Got it.  You won't have enough time to complete this before leaving for France. Does Slingshot spend a Luck Point to begin this one shot invention before leaving?

Sentinel/ Seth:
Drenching yourselves will halve the chance of catching fire. What's the water source?

There's no path around this fire that leads toward the Artifact.

A forest fire smoke plume can exceed a mile in height. Is Sentinel flying over it, or through it? If the latter, visibility will be zero. Your speed will need to be slow enough so that you can safely stop should your energy sense detect energy in your path, or should your tendril feelers detect solid objects in your path.

Slate/ Jon:
Regeneration allows a healing rate per turn, in hit points. A turn is 15 seconds.
Menagerie can gain powers depending on the animal form he assumes. Water Breathing B when a shark, wings when an eagle, heightened senses when a wolf, speed bonus when a cheetah.
This Limited Regeneration power allowed a healing rate every 10 minutes, in hit points. It is 40 times weaker than Regeneration.

Best,
Jeff

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Symbiote:
My suggestion is a combination of three powers: Avatar summons as much rain as he safely can (i.e., not summoning on inland monsoon) to douse as much of the fire as he can.

Sentinel creates a flying platform to carry us over the (hopefully receding) flames.

Symbiote uses his speedster powers to wave his arms in a circular motion and create miniature vortexes to clear out the smoke in our path as we travel towards the artifact, at least partially clearing our visibility.

Viva Vanguard and Happy New Year,

Greg/Hal/Symbiote

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Slingshot:
OOC: Jeff,
On the flip side, what kind of power stunt do you have in mind for something that would be Slingshot specific?

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GM:
OOC: A one shot invention has an Int x 3% chance of success, rolled at the moment of truth... when you're about to use it.
It costs 1 Luck Point.
The invention has a single use. (See 2nd edition rules for more on this)

I like the idea of your engineering/physics skills combining with your occult skills in a metaphysical way.
If you succeed, here's what happens:

During the Convergence, when you activate the invention, you regain all your Power Points.
Additionally, every magical character in its area of effect (5" radius) may also regain their Power Points if they spend a Luck Point.
Non-magical characters may also do this, but it costs them 2 Luck Points.

If you use it within 24 hours of the convergence, but not at that exact moment, you only restore half your missing Power Points.

If you go through with this: what does it look like, and what is this invention's name?

Thanks,
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC: Thinking about the looks and name. I haven't found a picture that I'm happy with yet. Give me a few days. I think I'm ok with the concept.

This may be also a new avenue of "powers" I've been an innate kind of guy, this could be something that would work with my character's background without becoming all cthuhlu-esque.

Stephane

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Menagerie:
Menagerie is angry. First Central Park and now here. When he finds who is responsible there will be a reckoning.

Menagerie will use a luck point to see if there is anyway his revitalization spell would put out enough of the fire to get to the artifact. Maybe in concert with Avatar's rain. I am thinking that sucking energy from the fire is a form of putting it out like denying it fuel will cause it to burn out.

If that won't work then Menagerie will take the form of an eagle. He will use his keen avian eyesight to lead Vanguard to the artifact.

Best
Tom

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Lightning Strike:
Not sure electrical power is of much use in a forest or fire so Strike will attempt to scan underground for electrical sources such as underground wires or perhaps Iron Ore that is buried that he can conduct through to avoid the fire.

That's all for now,
Tony

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Avatar:
OOC: Tony, once there's a little rain on the ground or even in the air, you might be able to take that route.

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Lightning Strike:
OOC: Actually water is one of my weaknesses as it is difficult to maintain cohesion in water.  I suppose I could use an invention point to figure out a way around it but I never have.

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Clone:
Broceliande:
( OOC: Unfortunately Clone isn’t much use getting the group out of the wild fire area OR putting it out – besides, it looks like we already have a pretty solid plan in place. For now, he’s just along for the ride. )

The Kremlin:
Still curious, Clone asked, “…and assuming that I’m open to the possibility of being the harbinger of this alliance, what will you be bringing to the table? I mean you must know that Vanguard has already secured a few of the ancient relics, how many have you managed to obtain?”

Doctor X said, “In addition to the Spear of Destiny from the Lost Lab of Dr. Swastika, we also hold a Mirror crafted in Ancient China. That is not all I have to share. But before I continue, it is your turn to share. I require a gesture of good faith as well, Alexi. Which artifacts do Vanguard hold? For each answer you give me, I shall give one to you.”

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Clone took a few moments to ponder the game of “tit for tat” that Doctor X was suggesting before he finally responded in a trepidatious tone, “Fine . . . we can play this game if you wish. The last time I saw the rest of my group, we had three of the artifacts; the Splinter of the True Cross, the Sacrificial Dagger of the Maya, and the Stone Idol of Cthulhu.” He than looked sharply at Doctor X and continued, “ . . . and now its your turn. Are there any other teams out there looking for artifacts; and if so, what have they found?”

( OOC: Doctor X’s Response )

( OOC: Once Doctor X has responded . . . )

Not knowing if he could trust anything that came out of his villainous mouth, Clone nodded at Doctor X as if to suggest that he was satisfied with the answer he provided.

Before Doctor X had a chance to say another word, Clone’s youth got the best of him and caution quickly turned to courage. His demeanor became dark and a fire began to grow in his eyes as he snapped sharply at the Super-villain, “Enough of the games, Doctor, you know what I really want to know!” The Replicating Russian than reached for his mask; and with one quick pull ripped it away from his head. He lunged forward and thrust his face towards his would be creator and growled menacingly, “Why?!?”

OOC: Jeff, let me know if you need anything else from me – I can get it out by tomorrow/Tuesday night.

Talk to you guys soon,
-Kev


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