Morgue’s Secret Stronghold, Beneath Lonely Town, Big City. Night.
Three undead Bosses of Big City had fallen beneath the onslaught of Vanguard, and Morgue himself was staggered! But the Ghost had joined the Five Bosses as an undead slave of Morgue!
Furthermore, Clone could be dead and the Black Bat might be alive and controlling Morgue!
Morgue was hurting. He yelled up into the air, seemingly at no one, “NOW! Ya hear me?! Now already!!”
The Cat hesitated, watching Morgue from the corner of his eye.
Kairos assumed a defensive stance against the Cat and readied himself. (Evasion lasts until end of Issue 53)
The Cat saw that his delay cost him, and he resumed pressing his attack on the agent of eternity. FWSSSSSHHHH! His katana whirled again and once more met the steel of Kairos’ staff! K-TANG!
Symbiote roars, too angry to even attempt any witty repertoire, as he launched himself at Ghost’s killer, “Bastard!” KA-POW! Symbiote connected, using Morgue’s own super strength against him. The gruesome gang boss was knocked backwards, across the wooden shards that were scattered around him.
Morgue reeled like a wild dog. He looked up into the air again. “I need more essence, damn you! More energy! Feed me your power! NOW!”
It did not appear to come and Morgue erupted violently: “Rat bastard! &@#$% traitor! You set me up! Used me to ace the Five Bosses for you and now you leave me twisting in the wind!”
The big man took his anger out on the nearest target: Symbiote!
Cursing, he grabbed the myrmidon of mimicry’s face with his bare hand and it happened again! There was a shift in the air and an invisible sense of darkness. The valiant hero’s shout was cut short. Hal fell lifelessly to the ground! Morgue did not rejoice this time. He looked tired, all used up.
Then things got worse. Suddenly, the cave in exploded forward in a landslide of earth, rocks and undead killers from Big City’s 350 year history! The gang of the living dead had gotten in and had one thing in their eyes: murder. They shrieked their rage as the tide of grey flesh pushed forward, revealing dozens of them!
Lightning Strike ignored them and kept his focus on their black hearted boss. "Morgue, Poker Face went down like a house of cards, just like your dreams of controlling this undead underworld. It's only a matter of time until we bring you down and bury you with the rest of these corpses. You will pay for what you have done to Ghost and Symbiote!” SHA-KOW!! Electricity fired forward and hit Morgue hard, momentarily illuminating his skeletal system! He roared at the pain, like a wounded animal, and was still standing, barely.
The gang of the living dead flooded into the chamber! Forty exhumed maniacs and more coming!
Sentinel saw that Ghost could not help him, or himself. The beacon of liberty flew right through the wraith-like revenant and his energy tendrils erected a wall of wooden shards behind Morgue. Sentinel shouted, “No Morgue, your next. You’re ‘gang’ despises you and will wreak vengeance upon you for what you’ve done to them. Did you really think you could wield that abhorrent energy and not pay the price? You’ve made yourself a blight against the very fabric of this universe and it won’t stand for it any longer. You’re the one that is going to be extinguished!”
CRAASH!! Sentinel rammed into Morgue forcing him into the impaling wall. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! “RAAAHH!”
The Crime King of Big City was pierced and bloody, held up still by the wooden stakes like a crucified anti-Christ. He roared his lungs empty of hate as his hand squeezed reflexively on his tommy gun! BUDDABUDDA BUDDA! He emptied the gun as his body emptied whatever black soul he had. BUDDABUDDABUDD-!
And then both gun and killer were finally still.
The gang of the living dead saw this and stopped in their tracks. Happy Jim Hacker and the Quickdraw Kid fired their pistols at Morgue’s corpse. Others began to flee the chamber, leaking out the way they came in. The leak quickly became a surge as all the undead scattered. Even the Ghost, who appeared disoriented and demoralized. The Octopus and the Cat also joined the exodus of evil.
Slingshot had expected this and he was ready. The malleable man of might threw a right cross at a range of 25 feet at the Cat, striking the necromantic ninja hard! POWW!! The Cat was wounded but kept running.
The Octopus looked for Inhuman as he fled, but did not see him. They were gone. Soon it was quiet.
Symbiote opened his eyes at that moment. He had not been killed, but gravely wounded and stunned from the shock of the attack! (OOC: Symbiote made one of two saving throws against the Death Touch attack, thereby losing all 85 of his Power Points instantly! He fell unconscious momentarily from the shock.)
Inhuman, meanwhile, was alone in the chamber below. After generating slip-puddles, he extended water- spout pseudopods around the silver coffin and discovered it was airtight. He also located a secret latch! Readying a sharpened wooden stake, he prepared himself and threw open the coffin and found it empty!
Instinctively, he rushed back upstairs to join the others in the main chamber, where…
Sentinel could detect the dark, powerful anti-energy he had sensed near the coffin. He alerted Vanguard.
Then the Black Bat appeared. Suddenly he was just there, materialized from thin air. The shadows themselves flickered upon his arrival. He was pale and luminous and beautiful. (see image)
Vanguard, for a moment, was stunned, captivated. His very presence was electric, hypnotic. The air was charged, filled with possibility and there was a second of hesitation and in that second, the Bat spoke. His manner of speaking was calm, refined and exceedingly polite. His pale eyes were irresistible.
“Thank you,” he said. “Morgue was becoming more unstable and violent each day. I underestimated his bloodthirsty nature. A product of his environment, no doubt. And thank you for clearing the field for me,” he said with a casual nod to the former masters of Big City’s criminal empire, now dead and scattered across the cold floor in an orgy of death. His smile was genuine and without condescension.
“You’ve done my work for me and I am grateful. I must confess, I’ve no appetite for these dramatic confrontations of which you costumed adventurers are apparently so fond. I must have forgotten what it’s like to be so young and so powerful.”
His voice was pleasant and it continued. “I know what you’re thinking. After all, I once stood in your shoes. You think you’re going to kill me. Or even capture me. You are expecting, even craving, some epic, grand battle that will shake the roots of heaven itself. You want so badly a new age of heroes and gods,” his eyes fell upon Kairos. “You persist in seeing the world in quaint and outdated terms of black and white.” His eyes regarded Sentinel. “How fascinating. But I assure you, that won’t happen. I promise you.
“I’m twenty years ahead of you. In that time, my powers have grown beyond your imagining. I am a foe that is beyond all of you. In your current weakened condition, you could only succeed in getting yourselves killed. And I for one would find that most regrettable. In fact, it’s why you’re still alive.
After all, are we really that different? I was a member of the Freedom Force. I did not ask for this to happen to me, but now that it has, what would you have me do? Commit suicide?
You must eat living things to survive, through no choice of your own. Does that make you evil?
“As to our current situation, consider this: Do you wish to create another power vacuum in Big City, like the Freedom Force did when they wiped out Intercrime? Do you believe organized crime will end forever today?
A new bloodthirsty degenerate, perhaps worse than Morgue, will rise from the murderous chaos to rule.
“Or… you could decide who will fill that vacuum.”
That killingly disarming smile again. “At the very least, I am the devil you know.
“Together, we can be the power in this city. A power for Order.
I’ve already helped you by sending men to prevent the assault on your safehouse.
As you’ve already helped me by killing and scattering all my rivals for power…
All, that is, save one.”
He turned to Lightning Strike. “You know of whom I speak.”
The moment of hesitation was over. Vanguard was free to act and the Black Bat said: “You realize of course that in that moment, I could have killed you all. But I didn’t.”
OOC: Actions please?
Three undead Bosses of Big City had fallen beneath the onslaught of Vanguard, and Morgue himself was staggered! But the Ghost had joined the Five Bosses as an undead slave of Morgue!
Furthermore, Clone could be dead and the Black Bat might be alive and controlling Morgue!
Morgue was hurting. He yelled up into the air, seemingly at no one, “NOW! Ya hear me?! Now already!!”
The Cat hesitated, watching Morgue from the corner of his eye.
Kairos assumed a defensive stance against the Cat and readied himself. (Evasion lasts until end of Issue 53)
The Cat saw that his delay cost him, and he resumed pressing his attack on the agent of eternity. FWSSSSSHHHH! His katana whirled again and once more met the steel of Kairos’ staff! K-TANG!
Symbiote roars, too angry to even attempt any witty repertoire, as he launched himself at Ghost’s killer, “Bastard!” KA-POW! Symbiote connected, using Morgue’s own super strength against him. The gruesome gang boss was knocked backwards, across the wooden shards that were scattered around him.
Morgue reeled like a wild dog. He looked up into the air again. “I need more essence, damn you! More energy! Feed me your power! NOW!”
It did not appear to come and Morgue erupted violently: “Rat bastard! &@#$% traitor! You set me up! Used me to ace the Five Bosses for you and now you leave me twisting in the wind!”
The big man took his anger out on the nearest target: Symbiote!
Cursing, he grabbed the myrmidon of mimicry’s face with his bare hand and it happened again! There was a shift in the air and an invisible sense of darkness. The valiant hero’s shout was cut short. Hal fell lifelessly to the ground! Morgue did not rejoice this time. He looked tired, all used up.
Then things got worse. Suddenly, the cave in exploded forward in a landslide of earth, rocks and undead killers from Big City’s 350 year history! The gang of the living dead had gotten in and had one thing in their eyes: murder. They shrieked their rage as the tide of grey flesh pushed forward, revealing dozens of them!
Lightning Strike ignored them and kept his focus on their black hearted boss. "Morgue, Poker Face went down like a house of cards, just like your dreams of controlling this undead underworld. It's only a matter of time until we bring you down and bury you with the rest of these corpses. You will pay for what you have done to Ghost and Symbiote!” SHA-KOW!! Electricity fired forward and hit Morgue hard, momentarily illuminating his skeletal system! He roared at the pain, like a wounded animal, and was still standing, barely.
The gang of the living dead flooded into the chamber! Forty exhumed maniacs and more coming!
Sentinel saw that Ghost could not help him, or himself. The beacon of liberty flew right through the wraith-like revenant and his energy tendrils erected a wall of wooden shards behind Morgue. Sentinel shouted, “No Morgue, your next. You’re ‘gang’ despises you and will wreak vengeance upon you for what you’ve done to them. Did you really think you could wield that abhorrent energy and not pay the price? You’ve made yourself a blight against the very fabric of this universe and it won’t stand for it any longer. You’re the one that is going to be extinguished!”
CRAASH!! Sentinel rammed into Morgue forcing him into the impaling wall. Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! “RAAAHH!”
The Crime King of Big City was pierced and bloody, held up still by the wooden stakes like a crucified anti-Christ. He roared his lungs empty of hate as his hand squeezed reflexively on his tommy gun! BUDDABUDDA BUDDA! He emptied the gun as his body emptied whatever black soul he had. BUDDABUDDABUDD-!
And then both gun and killer were finally still.
The gang of the living dead saw this and stopped in their tracks. Happy Jim Hacker and the Quickdraw Kid fired their pistols at Morgue’s corpse. Others began to flee the chamber, leaking out the way they came in. The leak quickly became a surge as all the undead scattered. Even the Ghost, who appeared disoriented and demoralized. The Octopus and the Cat also joined the exodus of evil.
Slingshot had expected this and he was ready. The malleable man of might threw a right cross at a range of 25 feet at the Cat, striking the necromantic ninja hard! POWW!! The Cat was wounded but kept running.
The Octopus looked for Inhuman as he fled, but did not see him. They were gone. Soon it was quiet.
Symbiote opened his eyes at that moment. He had not been killed, but gravely wounded and stunned from the shock of the attack! (OOC: Symbiote made one of two saving throws against the Death Touch attack, thereby losing all 85 of his Power Points instantly! He fell unconscious momentarily from the shock.)
Inhuman, meanwhile, was alone in the chamber below. After generating slip-puddles, he extended water- spout pseudopods around the silver coffin and discovered it was airtight. He also located a secret latch! Readying a sharpened wooden stake, he prepared himself and threw open the coffin and found it empty!
Instinctively, he rushed back upstairs to join the others in the main chamber, where…
Sentinel could detect the dark, powerful anti-energy he had sensed near the coffin. He alerted Vanguard.
Then the Black Bat appeared. Suddenly he was just there, materialized from thin air. The shadows themselves flickered upon his arrival. He was pale and luminous and beautiful. (see image)
Vanguard, for a moment, was stunned, captivated. His very presence was electric, hypnotic. The air was charged, filled with possibility and there was a second of hesitation and in that second, the Bat spoke. His manner of speaking was calm, refined and exceedingly polite. His pale eyes were irresistible.
“Thank you,” he said. “Morgue was becoming more unstable and violent each day. I underestimated his bloodthirsty nature. A product of his environment, no doubt. And thank you for clearing the field for me,” he said with a casual nod to the former masters of Big City’s criminal empire, now dead and scattered across the cold floor in an orgy of death. His smile was genuine and without condescension.
“You’ve done my work for me and I am grateful. I must confess, I’ve no appetite for these dramatic confrontations of which you costumed adventurers are apparently so fond. I must have forgotten what it’s like to be so young and so powerful.”
His voice was pleasant and it continued. “I know what you’re thinking. After all, I once stood in your shoes. You think you’re going to kill me. Or even capture me. You are expecting, even craving, some epic, grand battle that will shake the roots of heaven itself. You want so badly a new age of heroes and gods,” his eyes fell upon Kairos. “You persist in seeing the world in quaint and outdated terms of black and white.” His eyes regarded Sentinel. “How fascinating. But I assure you, that won’t happen. I promise you.
“I’m twenty years ahead of you. In that time, my powers have grown beyond your imagining. I am a foe that is beyond all of you. In your current weakened condition, you could only succeed in getting yourselves killed. And I for one would find that most regrettable. In fact, it’s why you’re still alive.
After all, are we really that different? I was a member of the Freedom Force. I did not ask for this to happen to me, but now that it has, what would you have me do? Commit suicide?
You must eat living things to survive, through no choice of your own. Does that make you evil?
“As to our current situation, consider this: Do you wish to create another power vacuum in Big City, like the Freedom Force did when they wiped out Intercrime? Do you believe organized crime will end forever today?
A new bloodthirsty degenerate, perhaps worse than Morgue, will rise from the murderous chaos to rule.
“Or… you could decide who will fill that vacuum.”
That killingly disarming smile again. “At the very least, I am the devil you know.
“Together, we can be the power in this city. A power for Order.
I’ve already helped you by sending men to prevent the assault on your safehouse.
As you’ve already helped me by killing and scattering all my rivals for power…
All, that is, save one.”
He turned to Lightning Strike. “You know of whom I speak.”
The moment of hesitation was over. Vanguard was free to act and the Black Bat said: “You realize of course that in that moment, I could have killed you all. But I didn’t.”
OOC: Actions please?
Current Conditions:
· Inhuman: Hit Points: 7, Power Points: 41
· Kairos: Hit Points: 15, Power Points: 57
· Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 18, Power Points: 56
· Sentinel: Hit Points: 3, Power Points: 40, Creation Points: 80, Shields: 80
· Slingshot: Hit Points: 26, Power Points: 87, Invulnerability: 8
· Symbiote with Morgue’s powers: Hit Points: 19, Power Points: 0, Harness Charges: 7
Best,
Ye Ed
------------------------------------
Sentinel:
The Black Bat turned to Lightning Strike. “You know of whom I speak.”
Kirk involuntarily shot a gaze at Strike's direction in response to the Black Bat's pronouncement; something to find out about later, assuming there was a later for them.
Kirk's senses reached out trying to interpret what was going on around him, looking for more perception to help their predicament and give them a much needed-edge. His guard was up physically and mentally, aware that the Black Bat was likely trying to influence their minds from the moment he appeared, and he would have none of it.
Kirk rose up to the level of the Bat, posturing to show confidence and hoping that when the Bat's wrath was unleashed against Vanguard his shields would do the work they were meant to do and save his life and buy his teammates some extra time to mount a group effort which seemed to be their only hope at the moment.
"I'm sure you'd have us believe in your benevolence toward us and your superior power. But come now, posing in the form of an icon from the past, isn't that a bit much? No one here respects that past more than I do; you seem to put forth efforts to display that you know each or us, so you know that I'm a student of the heroic lore. Some who are experts on that time period would say Black Bat was "one of the most courageous and dedicated heroes in the original Freedom Force", although I've always been partial to the spirit embodied by Dynamo, myself. But what happened to Black Bat is well documented and well known. The Freedom Force made sure there was absolutely no way the Black Bat, the malevolence he eventually became, could return. With all their precautions, it isn't possible. So if you are "the devil we know", explain your presence here to us."
As Kirk said the words, he knew all to well that it was indeed, possible, although certainly if this was the Black Bat, it was in a new incarnation, with the evidence of events showing much to be even more deadly and dangerous than in the past ... and anything more they could learn about what he was now, or what this thing that claimed to be him was, would be of assistance.
------------------------------------
Symbiote:
OOC: Sigh. Well, whatever happens, it appears I'll be sitting this next round out and maybe several beyond. Jeff, what's the rate of recovery for power points again?
And while we're on it, are there any electrical outlets or such in the room that we can see? Perhaps if I were to absorb Lightning Strike's powers again I could get power points from electricity and therefore get charged up faster, but I'll still need to get at least one point from normal resting before I can use the Harness again. Plus, Lightning Strike is possibly about to get WAY too busy for the next several rounds to hold still long enough for me to absorb his powers anyway.
So, there's one thing I can do--point out some alternatives. I now call upon the one super power that I, Greg, have in real life--the power to remember incredibly obscure plot points from old comic books.
Frankly, we may be over matched here and have to withdraw to fight another day. It seems unheroic and unlike the sort of thing that would happen in a comic book, but I can actually think of two precedents for doing so.
The first is from Frank Miller's first run on Daredevil. Bullseye was the Kingpin's enforcer, Daredevil fought and beat him into unconsciousness in some subterranean basement, not unlike where we are now. Then the Kingpin shows up with some henchmen--he's just re-assumed control of the New York underworld (again, not unlike our situation with Black Bat) and he gives DD a briefcase with info on all the rival crime lords. "Take this," he says. "Use it to bring down my enemies. Take Bullseye as well for all I care. For a while your side will be that much more powerful, and I, in turn, will bring balance and order to the underworld. A stalemate, for now." (I'm paraphrasing, but that's pretty close). Daredevil, exhausted from his fight and badly outnumbered (plus Kingpin had already beat him in one fight the issue before), took the offer, and the long chess match between the characters throughout Miller's run and beyond began.
The other example is from my beloved Legion of Super Heroes, particularly Tom and Mary Bierbaum's under appreciated "Five Years Later" run. Mordru has been somewhat depowered and has retreated to his home planet for several years, but he's still a dangerous opponent and has captured Rond Vidar and the White Witch. While the other Legionnaires rescue the captives and take down one of Mordru's major henchmen (a vampire, ironically enough), Rok Krinn (Cosmic Boy, though they rarely used code names during the "Five Years Later" period) has dinner with him. Mordru actually comes to respect Rok and agrees to let him and the rest of the Legion leave. As he reflects on the meeting later, we see through the narration that Rok told Mordru, just as the team was leaving, "This isn't over. Not by a long shot." Mordru smiles to himself. "No. And I'd be so disappointed if it were." Again, the game was on (unfortunately, the whole Bierbaum run got cut entirely too short in my opinion and we never saw another encounter between Mordru and the Legion while they were at the helm).
So, the bottom line is I'm all for cutting our losses and fighting another day. Seth, you seem to be good at the heroic soliloquy/speech, maybe you can get us out of here and at least make it sound dignified.
On the other hand, if the consensus is to stay and fight, well, I'm with you guys. Just realize that, as I said before, for the first few rounds all I'll be able to do is bleed encouragingly.
------------------------------------
OOC GM Reply:
Great, thoughtful and informative post, Greg. Thanks.
Symbiote/Greg wrote: Jeff, what's the rate of recovery for power points again?
GM Reply: Your healing rate (2 for Symbiote) for every minute of complete rest. Complete rest means all powers turned off and being stationary.
Symbiote/Greg wrote: And while we're on it, are there any electrical outlets or such in the room that we can see? Perhaps if I were to absorb Lightning Strike's powers again I could get power points from electricity and therefore get charged up faster, but I'll still need to get at least one point from normal resting before I can use the Harness again.
GM Reply: There are wires powering a TV and CD-radio. Strike has a weakness that prevents him from healing normally. He requires a power source to heal hits or power points. But he heals power at the above rate when he has a power source. Until you have power points restored you lose hit points for required power point expenditures!
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Inhuman:
OOC: I'd be willing to withdraw also, not just for being beaten close to K. O. levels but also there may be a chance to save some of the lives here.... though if Black Bat has indeed drained their souls there may be, 'interesting problems' with the attempt. Of course it could be Skin Deep trying to play Sentinel and though him us. How cut up is Clone? Who else is recognizable and dead/down around here?
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Symbiote:
OK, I misunderstood the way Strike's weakness works. I thought he instantly recharged power points if plugged into an electrical source. Guess that wouldn't be much of a weakness, would it? ;).
That being the case, my official movie is to lie quietly, hopefully out of the way if fireworks start.
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OOC GM Replies:
Inhuman / Skip wrote: How cut up is Clone? Who else is recognizable and dead/down around here?
GM Reply: The Clones each evaporated into thin air when they were "killed." Including the "original."
The Ghost, the Octopus and the Cat fled into the catacombs along with the Gang of the Living Dead.
Dexter Sinister, Femme Fatale, Poker Face and Morgue are still in this room, incapacitated or dead.
And yes, you still have the sharpened stake (sorry, I missed that question from your previous post).
------------------------------------
Sentinel:
“Of course it could be Skin Deep trying to play Sentinel and though him us.”
Good reminder that all of this started with us looking for Skin Deep and that we've picked up no clue at all about him. Unlikely he is behind this since he was known only to be a shape shifter and we'd still need to account for all the raising of the dead ... at least Black Bat would somewhat make sense for that ... and Skin Deep would likely have no way of knowing about Sentinel's heroic knowledge - even if he assumed he was the original Sentinel that would be golden age lore and Black Bat would be the equivalent of silver/bronze age. Also he appeared to know about Kairos's mindset too, again Skin Deep shouldn't have that knowledge.
If Jeff allows a little of our plotting out of character which he appears to be doing, I'd put in that given that we just had all of the undead flee the caves and our best hope to take them out is to take out the one that spawned them all (from vampire lore), it would appear that to stop the rampage of the undead we have to take out the Black Bat or the being posing as him, otherwise the local civilian population is in deep trouble.
Although Sentinel is trying to prompt his "master villain speech" to try to find out more, and although we're all one good hit away from having our heads handed to us -- especially with the undead fleeing the area unchecked, it seems like we'd be gutless to accept what he's saying at face value. If he was that powerful why didn't he take out the bosses and Morgue himself sooner? Why not have the undead legions bow to his leadership here and now rather than let them flee? And what about the connection that Forrester was bringing to the mix from his personal exploits before he was taken out in the battle? Where would Black Bat get this new power to control the raise and control the dead?
Black Bat is the next link in the puzzle and even if he can kick all of our asses at this point in our current state it doesn't seem that the threat of that with no proof displayed yet should have us all back down. Unless something even worse happens here to shift the balance of power further, I think we have to go with Kirk getting in Black Bat's face like I've already had him do to draw the wrath of his attack and pray that Kirk's shields hold up to absorb a couple of rounds of his fury while everyone attacks him together. If we all hit him together it might be enough to take him down before he takes us out. Hold our actions, everyone grab a stake, and we all attack and take him our together! We just took Morgue down together -- why not Black Bat? Or am I the only that feels this way?
Oh, and with Jeff's description of what happened to Clone, it would seem plausible that the original Clone is elsewhere and alive ... perhaps he's not dead.
Jeff - sorry if that was too much out of character. Will we get a reply from Black Bat prior to final actions before next issue? Or should we give you some if ... then scenarios.
Seth
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OOC GM Replies:
Sentinel: Unlikely he is behind this since he was known only to be a shape shifter and we'd still need to account for all the raising of the dead ... at least Black Bat would somewhat make sense for that ... and Skin Deep would likely have no way of knowing about Sentinel's heroic knowledge - even if he assumed he was the original
Sentinel that would be golden age lore and Black Bat would be the equivalent of silver/bronze age. Also he appeared to know about Kairos's mindset too, again Skin Deep shouldn't have that knowledge.
GM Reply: Never underestimate a shapeshifter's ability to gain secret information. ;)
Sentinel wrote: If Jeff allows a little of our plotting out of character…
GM Reply: You guys can hash it out OOC. In the terms of the game, it's knowing glances flashed between team mates who know each other well... I guess.
Also... I think it's pretty clear to the characters at this point that Morgue was the one who controlled and raised the dead.
He "killed" Ghost. Then he raised him from the "dead" right before your eyes. Then he had control over him.
Once Morgue was defeated that control was broken and all the revenants fled, clearly demoralized.
There is no evidence that Black Bat was controlling the undead or raising them. None of them appeared as vampires. There was some evidence that Bat may have been providing Morgue with the raw power to raise the dead on such a scale (see Morgue's dialogue last ish!)
I'll try to get Black Bat's reply out shortly. Much more dialogue than that though, I'll save for my next official post.
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The Black Bat:
Sentinel said: "The Freedom Force made sure there was absolutely no way the Black Bat, the malevolence he eventually became, could return. With all their precautions, it isn't possible. So if you are "the devil we know", explain your presence here to us."
The Bat Black smiled: “Gladly. If we are to be partners of a sort, there should be no secrets between us. Twenty years ago, before I was betrayed by my former team mates, they were kind enough to telegraph their intentions for months. Thus forewarned, I took the precaution of placing a post hypnotic suggestion within Stentor, the most vocal of my critics... I’m sure he appreciated the irony.
He rescued my remains and replaced them with another’s before they were taken from the Midwest to the Freedom Fortress in New York. Apparently, the switch was never detected. CHESS’s technology then was not nearly as formidable as now. And soon thereafter, the FF parted company with their employers. How is Agent Grey by the way?”
“With the traitors believing me dead, I disappeared. I left America, their stronghold, and traveled the world landing in Asia where legends of vampires have survived for centuries. I learned many things over the past two decades, most notably about my true nature.
“There I consolidated power. The Marksman eventually got wind of the emergence of a new power in the east, never suspecting its true identity.**
“The Cat had long been my cat’s paw in America, but an unfortunately willful one.
With the Freedom Force missing, I risked a return to the states and an extension of my interests in Big City. By removing Whisper from the equation, I looked to exploit the existing fault lines between the Five Bosses and set them against each other.
The arrival of Morgue, and your arrival, forced me to alter my plans drastically.”
He looked at the dead Bosses around him. “Fortunately, I’m nothing if not adaptable.”
(OOC:
*Stentor, a sonic-powered superhero, did leave the Freedom Force rather soon after the Bat was “destroyed,” seemingly dissatisfied with how his warnings were ignored for so long before eventually coming true. Stentor has not been heard from since.
** This much jibes with what Vanguard heard from Forester (the unofficial heir to the mantle of Marksman).)
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Symbiote:
"Partners of a sort," huh? I dunno. The more I see/learn of this guy, the less I like him. And as Inhuman pointed out, he could just be Skin Deep trying to bluff us. Maybe he just needs to be given the bum's rush.
Unfortunately, my actions will remain the same either way--lie here in a heroically beaten down pose. But just wanted to let everyone know I'm not as sure about the "live to fight another day" scenario any more. Don't think my conscience could live with cozying up to this piece of trash.
------------------------------------
Sentinel:
“Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.”
The words echoed filling the chamber. As he said them energy blazed from Kirk’s eyes and his aura of energy grew brighter. He had glided across the room closer to the Black Bat standing in midair in defiance with his arms crossed.
Perhaps it was the arrogance or naiveness of youth that moved him to speak so, but if it was, then it was Kirk’s desire to hold on to those feelings forever, never letting them go and risk forgetting who he was, who he wanted to be; as the hero once known as Black Cat had done.
“That predictably ‘black and white’ enough for you? Edmund Burke phrased those words, but my personal hero lived them and forged them into my very being. And I say to you, ‘No! Never!’”
Kirk motioned towards his teammates looking for their affirmation (Hopefully we get a “so say we all”of sorts from Vanguard at this point) and continued.
“And with those words, you’ve already lost here today.”
“You may have succeeded in seducing others with your half-truths, appealing to their inward-most desires to further your own agenda, but we’ll have none of it! Appealing to our sense of morality and our striving for the greater good, trying to convince us our support of you here would be beneficial, was an ingenious ploy, but that’s over. Here’s how this plays out, we have that epic grand battle you denied and your threat ends here and now. Or, you realize you’ve lost what you’ve had here and cut your losses and run before we can take you down.”
“If you think that you can take all of us then you don’t know us as well as you say you do. Not by a long shot! And let’s suppose that somehow you did take us, although there’s no way that would ever happen, do you think that the ruling authorities of this world would sit quietly and allow something powerful enough to destroy Vanguard to exist without identifying it and nullifying that threat? Or do you think they’ll use all of their resources to hunt it down day and night?”
“So tell me, although we already know the answer, ready to come out of the shadows? Ready to be revealed to the world? Ready to give up your quiet little war and take it out in the open?”
With those words Kirk’s ready for the Bat to pounce on him in anger or more likely to turn tail (turn to mist?) and take off and will try to act accordingly. Should he have the opportunity to attack with Bat being in a physical state, he’d be using shards of wood in the attack within his construct to amplify it. If he uses the mist escape route he’d try to contain him to prevent escape.
This is Kirk's actions/reply unless someone else comes up with something better.
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Slingshot:
I've got an OOC question. Dexter Sinister exuded the psychotropic touch, yes? Is it still active with him, unconscious/dead?This will affect my proposed actions greatly.
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Symbiote:
OOC: In case it's helpful, Stephane: Morgue's powers were still present and copyable by me even though he was a revenant.
Dexter is now not only a revenant but also a beat-down revenant, but remember how Jeff said their fingers are twitching even after they go down? I get the impression that once we take out the revenants they aren't "fully dead"...or at least no more dead than they were before....it's just that their bodies have taken so much damage that they can't move or function effectively any more. But a "passive" power, like Dexter's tactile drug effect, may still be present. No guarantee how our sadistic GM will rule ;) but I figure there's at least even odds that using Dex as a weapon against the Bat might work, if that's what you have in mind.
Best,
Hoping to be Helpful Hal/Greg
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Slingshot:
Scott was still so very new to all this. Black Bat?! What the hell? Am I still having hallucinations?
The last few days were a whirlwind emotionally, physically, and finally mentally. Scott was feeling this was his baptism of fire as a Superhero. He wasn't sure if he liked what was happening, but he was ready. Looking at Sentinel, Slingshot prepared himself for anything. As far as he was concerned, Black Bat was going down.
As with the others, the realization that this could simply be Skindeep trying to impress us into letting "it" go isn't lost on him. Or was it he still have a small bout of paranoia brought on by ..
"HAHAHA", Slingshot laughs, not entirely sanely. "Sorry to be in your way Boss, but I'm really fed up with the bad guys today. It's been one thing after an other. The undead, Morgue taking over the crime syndicate, now Black Bat! It's just too hard to swallow. Let's play a little game. It's called "let's figure out who you are".
OOC: Assuming that my speech goes after Kirk's, or after Black Bat's if he decides to give one. While Sentinel waxes eloquent, I'll grab Dexter Sinister (by the shirt or some other clothed area). When I finish my little blurb, I'll slap Black Bat with Dexter making sure that a hand/face touches him.I would like to see what kind of effect Sinister has on revenants or shapechangers.
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OOC GM Replies:
Sinister Stephane/ Slingshot wrote: Is it still active with him, unconscious/dead?
GM Reply: You don't know. It seemed to be a chemical reaction that occured with physical touch.
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Inhuman:
Inhuman Smelled the blood of Morgue, he was more dead than Inhuman had ever thought possible. After the speechifying Inhuman Heard Slingy's laugh, Inhuman thought this is not good and however dead Morgue was does not mean useless, Inhuman grabs Morgues Blood, then as Slingshot attempts to slap our happy boy with Dexter, Inhuman attempts to whip the blood mixed water over BB's head going not only for a blinding attack but a (possibly at bonus for a blindsiding attack if his back is to Morgue?) Scent disorienting and maybe even a mentally off putting attack, after all how often does a vampire get attacked by BLOOOD? :0 (notes Action is blood attack on the Ice Column not grabbing blood/water to manipulate with, defenses are up, still have some water to muck with so the attack isn't to cause damage but to shock/reduce accuracy/defenses and I still have a steak medium well done...) OOC:THAT IS SOOO EVIL BELOW!!!!!
PS: Sooo... if we are dead do we get final posts?:)
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Slingshot:
“OOC:THAT IS SOOO EVIL BELOW!!!!!”
OOC: Imagine.. I'm one of the good guys. ;)
I'm actually allowing myself a slightly out of character move due to Dexter's effects. Let's hope it works.
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Lightning Strike:
OOC: I am so slow, anyone can post before I do. Anyway here is Strike's action.
Strike was momentarily stunned by the appearance of the one who called himself Black Bat. He gathered his wits and approached the Bat.
"I don't know what delusion you are under but I for one do not believe in fairy tales. You are a mere pretender to the throne, assuming the role of a long dead murderer, hoping that somehow we will be in awe of your power and simply walk away. The Freedom Force didn't walk away when they took down the original and we won't either."
Strike continues,"I find it insulting that you think we did you a favor for taking out these vermin. We were more like exterminators, ridding the world of this trash who sought to prey on the innocent. Human beings are not cattle for your feeding or their plunder. We will stand against evil in whatever form it comes in. My lightning will strip the flesh from your bones."
With that he lets off a blast at Black Bat.
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Kairos:
Kairos will try to maneuver around the ensuing melee to flank the alleged Black Bat. If this is successful and he's not detected, he'll go ahead and try a staff attack, hopefully catching the Bat off-guard so that he can't roll with it.
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Sentinel:
OOC: Great, great stuff! Hope this all actually unfolds and we get to see it happen.
Hey, is everyone as excited as I am to see what "Black Bat" does and if we succeed? Nice post Tony.
By the way, I was wondering, when Black Bat actually turned bad back in the old days, did you play him fighting the Freedom Force or was he played by the GM at the time? If the GM played him did you have a new character that fought him? Or was it so long ago that you don't remember? Just curious ...
Seth
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Lightning Strike:
OOC: When Black Bat initially turned evil, I was playing him but it was actually a ploy to get in with the villains who were kicking Freedom Force's butt. Unfortunately, FF turned things around and beat the villains and Black Bat was forced to run away. After that, the GM played Black Bat.
Much later (I am thinking college or shortly after) Jeff started up a one shot game where we played ourselves but with the alter egos of our characters. In that game Black Bat was purely evil and was almost killed by Dynamo but managed to escape by putting innocent police officers at risk, forcing the noble Dynamo to make the awful choice of letting me go or rescuing them. Of course he chose to rescue them and Black Bat went on to kill many other people.
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OOC GM Replies:
"When Black Bat initially turned evil, I was playing him but it was actually a ploy to get in with the villains who were kicking Freedom Force's butt."
Yeah, right. Likely story. ;)
