Africa. Night. The volcanic island. The power core of the Primate’s Lair!
The Primate was underlit by exploding engines and rising lava. His voice grew more desperate as he commanded, “No, my brothers! I am your master! You are no longer a part of the human race! You are one of us now! Join with me! The world will be at peace!” But the Vangorillas could smell his fear.
Then the super-intelligent simian saw Doc Rocket’s Transmission Disruptor on Simian Sentinel’s person and his dark eyes narrowed! “They have a weapon! On the one surrounded by golden energy!”
Kairos Kong pulled himself from the catwalk railing over the rising lava and hurled himself through the air at the Primate. In mid air, he swung his steel staff! FTANG! He connected again. Closer to Primate, he detected Forester’s Scent Arrow and it affected him, renewing his aggression against the big silverback!
Snow Leopard had some sense knocked into her when Primate threw her off of him! The feral feline female redirected her predatory instincts at Kairos Kong, but missed the agile ape with a wide swing!
The Primate charged Sling-utang, the strongest of the Vangorillas, and the catwalk shook with the might of his blow! KA-ROK! The stretchable simian was brought to his knees!
“Very well!” the Primate bellowed. “I’ll show you who here is the alpha ape!”
Symbaboon looked at his hairy black arm, the pain from where Centipede had stabbed him was increasing, but he could still use the arm for now. The adaptable ape scooped up Lightning Lemur and leapt up to the upper catwalk before they were both engulfed in rising lava! Symbaboon tried to reach Primate from a distance with a big fist, but his arm didn’t stretch again! Unperturbed, he charged on all fours and pounced over the staggered Sling-utang to put two big feet into Primate’s face! POW!!
Lightning Lemur roared and held a black furry hand out and wild jagged electricity poured from it! SHAKOW! The bolt narrowly missed Symbaboon, Sling-utang and Kairos Kong, and struck the Primate’s chest! “RRAAAARRRRRR!!!!” the Master of Beasts roared!
Monarch, the human butterfly, rolled off the upper catwalk and unfurled his incredible wingspan. The hot draft of the rising lava sent him soaring up, up toward Simian Sentinel! “I’ll take that!” Monarch spat as he grabbed hold of Doc Rocket’s Transmission Disruptor between the gaps of the unformed energy!
Simian Sentinel re-gripped the other end of Doc’s Disruptor as energy tendrils that were extensions of his will formed primitive bludgeons that hammered Monarch mercilessly! THUD! THOK! THOOM! The butterfly man fell screaming into the bright, rising lava where he was consumed alive! “AAAAAAAHHHH!!”
Sling-utang got his feet back under him and thundered forward into the Primate! KRA-POW!! Another staggering blow! Forester’s Scent Arrow affected Sling-utang, enraging him further!
The Centipede, stunned and lifeless, was devoured by the rising lava as it consumed the entire lower catwalk! The geothermic power station exploded again! Sparks and smoke and sirens!
Kairos Kong leapt over the Primate to make room for the growing throng of gorillas! As he did, he swung his steel staff again! KER-RAK! The mighty silverback was shaken!
Snow Leopard followed her quarry and this time she connected! SHHRRRIKKKKK! Her claws tore across the Kairos Kong’s back! Another attack like that and he would be down!
The Primate slammed Sling-utang again, trying to assert his dominance over this mad pack of gorillas!
WHAMM! The malleable monkey of might was hurting badly!
Symbaboon was also affected by Forester’s Scent Arrow. He hurled his left fist at the Primate because his right hand was hurting too much and the simulating simian missed his target!
Lightning Lemur generated another blast of electricity at the super intelligent simian! SHAKOOM!!
The Primate was hurt!
Simian Sentinel, free of the Monarch, prepared for battle as he dove toward the Primate! (OOC: Evade)
Sling-utang threw an oversized fist at the Primate and missed! The tenacious titan was likewise slowing from the epic battle!
Meanwhile, in the installation’s prison block…
Forest-rilla left Fish Friend and Dead Bird and tracked the scents he picked up earlier. There were two, and the freshest trail had them together, moving fast. Forester tracked them down another defunct elevator shaft and outside the facility onto a small wooden boat dock (map area 13). By then, their scents stank of fear. The dock was empty and there were no boats. The trail ended there.
The Primate was underlit by exploding engines and rising lava. His voice grew more desperate as he commanded, “No, my brothers! I am your master! You are no longer a part of the human race! You are one of us now! Join with me! The world will be at peace!” But the Vangorillas could smell his fear.
Then the super-intelligent simian saw Doc Rocket’s Transmission Disruptor on Simian Sentinel’s person and his dark eyes narrowed! “They have a weapon! On the one surrounded by golden energy!”
Kairos Kong pulled himself from the catwalk railing over the rising lava and hurled himself through the air at the Primate. In mid air, he swung his steel staff! FTANG! He connected again. Closer to Primate, he detected Forester’s Scent Arrow and it affected him, renewing his aggression against the big silverback!
Snow Leopard had some sense knocked into her when Primate threw her off of him! The feral feline female redirected her predatory instincts at Kairos Kong, but missed the agile ape with a wide swing!
The Primate charged Sling-utang, the strongest of the Vangorillas, and the catwalk shook with the might of his blow! KA-ROK! The stretchable simian was brought to his knees!
“Very well!” the Primate bellowed. “I’ll show you who here is the alpha ape!”
Symbaboon looked at his hairy black arm, the pain from where Centipede had stabbed him was increasing, but he could still use the arm for now. The adaptable ape scooped up Lightning Lemur and leapt up to the upper catwalk before they were both engulfed in rising lava! Symbaboon tried to reach Primate from a distance with a big fist, but his arm didn’t stretch again! Unperturbed, he charged on all fours and pounced over the staggered Sling-utang to put two big feet into Primate’s face! POW!!
Lightning Lemur roared and held a black furry hand out and wild jagged electricity poured from it! SHAKOW! The bolt narrowly missed Symbaboon, Sling-utang and Kairos Kong, and struck the Primate’s chest! “RRAAAARRRRRR!!!!” the Master of Beasts roared!
Monarch, the human butterfly, rolled off the upper catwalk and unfurled his incredible wingspan. The hot draft of the rising lava sent him soaring up, up toward Simian Sentinel! “I’ll take that!” Monarch spat as he grabbed hold of Doc Rocket’s Transmission Disruptor between the gaps of the unformed energy!
Simian Sentinel re-gripped the other end of Doc’s Disruptor as energy tendrils that were extensions of his will formed primitive bludgeons that hammered Monarch mercilessly! THUD! THOK! THOOM! The butterfly man fell screaming into the bright, rising lava where he was consumed alive! “AAAAAAAHHHH!!”
Sling-utang got his feet back under him and thundered forward into the Primate! KRA-POW!! Another staggering blow! Forester’s Scent Arrow affected Sling-utang, enraging him further!
The Centipede, stunned and lifeless, was devoured by the rising lava as it consumed the entire lower catwalk! The geothermic power station exploded again! Sparks and smoke and sirens!
Kairos Kong leapt over the Primate to make room for the growing throng of gorillas! As he did, he swung his steel staff again! KER-RAK! The mighty silverback was shaken!
Snow Leopard followed her quarry and this time she connected! SHHRRRIKKKKK! Her claws tore across the Kairos Kong’s back! Another attack like that and he would be down!
The Primate slammed Sling-utang again, trying to assert his dominance over this mad pack of gorillas!
WHAMM! The malleable monkey of might was hurting badly!
Symbaboon was also affected by Forester’s Scent Arrow. He hurled his left fist at the Primate because his right hand was hurting too much and the simulating simian missed his target!
Lightning Lemur generated another blast of electricity at the super intelligent simian! SHAKOOM!!
The Primate was hurt!
Simian Sentinel, free of the Monarch, prepared for battle as he dove toward the Primate! (OOC: Evade)
Sling-utang threw an oversized fist at the Primate and missed! The tenacious titan was likewise slowing from the epic battle!
Meanwhile, in the installation’s prison block…
Forest-rilla left Fish Friend and Dead Bird and tracked the scents he picked up earlier. There were two, and the freshest trail had them together, moving fast. Forester tracked them down another defunct elevator shaft and outside the facility onto a small wooden boat dock (map area 13). By then, their scents stank of fear. The dock was empty and there were no boats. The trail ended there.
(OOC: Unbeknownst to Forest-rilla, Ratman and Slugg fled the complex, thanks to a series of well-placed words by the sly Inhuman)
Forest-rilla paused. The black, starry night was reflected in the peaceful water. The island jungle was lovely, dark and deep. Within it was food and others of his kind. Forester could walk away now and never be found again. Superheroics, the government, endless battle, fear, uncertainty, would all be gone. He’d possess a peace of mind to rival the Zen masters of old. Water lapped at the shore beneath his feet.
(OOC: Actions?)
Inhuman carried his friend the Owl over his shoulder and climbed up the dead elevator shaft to the installation’s upper level (map area 7). He could hear the sounds of battle and warning sirens clearly now! The amphibious adventurer kicked the door of the bathroom open and pulled water from the sinks! His amazing hydrokinetic ability warped water to his will and soon a cascading waterspout surrounded Inhuman and the Owl!
He made his way to the source of the epic battle and stood in the northwest doorway of the upper catwalk (map area 6). Inhuman saw the Primate surrounded by a bloodthirsty mob of rampaging gorillas as lava rose to engulf them all to the sound of screaming sirens!
(OOC: Imagine King Kong atop the Empire State Building, beset on all sides by adversaries!)
The Primate, desperate, saw Inhuman and cried out, “Carl! Help me!”
To be continued!
OOC: Please write your next two actions!
Replies are due in a week and a half, by end of day Tuesday, February 24. Thanks!
Current Conditions and Locations: (new IQs give vaguer awareness of condition)
Forest-rilla: Hit Points: Injured Power Points: High Dock (map area 13)
Inhuman: Hit Points: 2 Power Points: High Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
Kairos Kong: Hit Points: Severely Injured Power Points: High Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
Lightning Lemur: Hit Points: Severely Injured Power Points: Mid Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
Simian Sentinel: Hit Points: Injured Power Points: High Mid Air (map area 6)
Sling-utang: Hit Points: Very Injured Power Points: High Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
Symbaboon: Hit Points: Very Injured Power Points: High Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
The Primate: Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
Snow Leopard: Upper Catwalk (map area 6)
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Kairos:
No change. Kairos Kong, further enraged by the pheromones as well as the frenzy of violence and urged on by Primate's call of help, attempts to beat the alpha ape even more...
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Forester:
Forest-rilla not buy that jungle life equals Zen. Living in jungle? Bad idea. Bad idea. Living as ape? Bad idea. Bad idea. Forest-rilla know that all the time.
No fall for trick
Forest-rilla go back to Vanguard friends. He evade. No get hurt. No get hurt.
Forest-rilla see enemy attack friends? Forest-rilla shoot razor-sharp arrow at bad enemy. Forest-rilla have six razor-sharp arrows. Easy to tell apart from the rest.
Forest-rilla not sure which trick arrow is which? No matter. Any arrow not sharp, he leave alone.
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Symbiote:
Symbaboon confused, head hurt. Arm hurt too. And he seems to remember he was smarter...much smarter. He also remembers he can copy other people, just as he's copying Slingutang right now. But now he's been turned into big ape.
Symbaboon look at Cat Lady. She not big ape! She cat, and look pretty smart! Maybe if he copy her he be smart again!
(OOC: For his first action, Hal will attempt to tag Snow Leopard and copy her powers. Since the Ape Virus doesn't seem to work on her or any other Ani-Men, Hal believes that animal DNA (or, as he's probably thinking, "being animal") will trump the virus. He'll absorb her powers, lose his ape status and, most importantly regain his intelligence.
If this works Hal will immediately jump for any controls he sees in the room, trying to re-activate the engines (or whatever it is) that's keeping the lava under control. If nothing in the room seems to control the lava he'll go bounding behind Primate, through the door he came through and look for a control room. Winning this fight won't mean much if we're all consumed by hot, nasty lava.
If Snow Leopard has a power type Hal can't copy he will instead grab her (as long as he has a hand on her anyway) and try to toss her over the catwalk, or at least restrain her.
If he absorbs Snow Leopard's powers but he's still an ape, Hal will continue attacking Primate.)
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Inhuman:
The Primate, desperate, saw Inhuman and cried out, “Carl! Help me!”
OOC: Although everyone is trying to bait me into acting faster (darn that 9 agility!) with all of that baited breath, this fish does not fall for the trick of hooks with bait on them! I think this will work.
Inhuman limping along saw the barest glimpses of the now consumed Monarch and Centipede as their bodies charred to a crisp.
“Oh sure, call me by my human name!” The inky adventurer derided the paltry primate “begging a human for help?” Inhuman slides his shields over to the Panicky Primate and the Sultry Snow Leopard (keeping his shields ready to defend anyone from any attacks) “Hop in and we will discuss this.” If they agree Inhuman will then support them over the lava and explain “I do not trust you, however I am committed to ALL life even those who throw away the lives of others“ Inhuman looks meaningfully at Owl. If Inhuman can, he will use the shields to paralyze Snow Leopard and Primate as well as protect them from other attacks. “I would suggest you call off all animals and start working for the good of all, not one side or the other, otherwise I might as well dump you in the lava right now. Or simply drown you.“ Inhuman glowers at the two truant beasts “I am committed to paths of righteousness, without you helping humanity they will surely kill you easily, which is the true price of we the beasts. Without humanity helping you they shall face dreadful lives of abject worthlessness.”
Inhuman will then try to shut down the out of control lava system (if possible).
OOC: Should either Snow or Prime get tossed into/toward the lava Inhuman will try to rescue them, much the same as before.
If they do not agree to being hydro-shielded, then Inhuman Will not attack, he will attempt to prevent Vanguard from being harmed to the best of his ability (ie using the Shields to prevent attacks on his teammates and prevent anyone getting dumped into the lava) he will look around for the shut off for the Lava (if he even knows there is something there to use).
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Slingshot:
No change, especially due to Sling-Utang being further enraged due to the scent arrow.
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Sentinel:
Kirk roared in victory as he glided through his domain of the sky; the mothman would challenge him no more! He recalled the memory of Grandpa Simian Sentinel telling him how he ‘needed to be strong;’ Grandpa would sing a victory song and beat the victory drums for this day!
His victory assuaged his anger enough to remember the rest of the lesson of that day from his hazed simian memory, ‘but the pack will always be stronger… protect the pack, save what is most important.’
Kirk once again began to act more as the man he was, struggling against the beast he had become, as the rage subsided some and he took note of his environment.
He knew to preserve life the Primate must be stopped; the rage he was fighting to control was already pointed at Primate. He remembered to protect the machine, it was important to defeat Primate. He saw one of Primate’s pack, the catgirl was still a threat. And he felt the danger to his pack in the area, the rising lava and the heat and fire that threatened to consume them all.
Then he saw the fishman. He remembered defending his place in the pack when another said he would betray the pack and he was glad to see him. But then Kirk recalled how his friend the snakeman had betrayed the pack when he trusted him. He hurt Kirk. Yes, he would watch the fishman carefully.
For Kirk’s actions in priority, he would look to push the attack against Primate himself unless attacked first by someone else. He would protect the device. If it seems that the lava is becoming threatening, he would try to be sure his pack is out of harm’s way.
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Lightning Strike:
Strike continues to howl in rage as the battle continues. Primate needed to go down and go down hard!! Since the blasting strategy seems to be successful, Strike will continue to fire away at Primate.
That is all. Short and sweet.
