Vanguard Roll Call!

Vanguard Roll Call!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Vanguard: Issue 144: The Only Constant.




Within their Vault, Vanguard defeated Vanguard Omega, only to discover that Dynamo, the legendary hero they had freed from Limbo, was in fact Doctor Change, the sinister, shape-shifting super scientist!
Seemingly mastering the Ring of Eon, Change aged the building around him in a perfect sphere of annihilation that revealed 3 floors up and 3 floors down inside the Empire State Building! The edges of the annihilation sphere were sparking, smoking and spraying water from five exposed levels of cut cables, infrastructure and water pipes! Power went out across a few of the floors. Visibility was reduced but it was clear that the Vault was not going to collapse; the building had been reinforced when it became Vanguard HQ. 
Menagerie’s mystical Nature Sense told him that Change’s very existence here was wrong on a cosmic scale!

Sentinel read Dr. Change’s surface thoughts telepathically!
Dr. Change was the most intelligent being Kirk had ever scanned. He had a very strong will, but no defense against telepathy. Dr. Change thought in British English: “They fooled me! Who are they and how do they know me? I know none of them, none of their abilities. They likely know mine. They clearly know Dynamo is my enemy. Back up. Use the smoke. Regroup. Think.”
He stopped, flew backwards, retreating, to avoid being surrounded!

Sentinel activated his communicator, “Shelly, use the sensors to direct any active internal defenses of the Vault against Doctor Change.  He had assumed the shape of Dynamo and is now revealed,” and Kirk hoped that some lasers from one of the exposed floors could be directed at Change.
“Alex, search your absorbed thoughts.  Is there a weakness or something more we can exploit here?” Kirk was still trying to keep Change in the dark and thus not using codenames but he was hoping to see if Clone Omega knew more about Change’s abilities and hopefully weaknesses and could help here.
Finally, speaking without looking anywhere Kirk shouted, “Frank, we’ve already been in direct contact with the Ring and used it, is there any way we can again lend you our wills and do it now again here together?”

Avatar, with the speed of winged Hermes, stepped over the bones of Symbiote Omega and fired two arrows three stories up at Dr. Change! THOO! THOO!
The amnesiac arch-nemesis saw the attack coming and deftly avoided one of the arrows. The second missile struck him and bounced off his elastic epidermis!

Doctor Change silently looked down the vertical battlefield at his archer assailant, and coolly pushed five tons of loosed, damaged flooring spiraling down the long radius of the annihilation sphere right onto Avatar!!  KA-THOOM! The myrmidon of mythology was knocked clean through the floor to the level below where he had been standing! KRASH! (28 points of damage total! (Roll with 1 point. 27 off hits! John is conscious!!)
Power on that floor was out, due to the severed power lines of the annihilation sphere.

Talon, still lost in his battle fury, hurtled straight at Dr. Change with his savage claws and missed him, shredding a piece of his cape!

Change said, “Animal,” at the bestial birdman.

Menagerie flapped his eagle wings and circled Dr. Change, searching for the location of the Ring of Eon as Change eyed him with bemused curiosity.
The shamanic sorcerer’s Mystic Sense found it with ease. Its presence here, and Dr. Change’s, was anathema to the Natural Order! It was deep inside Dr. Change, in the center of his chest!
Menagerie used his telepathic thought-speech to communicate its location to the rest of Vanguard.

Symbiote was conflicted--proud of his sister for winning her fight, wary of dragging her into the massacre that seemed likely.  Nevertheless, they needed her power, and she had made her choices to be a super hero.  "That hole is most likely what used to be the top of the building, Shelly.  We've got big problems.  Turns out Dynamo wasn't really Dynamo--he's that Dr. Change psycho we read about in the Omegaverse, and he's revved up and ready to do God knows what in our universe.  Get up here, but be careful," he said into his communicator.

“On my way!” said Shelley.

With that, Hal threw a lightning bolt.  Avatar had shown that Dr. Change could be hurt, and now seemed to be the time to pile on him.  Attacking him may mean that he could absorb Hal's/Strike's powers but doing nothing seemed the greater of two evils. Meanwhile…

Lightning Strike surveyed the worsening conditions and looked at the state of the rest of Vanguard.  It was clear that after the long fight with Vanguard Omega, an extended battle with Dr. Change was not in their best interests.  If Vanguard could strike quickly and take out Dr. Change while he was still disoriented they may have a chance.
The dark defender was concerned that Change could absorb his powers but saw Symbiote readying an attack so the point was moot.

Symbiote and Lightning Strike fired twin lightning blasts at Dr. Change simultaneously, from each side of him!  SHA-KRAKA-KOW! Both struck the infamous fiend, engulfing him in arcing hot electricity!

Change grit his teeth and took it. “Is that your worst?!” he shouted defiantly.

Zephyr listened to her brother over the leader of Vanguard. She cautiously flew out into the annihilation sphere and got scanned this new battlefield and this new foe! (OOC: Evades!)

Slingshot pulled back his arms and his giant hands in an attempt to show that he's backing off.
“Stop! We are Vanguard. We think we are heroes. We want to do good in our world. If you look around us, you have Vanguard Omega. They thought they were heroes, but they became villains once their world spurned them. It is a clear reminder of what we are and what we can become. Who are you Dr Change? We have heard of you. We have heard of what you have done in multiple dimensions. Are you a villain or a hero? Neither, Both? Your actions have always triggered some form of change. So your name is quite apt."

Dr. Change was surprised that it was the big brawler who took point on civilized discourse.
“I am Doctor Change and I very much doubt that our definitions of good and evil are remotely similar. I have walked an eternity and bested foes far greater than you, “Vanguard.”
If you are the best this dimension has to offer, I shall be its master within a week.”

Slingshot did not continue parlaying (OOC: nor spend his luck point, I’ll assume.
Menagerie told you where the Ring is. But none of your submitted orders to seize it are workable. I’ll assume you hold your action. So you have two actions next issue. Thanks.)

Clone searched through his recently updated memory like a psychic with precognitive abilities, for any information he might have that could help the other members of Vanguard combat their new foe.
Unsure of it’s usefulness, Clone shouted: "Comrades! I am perhaps knowing of something that might be of helping us in this:
“Doctor Change is infamous; the Freedom Force’s most implacable foe, a brilliant scientific and criminal mastermind who controls the molecules of his own body as easily as he does the lives of lesser men.”

Change said quietly to himself, “Yes. Remember…”

“He is known to have murdered mostly cruelly Zephyr of the Freedom Force (no relation forgive me, dear comrade) and Oracle of Aegis!”

Dr. Change murmured, “…Oracle?”

“He was secretly the vile overlord of Intercrime, elite criminal organization!”
As one Clone desperately sifted through these memories of the future, the remaining trio of multiplying mutants made it way around the outer edge of the hole created by Dr. Change. Their collective goal seemed to be the staircase leading to the upper floors. They twisted and turned their way through damaged wall sections and furniture, one of them tripped in the wreckage, but two made it to the staircase and stopped dead in their tracks.

It was the same staircase where Clone’s duplicates were killed by Symbiote Omega and Lightning Strike disguised as Datanaut invaders!

Clone shook off the dread memories (Charisma saving throws) and ran up the staircase.
The human collective made four more duplicates (with his saved action) and began throwing things down on Dr. Change! Chairs and kitchen drawers filled with knives and spoons, a filing cabinet with CHESS records, and a giant stuffed T-Rex. The Clone that stayed behind shouted out in cautionary, but almost whimsical tone, "Pleased to be looking out below!" Two heavy objects struck Dr. Change! Neither bounced off.

Dr. Change looked up at the chaotic, merry Clone battalion with incredulity and smiled.

Avatar crawled back up through the loose wreckage with his arrows in one hand and his bow strapped across him. He reached his former level, got on his feet and was suddenly hit on the head by a stuffed T-Rex! Bonk!
Perplexed, the demigod of destiny quickly deployed his bow, nocked another arrow and loosed it at Dr. Change! THOO! The arrow sailed up three floors and- THUNK! -pierced Change’s thigh!

Change peered down, surprised that Avatar was still alive.

Sentinel’s energy sense located the Ring of Eon deep in the center of Dr. Change’s chest.
The beacon of liberty moved towards the exposed area of the Vault and reformed his shattered Dynamo simulacra into a wall across the opening, sealing Change’s escape path!
Outside it was still daylight and Kirk saw two CHESS Knights and four CHESS copters mobilized in the sky. Their silhouettes were not unlike those of the Omega-verse. On alert from the phony Datanaut invasion, their protocol would be standing by, observing radio silence, assisting if backup was needed. The damage to the Vault clearly caught their attention.

Sentinel addressed Dr. Change again, “Give it up Change.  The Ring of Eon isn’t what you expected and it cost you dearly… a lifetime of lifetimes.  You know even now its effect on you is unnatural and beyond your control.  You won’t be able to bend it to your will as you envisioned when you took it.  Limbo proved that.  Your continued possession of it will cost you even more dearly.”  And Kirk continued to press their advantage of Change thinking they knew more than he did (and perhaps they did) …

Sentinel was dubious that he could harm Change with the broken debris at hand. Worse, relying on such meager weapons could betray his current weakness to the ingenious doctor!
Instead the young telepath read Change’s surface thoughts again, hoping that their dialogue triggered new information that could betray some weakness that would help Vanguard in their hour of need!

Dr. Change’s mind thought with inhuman speed, “With Eon the Eternal’s ultimate weapon in my possession, the cosmos is laid out before me now, to explore… to conquer! Before long, I’ll have a complete understanding of the space-time continuum.
“But for now, that one is right. I dare not escape this battle by using the Ring to disappear in Time. Not after my last miscalculation. I‘ve waited too long for this moment, for freedom.
“I’ve no choice but to fight these self-professed “heroes,” find out from them exactly when and where I am, and then, without haste, examine and master the Ring of Eon.
“Then, the multiverse shall be mine. My original plan remains intact! My eternity in Hell will not have been in vain.” His dark, brilliant mind turned to Vanguard once more. “Enough assessment. Time to end this.”

Dr. Change glanced up at Clone and then he multiplied forty fold!!!

To be continued!
OOC: Actions! One action worth of orders please, except Slingshot who saved his action this ish, and except Avatar who manifested Heightened Speed.

Between turns, Avatar’s power prevents Vanguard’s morale from breaking at the sight of 40 Doctor Changes!

Current Conditions:

Avatar: Hit Points: 6, Power Points: 15, Manifesting: Hermes

Clone: Bodies: 8, Hit Points: 3, Power Points: 4, Hit Pool: (special)

Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 42, Power Points: 41

Menagerie: Hit Points: 3, Power Points: 23, Form: Eagle

Sentinel, Hit Points: 2, Power Points: 16, Creation Points: 32, Wall: 18

Slingshot: Hit Points: 45, Power Points: 56, Invulnerability: 8

Soldier: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 54, Invulnerability: 0, Regeneration deactivated, Unconscious!

Symbiote: Hit Points: 27, Power Points: 47, Charges: 0, Copied: Lightning Strike

Talon: Hit Points: 20, Power Points: 48, No longer enraged

Zephyr: Hit Points: 17, Power Points: 44, Charges: 8, Armor: 7 Evasion: til Issue 146





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Sentinel:
OOC: Absolute favorite moment of the issue that had me laugh out loud:
"Avatar crawled back up through the loose wreckage with his arrows in one hand and his bow strapped across him. He reached his former level, got on his feet and was suddenly hit on the head by a stuffed T-Rex! Bonk!”

“Dr. Change glanced up at Clone and then he multiplied forty fold!!!”

OMG! I'm really hoping here that Change can only copy one powerset at a time an thus doesn't have invulnerability any longer - any way it goes, my only play so far is that Menagerie and Kirk pick out Dr Change 'Prime" (ie the original) and we all continue to focus the attack on him and hopefully take him out ending the actions of his duplicates (and somehow before they take us out) - unless Kevin can come up with something on the whole 'collective' aspect here that might help us further? 
I'm hoping and assuming that the Eon Ring doesn't multiply and that can be the 'marker' here - perhaps Slingshot can pull the ring out of his chest and we can activate it with combined wills (never got Menagerie's reply on that - and I'm assuming that needs to come from Jeff letting him know his occult knowledge here)?  Whatever our play it has to be quick as that many foes even doing minimal damage will take out a number of us with our current power levels (Kirk is likely unconscious on the next successful attack)...

Not looking good here ...

Seth

FYI, Hurricane Ilene hits tomorrow with main damage coming Sunday.  If we lose electricity I will be out of contact for replies until it is restored... so keep up the good fight!

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GM:
OOC: Thanks Seth.

In regards to planning actions: everyone can (and should) suggest anything to anyone.
But then everyone decides their own orders, and then I reply to those.

Good luck this weekend.

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Menagerie:
OOC: Jeff, was I suppose to request a skill's check to determine if we can activate the ring again?  If Menagerie was suppose to ask then consider it asked.

Seth, I also hope that Dr. Change can have one power (set) active at a time or at least when he cloned his invulnerability is split across the clones the same way hit points are.  I agree with the plan to take out Dr. Change Prime.
 
Here are some of my spit balling of ideas for Vanguard attacks.

I know Slingshot is great at Baseball. How good is he at bowling? Could he get 4 strikes (40 clones) in one attack?  This could be his ultimate "Slingshot".

Jeff, is the floor conductive to electricity? I am thinking Lightning Strike & Symbiote could do area attacks by charging the floor, would that be possible?

Menagerie would tell Talon where the Ring of Eon is and Talon can rip it out of Dr. Change Prime.

Zephyr could use her wind powers to pick up all the things that Clone dropped on Dr Change and hit them again. Sorta like the tool shed in the movie Twister.

Avatar keep doing what is working. Menagerie will inform him which one is Dr. Change Prime.

Sentinel delay action until last phase of turn, if Dr Change has weaken his defenses (Invulnerability and Hit Points) by cloning. Take out remaining clones with a barrage of energy construct balls (A shotgun blast with energy constructs as ammo).

Menagerie will perform his soon to be patented SPLAT maneuver. He change from eagle to bear above Dr Change thereby landing on him in a hopefully very painful way.

Please send me your ideas, Together we can save Vanguard and the World. (yeah, I have been watching too much Disney channel with my kids)

Here is my turn (I may change it later after our spit balling session ends but I want something submitted in case the dreaded villain Real Life appears)

Menagerie will identify Dr. Change by his ring. (if Menagerie can't tell, he will attempt Detect Hidden/Best Guess and choose one).  He will then change from eagle to bear form above Dr. Change.  His goal is to land on Dr. Change Prime. Sorta like a thrown brawling weapon attack with his Bear Form as the brawling weapon.

IC: When Menagerie lands he unleashes a loud snarling roar of "GRRROOWWWWLLL!!!!"

OC: Hopefully the surprise of a Bear suddenly appearing in their mist forces the Dr. Change Clones to attempt cool saves (and fail; hint, hint, )

Via Vanguard
Tom

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Slingshot:
OOC: Good luck everyone with regards to Irene..

Jeff: We know that Change exhibits clone's powers, the picture still has Talon's wings, is that correct? or when he started cloning, the wings went away?

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Clone:
OOC: SETH WROTE: . . . any way it goes, my only play so far is that Menagerie and Kirk pick out Dr Change 'Prime" (ie the original) and we all continue to focus the attack on him and hopefully take him out ending the actions of his duplicates (and somehow before they take us out)

TOM WROTE: Avatar keep doing what is working. Menagerie will inform him which one is Dr. Change Prime.

If his version of Clone's power works the same way as it does for Clone, then picking out the 'Prime' is only good for establishing which one has the Ring of Eon. Once Clone duplicates either Clone can be the 'Prime' - destroying the one that originally split has no effect on the other. The 'new' Clone can simply absorb the 'original' Clone and become the 'new Prime'. Every duplicate is essentially 'The Prime' - there are never any 'secondary Clones' - no Clone/duplicate/replica/etc.  is any different from the other.

Sorry if that put a dent in your plan =/

SETH WROTE: I'm hoping and assuming that the Eon Ring doesn't multiply and that can be the 'marker' here -

That is true ( assuming that Change's version of Clone's power works like Clone's ) - Clone can not duplicate anything that is 'not him'. For example: When we were fighting the dinosaurs ( when Vanguard met the Soviet supergroup ), Clone had to start handing out energy weapons from the arms locker to all of the other Clones' in order to arm them - he couldn't just grab one weapon and then just start creating duplicates of it to hand out.

So if nothing else, we shouldn't have to fear 40 Rings of Eon . . . thank God ;)

SETH WROTE: unless Kevin can come up with something on the whole 'collective' aspect here that might help us further? 

TOM WROTE: I know Slingshot is great at Baseball. How good is he at bowling? Could he get 4 strikes (40 clones) in one attack?  This could be his ultimate 'Slingshot'.

Jeff, is the floor conductive to electricity? I am thinking Lightning Strike & Symbiote could do area attacks by charging the floor, would that be possible?"

Again - assuming that Change's version of Clone's power works like Clone's - a solid 'area effect' attack should wipe them all out, as Tom is suggesting ( assuming that they don't have Invulnerability or something ). The major 'draw-back' to Clone's power is just that - the more that he creates, the easier they are to 'take-out' - the only problem for an attacker is, taking them all out before they 'wolf-pack' you. So yeah - an 'area effect' attack is probably our best bet. If his version of Clone's power is the same as Clone's then his Hit Points ( per duplicate ) are very slim at the moment . . . unless of course he has eleventy-two gajjilion Hit Points =/

As for absorbing him the way that Clone Alpha absorbed Clone Omega - I have every reason to believe that this will not work. As far as I can tell; and please correct me if I'm wrong Jeff, the only reason that worked was because Clone Alpha and Clone Omega were essentially - for lack of a better term - the same person.

If I can offer up any other insights into how to best 'take-out' Clone ( man that sounds really weird to say lol ), just let me know =)

Talk to you all soon,

-Kev


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Menagerie:
OOC: I agree with everything you wrote Kev, what I don't know is if Dr. Change is duplicating/absorpting our powers or if they are only providing inspiration for his power useage.

On the chance it is inspiration instead of duplication then it is possible that taking out Dr. Change Prime might take them all out at once.  This is why I was suggesting that those, like Menagerie, that lack an Area Attack focus of Dr. Change Prime.

If it is duplication of a Vanguard power then Dr. Change has Clone's ability to make any Prime, so the only benefit of knocking out the current Prime is to free the Ring of Eon from his chest.  So in this instance it is the Vanguard heroes that can create Area Attacks that will have to do the heavy lifting of defeating Dr. Change(s).

That was my thinking in what I was suggesting for attacks.  Any thoughts on how we could do it better?

Tom

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GM:
OOC Replies:

Re: Activating the Ring with combined wills: All Menagerie (or anyone) knows is what happened in Issue 138:

“Sentinel suggested that Menagerie, their resident sorcerer, lead Vanguard in a last ditch attempt to mentally or mystically reach out beyond this place!

Menagerie called all of Vanguard and the great Dynamo to gather. He intended going to merge their spirits in an attempt to reach the Spirit of Nature. He would call for a way out. Whether it is guidance, a guide, or gift; he doesn't care. He must save his friends, his inspiration for becoming a hero, Dynamo: the Freedom Force Leader, and his world!

The reaction ranged from enthusiastic to skeptical, but everyone was at least game enough to try. What did they have to lose?

Vanguard closed their eyes and concentrated! (15 power points each) Even without his mystic powers, Menagerie tried to focus the silent mental calls of the team of imprisoned heroes!

Then something happened.

Whether that something was an answer to Clone’s prayer, the hand of the Spirit of Nature, the combined will of so many heroes united, the inexplicable metaphysics of this bizarre realm, or just dumb luck would be debated for years to come!

Dynamo was suddenly limned in white light! He was more surprised than anyone. Dynamo, the uncanny, unpredictable hero who had earned a reputation for accomplishing the impossible time and again, looked down in wonder at his utility belt, which was actually called the Dyno-belt.
“… I still have it...” he said to himself, in disbelief.

Dynamo opened a compartment and produced a silver ring, whose non-Euclidean design was reminiscent of the otherworldly architecture of the City of Lost Gods. It was the source of the white glow.
He didn’t put it on, but held it. “… Eon’s ultimate weapon… I still have it!...” he gasped.

Talon muttered under his breath, “I knew we shoulda searched the old geezer.”
“Secure that disrespectful crap,” Soldier shot back at the avian antihero.

Dynamo didn’t hear them. “… been so long… I still have it... it had gone dormant… after we defeated him…. Anachronism had told us…. that it was so powerful… could never be destroyed … or contained …. Ring of Destiny?... No,.. Infinity? Ring of Eternity?... Anyway, I tried to use it before... many times…. To get out of here…. Never worked…. Until now….  Maybe I didn’t have enough… power on my own?...”

Dynamo looked at Vanguard.  “… You kids… you saved me….”

The ring grew brighter, like an engine awakening. Coming to life. The white light suddenly became a beam that scanned the eleven foreheads of the ring’s new masters. And it knew what they wanted.

And then they were gone. Just like that.
                                                    
…Then, through the destroyed, dead gate came Vanguard Alpha… AGAIN!”

End flashback!

Re: ‘Dr. Change Prime’:  Vanguard probably knows by now that there is no Clone Prime. Every Clone has autonomy and Clone’s powers. I’ll assume you mean the Dr. Change that holds the Ring of Eon.
Both Sentinel and Menagerie can detect the Change that has possession of the Ring. He is in the center of the forty Changes. And he is not the one that has an arrow in his thigh.

 Re: Electrifying the floor: All the Change’s are airborne via their wings (many are positioned over machines and equipment they couldn’t be standing on.)


Slingshot said: “We know that Change exhibits Clone's powers, the picture still has Talon's wings, is that correct? or when he started cloning, the wings went away?”

GM Reply: The 40 Dr. Changes have wings. Fyi, when he exhibited stretching powers, invulnerability and super strength, he had wings as well.

Clone, Re: Absorbing Change the way Clone Alpha absorbed Clone Omega: You're not wrong here.

Thanks.

Best,
Jeff

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Menagerie:
OOC: Jeff said: All the Change’s are airborne via their wings (many are positioned over machines and equipment they couldn’t be standing on.

Tom says: Aw, Crap!

Well that diminishes the effectiveness of Menagerie's SPLAT attack but it is still the best I can think of.

I am really starting to feel an X-Men vs Mimic/Avengers vs Super-Adaptoid vibe playing out here. Unfortunately Dr. Change appears to be a whole lot smarter than either Mimic or Super-Adaptoid.

So far Dr Change has:
Avatar's Heightened Speed
Slingshots's Stretching
Talon's Wings
Clone's Duplication

That means Lightning Strike or Sentinel are next.

Dr Change shouldn't be able to mimic Solider, Symbiote, Zephryr or Menagerie.

So it brings me to a very basic question, How do we make someone who has complete control over his body; lose control?

Tom

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Avatar:
OOC: I still wonder if it's proximity.  If all the powered people got out of a certain radius and let someone non-powered or with device-oriented powers fight him, I wonder if it would work.

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Menagerie:
OOC: Worth a try.  That would mean all but Symbiote and Zephyr would have to vacate the area.  I willing to have Menagerie fly 3 floors away.  Somehow we would need to take Lightning Strike Omega with us.

Tom

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Sentinel:
OOC: I'd forgotten there is no Clone-Prime and was thinking more of Madrox, sorry (the Prime is definitely different from the dups)

Problem I see with the radius strategy is right now we have 40 Dr Changes primed to kick our butts.  We've no clue if proximity really matters, and even if it does, we don't know the distance that matters at this point; he has 40 of him to keep within proximity of us should we try to avoid him...  He can have his dups stay near anyone he feels necessary.  And we this round it likely means we have 80 possible attacks from him against the lot of us, unless we preempt them.  It's highly unlikely Kirk will remain conscious past Change's attack on him this round.

Notice from the usage of the Ring dialogue Jeff gave us again:
Dynamo was suddenly limned in white light! He was more surprised than anyone. Dynamo, the uncanny, unpredictable hero who had earned a reputation for accomplishing the impossible time and again, looked down in wonder at his utility belt, which was actually called the Dyno-belt.
“… I still have it...” he said to himself, in disbelief.

The ring grew brighter, like an engine awakening. Coming to life. The white light suddenly became a beam that scanned the eleven foreheads of the ring’s new masters. And it knew what they wanted.

We activated the ring together and unless Jeff's wording wasn't deliberate (and he can tell us) at that moment became the ring's new masters.  We activated it despite it being in the possession of Dynamo/Change at the time.  I think Harold had reminded us in a prior issue that it cost us a bunch of power points to do so, but perhaps we can do it again whether in his possession or not as we did then (he was even unaware he had it at the time).  We also know that Change doesn't know how to use the ring yet from Kirk's mind read.  We can activate the ring together and try to send him back to limbo while keeping the ring here... (the ring seemed to know how to get us back without our knowing the way, perhaps the reverse would be true).

If Change does split hit points (and hopefully invulnerability?) there is a good chance that Slingshot (with saved action going before him) or Talon (just quicker than Change still I think) can secure the ring if possession or proximity to it does count and had it off to Menagerie as he would likely be the focus of our attempt.  But it doesn't seem like possession necessarily is the key here.

Any thoughts on that ...

On another note Jeff, any chance Kirk senses Lightning Strike Omega around still in his energy form?  Just another wildcard out there that if he is present and we can be aware of it, we should be.

Tom  noted that Change was manifesting Avatar's speed.  You could be right, but I'd thought at that point it had just been part of his own abilities since we hadn't really seen him start to manifest our abilities and he was already having two actions per turn. Just a thought, especially since Avatar's powers are mystical in nature (from the gods) and power duplication seems to have some limitations at times (we know that Symbiote cannot duplicate magical abilities ... and he failed to duplicate Kirk's power manifestation (which made Kirk wonder about the ultimate source of his power since we had thought it mutant/genetic until that time) ... so perhaps Change's ability is limited by type of power also, or how many powers he can manifest at once.  But perhaps an idea might be for Greg to try to copy Change's powers here (an army of Symbiote Change-Clones to combat the Change-Clones) - at the very least, it is worked, we'd know the powerset we are up against!  Greg?

If none of this sounds good, perhaps Kirk's energy could be used as a conduit for the combined energy attack.  I'm not sure if Jeff would allow or if practical in execution but he could use his energy in a cloud-like or water-like form around the areas of the room where there are the Change dups and then the two Strikes could run the electricity through it.  Just throwing it out there, but it would be tough because Vanguard would have to get clear of the energy.  Also given that Kirk is the last to go, it is likely we couldn't wait that long with 40 Dr Changes about to pounce.

I'm for the ring and for Greg trying to duplicate Change.  I think if we can activate the ring, that is the key here, but frankly I would absolutely love to see Greg duplicate Change and see what the heck happens then!  That sounds SO COOL!  Kirk would likely be unconscious at that point as would likely some of the other members of Vanguard, but it still sounds like it would be an awesome battle for those still standing!

Seth

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Avatar:
OOC: Sounds like Vanguard would rather be fighting Dr. Change than Irene!

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Slingshot:
OOC: Alright then. This means that I get to do the one thing I figured that I would not do. Use my regeneration powers as an attack.

So my move this round will be based on the fact that you, gentlemen, can tell me which one has the ring. I'll target him out, "attack" him by regenerating (since he's elastic), and out of that hole in his chest, get the ring with my second action (if the regeneration uses up an action).

Essentially a quick and surgical attack. That's the only way I can come up that will get us the ring without brawling forever.

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Menagerie:
We could have Slingshot absorb Dr. Change to create a hole the first action (since it is saved he should be able to go first), then Talon swoop in to grab it if his intiative is higher than Slingshot. That way we get the ring before Dr. Change could act.

If Avatar acts before Talon he could shot the ring with a special attack to get the arrow to carry the ring away to the ceiling and then Talon swoop to the ceiling to grab the ring from the arrow.

Jeff, What standard Area Fire attacks does CHESS have on them or their vehicles?  If not area then individual based?

Team: In Issue 144 Sentinel noticed:
“Outside it was still daylight and Kirk saw two CHESS Knights and four CHESS copters mobilized in the sky. Their silhouettes were not unlike those of the Omega-verse. On alert from the phony Datanaut invasion, their protocol would be standing by, observing radio silence, assisting if backup was needed. The damage to the Vault caught their attention.”

What about having CHESS fire bomb the area? If Dr Change has Slingshot's weakness and Clones reduced Hit Points a decent attack should wipe them all out.  I am willing to let Menagerie go down in the strike as well if it takes out Dr. Change.

So we could focus on getting the ring this turn and seeing if we can activate it because of the "Ring's 11 new masters" statement from a prior issue as was pointed out and we have CHESS with a Fire Attack as a backup attack in case we fail.

How does that sound to everyone?

Thanks
Tom

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GM:
OOC: Thanks Kevin, for the storm info!

Harold's comment about preferring to fight Dr. Change than Irene made me laugh.

Seth, Sentinel doesn't detect Lightning Strike Omega nearby! And Symbiote's Harness is unable to sample new powers. It was damaged by Symbiote Omega when Symbiote damaged the Harper Harness Omega.

Tom, CHESS Knights and copters don't carry incendiary weapons as part of their standard issue, with so much of their work happening in densely populated areas, But CHESS could call them in in a dire emergency.

Best,
Jeff

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Slingshot:
OOC: The "hold action" is a sneaky way of making sure that you can do two actions in short succession in V&V. (assuming this hasn't been house ruled).

So I would wait until just before my "second" action is about to go, then I would trigger my held action, and follow it up with my action.

(Jeff you may correct me if I'm wrong)

It does mean that I'll go late in the "round", but so long as I have a clear view and accurate information, it's largely doable. I would likely blow a luck point just to add to my success.

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Menagerie:
OOC: I like how you are being sneaky, and your saved action can be the phase before your regular action, so your plan is valid.  I don't remember if Slingshot went before Dr. Change or not, so I was suggesting using the saved action first and then have another teammate who is faster than Dr. Change get the ring.

I freely admit that when Dr. Change gets to take his 40 actions scares me to death.

Tom

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Slingshot:
OOC: My saved action was not of my doing. My proposed actions last turns didn't pan out so Jeff opted that I do nothing and hold my action.

So I might as well make use of this opportunity. :)

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GM:
OOC: Stephane/Slingshot said: “Jeff you may correct me if I'm wrong”

You’re not wrong. It’s how saved action work in 2nd edition V&V.

Best,
Jeff

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Sentinel:
OOC: Hi Jeff.

In reviewing my actions of the last issue, I believe that I should actually have a held action as I think everything I did was on the movement end of things (ie physically move to the wall, reform energy into wall, continue to receive surface thoughts) and no action.

From my view, at this point, the only way Kirk will be conscious through this round is by either preempting Change's attack or if Change ignores him.  Given that Change should have at least forty attacks (and perhaps as many as 80 if he continues to possess the agility displayed before (getting two actions per issue) this is highly unlikely.  Kirk getting past one attack would be mathematical luck at this point ... and more than one attack makes it highly improbable (unless you consider their attacks as 'pounding on the wall' and don't apply the armor rule ... and even then he would quickly be pounded into unconsciousness).

So, assuming I do have that action before Change moves since no one at this point is planning to try to preempt him, Kirk will focus his energy sense and mental training (telepathy and anything else he has) and his willpower (charisma) to the Eon Ring.  He has felt it activated and is aware of what is involved with that and has had or does have a link to it or sorts.  I'm hoping that the previous usage/link will act to allow contact now in an easier way - sort of like going through a jungle - the first time you are unsure of the terrain and have to cut a path; if  you go back a second time, the terrain is already familiar and you can retrace the path you made the first time with much less resistance. 

Again, I know this is a long shot, but we've already established that Kirk really has nothing left to physically throw at Change and as mentioned, highly unlikely he stays conscious into the next issue otherwise. 

Also another possibility occurred to me just now that I hadn't thought about previously, what if the Eon Ring is more than a device?  What is it possesses some sort of sentience or if some sentience is tied into it?  Perhaps Kirk's gambit will allow contact.  At any rate, that's the best I've got here.

Aside from that, if Kirk's surface thoughts of Change provide anything to help Vanguard he will attempt to relay it while still conscious and can do so.

As always, if the landscape changes before Kirk's action(s) that make some actions available to him to help the team, have him take it.  My apologies that to all that Kirk can't be of more help here.

Hope everyone enjoys the extended weekend, and that everyone local here has recovered from the effects of the storm.

Best,
Seth

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GM:
OOC:  Seth, Sentinel used his action reading more surface thoughts.
But I'll assume these orders are your action for this ish.

Best,
Jeff

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Sentinel:
OOC: Make it so.  (assuming I get the chance)

I checked my sheet and saw it does take an action to read the surface thoughts.  For some reason I thought once I was 'tuned in' I continued to get them without it costing an action.  Sorry about that.

Looking forward to the next issue ... and hope everyone enjoyed the day today.

Best,
Seth

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Avatar:
OOC: Avatar will hold off on his action(s) and see what happens with what others are doing.  If he thinks that a well-placed arrow will help, that's about all that he can do at this point...

Oh, yeah...he'll stay away from overhanging debris.

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Menagerie:
OOC: Menagerie will support the team as needed. He will help contact the ring, turning human if required.
IC: Ring of Eon restore the natural order to as it should be for this world.

OOC: If there is nothing he can do to support then he will evade the Dr. Changes if they attack him.
IC: SSHRREKK (Eagle for "Run Away!!")

OOC:If never option is available, he will hold his action to next turn.
IC: Spirit of Nature please guide me and Vanguard how to defeat Dr. Change. We must protect our world.

Via Vanguard
Tom

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Clone:
Their faces were drawn long as the Clone duplicates paused their aerial bombardment of Dr. Change and witnessed him split into forty identical replicas of himself. For a brief moment the Clone collective lost heart and struggled to keep some measure of hope alive in their hearts. With their breath still labored from their attempt at a gravity fed assault, the Clones drop their heads in disbelief and despair.

Exhausted and drained, the Clones had come to realization that this monster of a man; that he and his comrades had unknowingly set free upon the world, might be even too much for Vanguard to defeat. As if they had rehearsed it several times prior, the duplicates on the upper level all moved with a synchronicity that only a shared conscious would be capable of. They all collapsed to one knee and reach out their hands towards each other. Their hands clasped in unison as they formed a circle around the outer perimeter of the hole created by Dr. Change.

The lone Clone left standing by himself on the eighty-second floor called out to Dr. Change as his duplicates kneeling above him recited a barely audible pray. “You may be killing of us Dr. Change . . . but you will know that you are never breaking our spirits. Our souls are to be ours, and they are forever being free from evil.”, the lone Clone said as he stared defiantly at the forty copies before him.

The Clones above continued their prayers, unfettered by the possibility of death. They reach out with their hearts to the edge of the ethereal and then onward beyond that. They offered up their collective soul to God and asked for forgiveness and mercy; forgiveness for the wrong that had unknowingly done, and mercy for humanity should Vanguard fail to defeat Dr. Change.

OOC: For a lack of anything a little more creative, Clone save his action and just pray and stuff as I’ve mentioned above. I’m hoping that his/their prayers; combined with the additional efforts of Vanguard, will be enough to reactivate the Ring of Eon. With any luck The Ring will be able to do something with Dr. Change.

Like most of the others, I’m at a loss – I’m not sure what we can do to take this guy down. I doubt we’ll be able to take him physically so I’m hoping an intellectual / spiritual / metaphysical approach might work.

Gonna keep my fingers crossed on this one -


Talk to you all soon,

-Kev

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Symbiote:
Hoo-Boy.  To say I'm at a loss is an understatement.  Symbiote may have made his morale check thanks to the power of Avatar, but I'm not sure Greg did!

It would indeed be sweet if Hal could somehow absorb Dr. Change's power, but, as Jeff points out, the Harness is temporarily disabled, and I'm coasting on leftover Lightning Strike power for now.

IC:  So this is it, Hal thinks to himself.  Pity.  I would have liked to have decoded the metagene.  I would have liked to have figured out exactly what "magic" is, to find out if it's really just another form of science.  And then there's that Really Big Project I had in mind.  Sure would've liked to have seen how that would turn out.

He straightens up, looks at his sister.  She seemed to have the same look on her face....resolved but determined.  He wishes he had time to tell her how proud he was of her for taking up the mantle of Zephyr, how wrong he was to try to stop her at first.  Hell, for that matter he wishes he could tell the rest of his teammates how proud he'd been to serve with them.  Gentlemen and lady, it's been a privilege fighting the good fight alongside you, he purposefully thinks to himself, just in case Sentinel or Menagerie's odd telepathy could somehow convey it to the rest of the team.

And with that, the newly Fatalistic Fighter will hurl a lightning bolt at....any Dr. Change nearby.

OOC:  Pretty lame, I know, but I honestly can't think of much else.  Hope something breaks our way.  If not....see you on the other side, boys!

Viva Vanguard,

Greg

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Lightning Strike:
Wow, two Lightning Strikes stuck on an action at the same time.  Jeff, you should have told Greg that his weakness is that he must post late. 

Anyway, once we observed Dr. Change multiply,we must look for a range attack that can take out a number of them. 

OOC:  Is there any device that can be overloaded that could blow up and do some damage to the Dr. Changes.  I am assuming that Lightning Strike is very familiar with the layout of the base and could identify some device that would explode nicely!!

Take care all,
Tony

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