Within the sorcerous pocket dimension of the treacherous
Mystic, Vanguard, Nemesis and Doc Monster found the Artifacts of Power they
long quested for, and the horror that guarded them.
As Avatar and Sentinel engaged the horror, Aperture, Clone, Lightning Strike,
Menagerie, Nemesis, Doc Monster and Slingshot raced past it, toward titanic, closed doors, beyond which
lay the energy auras of the artifacts of power.
The 20 foot tall,
golden, coffin-shaped portal, with opaque, window-like, triangular recesses had
abstract designs etched into its surface. There are no signs of handles or
hinges. Above it smolders a magical flame. Below it is the swampy surface of a
floating island in this perplexing, surreal dimension.
The otherworldly
doors radiated a magical power that Menagerie had never encountered before. But
it was clear Vanguard had to find a way to open them and now! Sentinel and
Clone could not withstand another attack from the writhing chaos that loomed behind
them! And being this far from Avatar, dread fear of that insane horror would
soon overtake them all!
The situation seemed bleak, and Sentinel saw Vanguard hesitating at the door, and knew this
creature would overwhelm them within seconds.
“Avatar, save your strength.
Attacking the creature is having little effect other than making it
angry and I don’t want to experience any more of that psionic backlash. I’ll try to hold it off to give you and
Vanguard another moment to get through the door.
“I think our senses are doing their best to interpret this
realm for us in as close a way as our minds can process it. The appearance of that door here makes no
other sense given the nature of its surroundings. Knowing Mystic’s power set, I think it is our
minds means of perceiving a locked door or gateway to yet another adjoining
dimension.
“And there are various means to get through a door…
Slingshot, if we can do it by physical manipulation you are the ultimate
pick-lock here with your morphing abilities plus you have magical properties
yourself to interact with it… become the skeleton key.
“Avatar, if Slingshot can’t get through then with the wisdom
of the Zeus and with the bright shining light of Apollo you must be our light
through this dense evil darkness for the dark things cannot stand the light!”
Before Avatar moved to join the team Kirk said to him alone,
“John, thanks for your support over the years.
Guide them. It’s been an
honor.’ As Kirk spoke Avatar saw blood
dripping from his left nostril, apparently the damage of the psionic attack
affecting him more than the others.
Energy emanated from Kirk’s eyes, flares of green and red that John had
never had seen before so much so that his natural color was no longer
perceivable.
“There’s a final way through a door when all else fails,
sheer brute force. Break it down,”
hoping an all-out onslaught of power would gain entrance for them if all else
fails.
To buy Vanguard the diversion they needed, Sentinel
commanded his heinous construct to grapple with the creature, forming a mirror
image to attempt to confuse the horror!
Menagerie consulted
his vast knowledge of the ancients to try to identify the portal. He believed
it unliving, but imbued with magic power that could be siphoned off. He assumed
the shape of man and said, "Vanguard, follow my lead. Attack Now!" he
cried as he uttered arcane syllables, casting the magic incantation, Essence of
Life, upon the door! [PR: 18!]
Slingshot quickly
examined the keyhole-less surface of the magic door with elongated fingers. He
pushed it, to no avail. When he heard Menagerie’s battle cry, he flattened his
hands paper-thin and slipped them into the center crack between the doors. He
didn’t think he could fit the rest of himself through. So the malleable man of
might tried to pry the doors apart! He struggled unsuccessfully, but he felt
the doors weakening as the shamanic sorcerer drained power from them!
Avatar charged, crashing
Excalibur into the door – KTANG! – but
the ancient blade bounced off!
The legion of Clones
likewise attacked, to no avail!
“SHAKOW!” Lightning Strike
fired ferocious blasts of electricity that arced across the door’s surface,
without effect!
Nemesis blasted
it with his twin eye beams! ZARK!! Not a mark!
Dr. Monster tried
to help Slingshot pry it open, but his massive hands couldn’t find purchase.
A foreign world reflected in Aperture's large silver eyes as he approached the door. He could
hear his team mates behind him, holding off the writhing mass that was the
door's apparent protector. With his finger, he reached out to trace some of the
etching, looking for something familiar from the occult studies he completed
when researching the book he found abandoned in Swastika's lab. He found it.
It was the Elder Sign, the shape that hovered above them in
the “sky.” A writhing pentagram with a
flaming, all-seeing eye at its heart. The youth traced the shape and suddenly
the weakened door flew open under his father’s incredible strength.
Before the gigantic, lumbering horror could act, all the
heroes raced through the open doors and closed them behind them! They couldn’t
hear or feel the guardian, or the terror it inspired. They were in another
dimension. Before Vanguard, on an altar, were laid out all the remaining
Artifacts of Power! Vanguard recognized:
- The Spear of Destiny from the Lost Lab of Dr. Swastika (and the SSS!)
- The Splinter of the True Cross from Black Bat's penthouse vault.
- The Sacrificial Dagger of the Maya from the Crimson Coven's U-Stor locker in New Jersey.
- The Stone Idol of Cthulhu from the Ruins of Remorse in the Lost Lands of Antarctica.
- The Ring of Eon from the Liberty League in the mid-Atlantic circa 1943.
Vanguard did not
recognize:
- A Bronze Mirror crafted in ancient China.
- A Green Gem.
- An Iron Crown.
And Avatar held:
- The Sword Excalibur from
Broceliande, France.
Vanguard seized the artifacts, and Aperture activated his
Dimensional Travel nanobot invention. [PR=27]
ZZZZZMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
Vanguard, Nemesis and Doc Monster were suddenly back aboard
the Omni-Carrier, over the Atlantic Ocean, with all the Artifacts of Power!
Countdown: Midnight
EST.
48 hours until the End of the World?
Actions!
Current Conditions:
Aperture: Hit Points: 25, Power
Points: 0, Nanotech: Dimensional Travel Portal (one-shot)
Avatar: Hit Points: 21, Power Points: 38, Manifestation: Apollo
Clone: Hit Points: 7/6, Bodies: 1/1, Power Points: 65/67,
Hit Point Pool: 13 (Stats: NYC/Russia)
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 23, Power Points: 69
Menagerie: Hit Points: 16, Power
Points: 13, Form: Man
Sentinel: Hit Points: 7, Power Points: 60, Creation Points: 79,
Shields: 79%
Slingshot: Hit Points: 39, Power Points: 91,
Invulnerability: 8, Fire damage that can’t be regenerated: 30
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Awesome teamwork. We succeeded hopefully it was in doing the
right thing. Unfortunately I have no clue what to do next. I guess I am going
to have to read some back issues the week. J Yeah me!
Viva Vanguard
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Does Menagerie have any other magical info resources? His
guide is dead but did Archimedes introduce him to other mystics or provide him
with any ancient tomes he can reference to see what to do next and to verify
they do have all of the artifacts.
If a luck point is needed to retcon anything I will be glad
to spend it.
I have been trying to figure out how to collaborate both
Menagerie and Avatar knowledge and skills in this area but I am unsure of how
much Menagerie knows and doesn't know.
Thanks
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC: Tom/Menagerie:
Your mentor, Archimedes, is dead. Your patron, the Lady of
the Lake, is missing, her grove violated and burned.
I will allow a one-shot invention of a magic spell that
identifies magic items (not unlike the AD&D 1st level spell, Identify:
http://pandaria.rpgworlds.info/cant/rules/adnd_spells.htm#Identify)
As it's a modification of your Nature Sense spell, this one
shot invention will take 4 hours, and 1 Luck Point.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Here's how I see things unfolding:
First order: we need to identify the new items and attempt to figure out what they are/ what they do.
We need to split the items between us. So I would expect us to go with items that would suit us best? Maybe we can unlock their powers and make use of them.
Then we need to focus on the chair and finding out where this ceremony is going to be.
Maybe reach out to Russia? -- BTW I'm under the impression we know what's going on in Russia, but I'm getting confuzled on what we know that's going on there...
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
OOC: Agreed Tom, wow.
IC: Aperture moved forward, fatigued. The portal slammed shut behind the last
member of Vanguard. Each movement was
slow and deliberate. He removed his
mask, his short black hair dripping with evidence of his recent
activities. His silvery eyes reflected
his exhausted team mates as he took in the scene from the Omni-Carrier. He smiled a tight lipped smile, and took the
drink his mother handed him, laying her hand on his shoulder worriedly as she
looked to Slingshot.
As they gathered, Aperture brought up the original memories
of how this all started, had it only been five days ago? How much things had changed in such a short
time, in only five days, he had lost his innocence, and many of his closest
friends.
(OOC: actually over two years in RL. We began this trek Issue 170, February 28,
2013 for anyone that’s interested.)
IC: Oracle had said, “There are only nine objects on Earth
powerful enough to rend asunder the fabric of our reality. Any one of them, if they fell into the wrong
hands could be used to bring Cthulhu here on winter solstice.”
Together, they had laid plans to which Mystic had responded,
“That is our intent. The summoning
ceremony will require one of these nine artifacts of power. Deprived of them, the Enemy will be powerless
to bring about the end of the world.”
Aperture shared his memory with the rest of Vanguard.
He then said, "They cannot complete the ceremony
without one of these artifacts. We need
to get them somewhere that Mystic cannot get to them. I think our best bet is the digital
zone," he looked to Nemesis and his Father. “Mystic’s magic won’t work there, at least
not as it does here, and there is nothing there Cthulhu would want… I can’t open a portal now, in this state, but
the portal we used previously is still here, and with the lightning, it can
still be powered up. I have no doubt
they will come for these, waving his hand at the assembled artifacts."
Having said his piece, he collapsed back into one of the
chairs around the conference table to rest.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
Kirk sat at the conference table, more solemn and quiet than
usual, his hands entwined in front of him, taking in the discussion of his
teammates and trying to put the pieces together. He was exhausted. Physically.
Mentally. Emotionally. He hadn't expected it to have made it passed that
nightmarish creature to return home with his team, so there was that. Then he spoke.
"I think we do have to question what we accept here as
truth given that Mystic had framed it.
How much was true and how much was him twisting truth to further his own
ends. Only because it was presented also
by Oracle and Archimedes would I give it any merit, but how much did he misled
them too?
If any of them could be used for the summoning then why his
gambit to gather them all together?
There must be something more here we don't know regarding all of these
artifacts together. Otherwise he could
have quietly obtained one of them and done whatever he wanted. Why all of them? We need that answer..."
'And tell me,' he said slamming his fist on the conference
table, clearly now getting agitated, 'why is the World Storm still raging and
increasing in intensity? (Jeff - I'm
assuming that's the case since you didn't say otherwise) What are we missing here?????' "
"At this point I'd say the digital zone for the
artifacts would be our worst case backup plan if we fail to stop whoever or
whatever is coming for them. I can't see
placing them there unprotected merely assuming they would be nullified. Who knows what affect having that much
focused magical sources enter that dimension together would have? To me, that sounds like an event large enough
to rend the fabric of reality itself, exactly what we are seeking to
prevent. If it was stated in a
scientific equivalent it sounds like matter and anti-matter coming together...
magic and its polar scientific opposite.
Even if not that severe might it alter IT once again and make him a
threat? And then after all we have lost
in acquiring them, to leave them elsewhere unprotected. No.
That can't be our chosen path."
"We need to understand what we can about the
artifacts. Review anything we can to
find out more about the legends surrounding this event and particularly any
mention of all the artifacts gathered together.
And we need to prepare for whoever or whatever is going to come for them
and where we want to make our final stand when they do come. We choose the final battlefield."
OOC: Finally got to
read the issue yesterday night before falling asleep...
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
Scott was quite exhilarated that they managed to nab all the
items.
He watched Kirk rant and he felt many of the same struggles.
"I have to admit that I'm with you on all counts. I don't think that the
ceremony needs only one item, but I would wager that it needs all of
them." Looking at Ethan, Scott nodded and said, "While the digital
zone would be the last place to hide one of the artifacts, if we end up
bringing them all to the ceremony and then what? We might want to throw one
away at the last moment. I'm just worried that it's like throwing a bomb into
the zone."
We still need to figure out what we do next - Do we recreate
the Janus Chair? At this point, it seems to be the best option.
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
Clone carefully listened to all the suggestions the other
members of Vanguard brought up regarding the recently acquired Artifacts of
Power. Much like his teammates, he struggled to come up with a solid course of
action as well. Should the team hide the artifacts? Use the artifacts? Split
the artifacts up? One wrong decision could bring about the undoing of creation,
but a decision would need to be made soon - the end of the world was upon them.
Clone’s eyes then lit up as if he just had an epiphany,
“Comrades! What if we are doing nothing with the artifacts?” After a momentary
pause, Clone explained, “We are all here doing much talking of what to be doing
with the artifacts, but what if it is that we are to be doing nothing? I am
remembering very old Ukrainian child’s toy – the Ukrainian Finger Puzzle! My
Grandfather is first to be showing me of this device, perhaps you are knowing of
it. You are to be putting two fingers into tube and must try much hard to get
them out. This is sounding very much easy; but not to be fooled, it is being
much harder trick than you are thinking. To escape this most trickiest of
Ukrainian devices, you are needing to push and not to pull. Oddly enough this
is how we are getting the donkey to be using plow to work in fields back home
when Grandpa’s back is not working good, but that is a most interesting story
for another time.”
The other members of Vanguard were unknowingly held hostage
by their own confusion and couldn’t help but be mesmerized by Clone’s endless
butchery of the English language. Confident that the other members of Vanguard
knew exactly where he’s going with his story, Alex grinned proudly and
continued, “I am telling by blank looks of understanding on your faces that you
are all understanding where I am traveling to with my most interesting of
stories.” Without warning, Alex decided to sum up his master plan, “What if we
are just keeping artifacts away from Mystic? If he is not having artifacts to
complete ceremony, then he is running out of time to complete his most evil of
plans. The clock is working on both ways I am thinking, da? We are just so
simply pushing fingers in and not letting end of world happen by not pulling
fingers out.”
OOC:
Jeff, thanks for the extension – and my thanks to the rest
of you for your understanding.
Just a few things I was thinking about –
Is it possible that the Clone coming back from Russia might
have some info; given to him by Doctor X, that could help with our current
predicament?
How fun would it be to have a weird happy ending with
Snowball turning up alive and becoming a spirit guide for Menagerie? lol Just a
wacky idea ;)
Jeff, when Clone’s personality changed his stats changed as
well ( Intelligence and Charisma shift if I remember correctly ) – is it
possible that this would change back now that we have the ‘old Clone’ back?
Talk to you guys soon,
-Kev
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
Vanguard discuss the many paths that lay before them. They
realize they are now forced to come up with their next course of action.
OOC:
Slingshot: Clone told Vanguard that a duplicate Clone was
gated to Russia by Mystic, while you were all in 1942 collecting the Ring of
Eon. That’s all you know. That Clone hasn’t been heard from since.
Clone: Yes. We should revert to the original Int and Cha.
Good point.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie spoke to Avatar, "Do you know if any of your
books has mention of the ancient ceremony. We can't trust what Mystic told us.
I would like to discover what it about myself."
Menagerie spoke to the team, "We need to put them in a
location for safe keeping. I have a spell to help protect them"
(OOC: I would like to perform a 1 shot spell again that
Menagerie did in Issue 160: Menagerie, already near Aztech, received word via
his communicator, assumed the shape of a hawk, flew to the Aztech and began
casting a ritual that would prevent unnatural travel through its wooded
borders. The spell took an hour to cast and was successful! For the next hour,
no teleporter was getting in or out!
Would have be okay, Jeff)
Menagerie believes Vanguard should play on the defensive now
protecting what they have as they figure out if there is anyway to stop all
this.
Thanks
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Avatar:
OOC: Any knowledge of this, Jeff?
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC:
Hi,
Yes. As per my last IC email, I'm still waiting for the PCs
to figure out their next steps and their actions. Only then will I be able to
move the game forward. :)
IC:
Menagerie only has 0.5 Luck Points remaining, so the
shamanic superhero can't recreate the Teleportation Barrier spell from the
now-classic Vanguard Issue 159: Aztech Invasion!
Avatar sold off much of his book collection at auction (to
the Warlock and the Crimson Coven, it turned out). He has no occult books of
the Cthulhu Mythos. However:
1) Vanguard possesses Dr. Swastika's copy of the Necromicon.
Do any of the PCs dare read this forbidden text, rumored to drive men mad?
2) Vanguard also possesses Dr. Swastika's journal, which has
many allusions to the Cthulhu Mythos. It has only be scanned to date. There's
been no time to read it cover to cover, given the world storm crisis.
3) Avatar manifests the Wisdom of Athena, and armed with
that Aristotlean intellect, the myrmidon of mythology says:
"If Mystic only needed one Artifact, he would have
betrayed us sooner. He's gone to the trouble to collect them ALL. So logically,
it follows he NEEDS them all.
Vanguard discuss the many paths that lay before them. They
realize they are now forced to come up with their next course of action.
CHESS stands by, ready to assist. But they expect Vanguard
to give recommendations, given they've led the initiative to successfully
secure these artifacts.
OOC:
What do you do now?
:)
Confused? Game history is on the Vanguard blog as usual.
Also, I'm always ready to answer any specific questions you may have. Thanks.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
"If Mystic only needed one Artifact, he would have
betrayed us sooner. He's gone to the trouble to collect them ALL. So logically,
it follows he NEEDS them all.
IC: "If that is the case," Aperture sighed
heavily, "Then we we have accomplished what Mystic set out to do, we've
gathered all of the artifacts in one place."
Turning to Kirk, "OK, I get it, IT could be dangerous,
so where do you think they'd be safe?
Look around, we're all wiped out.
We need some help, and we need to choose that battleground. Where would we be at our strongest? The Vault is gone and this floating citadel
could be a dangerous trap."
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
"Yes, that's my assessment too. That's the question I don't have the answer -
where would we be our strongest?"
Suggestions:
Could Avatar with the wisdom of the Gods or Symbiote with the speed of
Accelerator or Aperature with his computer-processing like grasp and recall and
understanding get through Swastika's Journal.
It seems those two books are our last hope for unlocking the key to all
of this.
If not the Journal then at this point Kirk would be willing
to try to read the Necromicon. At this
point he has lost virtually everything.
He was ready to sacrifice himself with the creature to allow Vanguard to
escape. He has one of the best chances
of keeping his mind with his mental discipline and force of will and at this
point from a physical standpoint of things, even if he 'loses it' the team should
be able to put him down. He was the one
that located it, almost like he was supposed to find it. He was tempted even at that time to read it
(I believe I role played that up at the time) - it would make sense now with
things desperate if they had no better answers from the Journal he would turn
to it.
My only other thought - we know from Ley lines and such
magical focal points... do we also know the antithesis from them? Is there a least magical place that might
work to stage our battle?
For those still 'in' - what do you think? Unless one of you has an idea of where to
stage our battle.
Perhaps the only other fortified location would be the
Prison where they've been holding the worst of our foes that we captured
including our doppelgangers... (and if we went there we could discover likely
that they are gone and perhaps find out about the anti-Vanguard Task Force that
Kirk is sure is in place by the secret division of the government that Grey
keeps stating doesn't exist to him) .
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC:
Hey guys - sorry for not chiming in sooner, but I thought my
choice was made clear in my last response. It may have gotten a little
confusing with Clone's lack of language skills, so I'll do my best to recap.
Mystic made such an effort to get all the artifacts and then
hide/store them in that alternate dimension, that it would be logical that he
would make another attempt to get them back asap since the clock is ticking
down rapidly. Regardless if he needs them to complete the ceremony that brings
about the end of the world or if he thinks that we need them to stop it - I
think its very safe to assume that he will be coming for them sometime soon.
With any luck we'll be able to beat him senseless and find out from him which
one it is - do we need them or does he. If someone wants to reach out to him
some how (magical communication network or something lol) and give him an 'FYI'
about the artifacts being reclaimed - that might expedite his arrival a bit.
Just my two cents -
-Kev
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie agrees with Sentinel that Avatar and Aperture
should focus on learning from the journal as much as they can.
Menagerie looked intently at Sentinel, "I agree this
dire time requires dire action but I believe I am better suited to gaze upon
the Necromicon. We have both lost a lot in the recent days but I have lost my
life. I am already a being to that world, a Revenant; I was brought back to
terrorize that would harm nature. There hasn't been a greater threat than
this."
"You can watch over me and if you insist we can study
it together, for two can carry a burden better than one".
Via Vanguard
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
Aperture IC: Still exhausted and a little shaken that his
friends would be so willing to sacrifice themselves for the world, Aperture
shakes his head, "My friends, don't do this. I implore you. We can not defeat darkness with darkness,
only with the light."
"I have an idea, what about the church? The one where mom and dad were married. Look, all of these items are powerful, but
many of them have religious histories or attachments." He turns to Clone, "I've
seen you pray, I know you follow your God.
I haven't really considered it, but I think that's what we need
now. We need to take the high ground,
and be prepared for an attack. Kirk,
maybe you and Menagerie could work on his teleport blocking spell so that we'll
see the enemy coming. We setup some
traps to channel them into a 'kill-zone', and unleash on them. As soon as I'm rested, I can go back to work
on the 'Digital Pulse/Anti-Magic Cannon'.
We can do this, but turning to the darkness is not the way."
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
I was under the impression that we lost the books as part of
the explosion - Necronomicon and Dr Swastika Journal. I thought I tried to do
just that a few issues ago. I'm always a big proponent of research. I'm good
with following that up with a research.
I think that there are lots of good suggestions to date.
Research - Get Aperture or one of the converted speedsters to go through the
Journal. I think Necronomicon is a little dangerous (I'll help with the
journal, but since I'm not touching the necronimicon, unless you want me to
turn into one of those things. I'm not very strong mentally).
I agree that we will be attacked for the items. We need to
protect ourselves. Menagerie could do that spell and at least block the
teleporters from swiping us. we need to understand what the items are. I think
that we should each carry one so we can avoid losing them all at the same time,
but we need to keep track of each other in case they start picking us apart one
by one.
I have no affinity to
any item, so I'll pick last.
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC: I'll just hang back and let you guys discuss among
yourselves where you would have the advantage in an encounter with the Mystic!
Once you have a plan, I'll happily push the story along.
Stephane: Hmmm. The Necronomicon and Dr. Swastika's journal
were either in a fire-proof safe in Vanguard Vault or in Mystic's pocket
dimension. Either way, Vanguard would have them now.
Seth: I can't think of the least magical place on earth.
Wal-Mart maybe? :D
Good line of thinking. If you guys come up with one, it
could be interesting.
Vanguard hunkering down at the CHESS Mega-Prison would be an
early Christmas gift for me. It would begin to make up for the lack of a hidden
city of intelligent gorillas.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC:
I think we all agree that its not a matter of 'if' Mystic
will attack us, but rather a matter of 'when'. If we can control the 'how' and
'where', perhaps we can defeat him and ask him 'why'.
I would imagine that a place devoid of people would work
best for the 'where' - maybe even a place with lots of technology. Perhaps we
could even go back to the 'beginning' ( i.e. that crazy temple surrounded by
dinosaurs where Vanguard first met Clone ) and lull Mystic into a false sense
of security ( he might see it as his 'home turf' and get cocky and sloppy ).
Perhaps we should even consider calling in the other
nation's superhero teams for back-up. A little extra muscle might not hurt and
Mystic might not see a coalition of heroes coming - might give us an edge in
defeating him. An ambush maybe?
Just some ideas -
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
OOC: The temple is a great idea. There is also that place
that was anti-magic ruin where the two thousand Dino-men were at. Maybe we
could lure Mystic into a trap there?
Anyone else up for another trip to the Lost Lands?
Best
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
OOC:
The Dino Temple vs. the Church does have the added benefit
of protection from Magic, but lest we forget, several of our own were basically
powerless in that environment as well, not to mention a couple of thousand
angry Dino men we left behind that are probably not going to be happy to see us
return. Aperture's vote against the
temple of the Dino men.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Hold on guys.. To have that protection from magic, you
needed the artifact on the altar. Until that time, there's no protections.
There's also a thousand angry dinomen. I think there are
better way to give up than that particular one.
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC: I agree with Jon - perhaps a more desolate location
like the middle of a desert or something - someplace where we can see him
coming ( hopefully ) and where we won't have any innocents getting hurt if an
all-out-battle breaks out.
Given Clone's religious background, he would probably
recommend the fight taking place in the Utah Salt Flats - its a popular belief
that witches/demons/evil spirits hate salt. In his mind he would see a place of
pseudo-protection for Vanguard and an area devoid of people.
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC: Hey gang,
Great roleplaying!
A lot of good options on where to wait for Mystic to come
kill you. ;)
Once the team has consensus, I'll be able to move to the
next issue.
Unless of course Vanguard takes so long to decide that
Mystic comes to them while they're still debating. :)
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
IC: Aperture tilts his head to the left, looking at Clone,
"that does sound like a good idea, especially if Menagerie can get the
teleport block up. We'd be able to see
anyone coming from a distance if they come for us, we'd be ready for them.... I
don't know how much time we have before they come, but I need to rest before I
start working on the Digital Pulse Cannon."
Aperture has said his piece, and is happy with any solution
that keeps his team mates from trying to use the Necronomicon. We used a splinter of the cross, and it was
powerful enough to refresh out team... what could that book do to one of our
team mates... maybe that's what happened to Mystic.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
Scott nods to his son. "I agree as well. The
Necronomicon is like doing a deal with
the devil. Let's not go there. Remember Black Bat. He used to be a hero. Look
at him now. I'm ok with pursuing the Swastika's notebook. Going to the Utah's
Salt Lands is as good an idea as any. I was just really opposing the dinomen
idea."
Let's do a round table and agree to what's to be done next?
ooc:
Assuming concensus: I see this as the next steps:
In Parallel:
1) Aperture and I invent the digital cannon
2) Menagerie re-invents the anti-teleportation field
3) Others research Dr Swastika Notebook.
Any information learned from the notebook will obviously
influence the next steps, but aside from that:
We need to find a spot to prepare for the attack - The Salt
Lands is the current proposed spot.
On the above assignments: I'm assuming that the
"speedsters" would make it through the notebook faster than I can.
They all have higher Int than I do anyways. So unless I'm requested to assist
there, due to my personal attributes, then I'll assist Aperture with the
digital cannon
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
OOC: I agree with the Utah Salt Flats as our defensive
location.
Menagerie can't re-invent the anti-teleportation spell. He
is 1/2 a luck point short. So I need someone to help with the half of luck
point
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC:
As always; in an effort to decrease construction times,
Clone will of course duplicate himself several times in order to provide
'unskilled labor' where ever it's needed. Hopefully his high level of Endurance
will prove useful in this role.
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: I have 1.2 pts left. I want to keep one for emergency
use. I feel we'll need it.
I'm willing to give up my .2, but that's not enough to get
you a full point. If someone else wants to pitch in. I think that not getting
teleportation into immediate combat range would be very useful.
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
I don't think I have any Luck left, but I could be wrong. If
I am, I'll help in any way that I can.
--------------------------------------------------
Avatar:
OOC: Avatar will contribute.
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
Kirk heard the ideas, the debates, and finally said.
"For every point I see the counterpoint. For every action that may result in our
victory I see it resulting equally in our loss."
"While I respect everyone's right to their beliefs, he
said looking at Clone, 'Christians can't
get a uniformed teaching or path among their own followers, and what makes
their way stronger or better than that of say, the Greek Gods', and he glanced
at Avatar. The one thing I do know is
that there is energy is all its forms. I
believe in that and its convergence into other forms. I think therein lies the stuff of
creation. And I think beyond that,
somehow came the gift of free will. How
we use that gift and the energies we are endowed with forms the reality we
know. And with that reality facing its
end I'm not letting a path go unexplored that might save it. I found the Necronomicon for a reason. I don't believe it a coincidence. Perhaps its hubris and if so I'll pay the
price but I think I'm the best one to manage and harness its contents for good
in the here and now. If not, then I
trust you all to put me down."
Looking to Menagerie he said with almost a visionary gaze in
his eyes, "I could argue that being in your current state in this
existence, having passed to other side, as one considered 'dead' yet alive, you
are already leaning towards a 'side' and thus in a position to be more affected
by the contents, perhaps in a negative way, by whatever is found within. I could argue that, but won't. I merely present it for you to decide. Read it.
Don't read it. Read it with
me. Read it alone. You must make your way. But I do know that this day I must read
it. And I know that whatever I find I'll
use it to protect the free will of all for the betterment of existence as we
know it. And at the end of the day, either
that freewill will still stand for all to express, or I won't be."
"Decide wherever you feel our last stand be best. As a counterpoint, in every scenario I now
see a place of least magic being the door to disrupting the balance, or I see Mystic finding a means
to teleport the battle to him. Perhaps
the other artifacts having a primary pull to the one last artifact we
posess. I don't think it matters any
longer where we are at that moment.....but I could be off here. What I do know is that at this point there
are two sources of information that may provide answers and salvation. I'll leave the madman's journal to you"
With that Kirk took his leave to read the Necronomicon and
wondered to himself if perhaps he might soon understand Swastika's madness all
too well.
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Stephane:
Can I make a occult roll and try to understand what would be
the best location? A hint that would give us an advantage?
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
I vote for the Salt Flats in Texas (because that is where I
live and it is cool)
Check it out (there was even a Texas Rangers vs Mexican
Militia skirmish fought there and it was called a War because everything is
bigger in Texas and with the media)
Unless Stephane's occult roll tells us different.
Thanks
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: I don't want to open up a whole new can of worms, but
I'm thinking that we need to talk about a defensive place. We are few and they
are many. We have seen that they have access to near unlimited hordes of
monsters. While the Salt flats affords us visibility, it provides no cover
whatsoever.
If we can hole up somewhere that provides us with protection
(both mystical and physical, all the better). With Menagerie building that
teleport blocking spell, we should be able in a good situation if we can find a
place where we can bottle neck the access and defend it. maybe even come up
with booby traps or extra protective measures.
We are going on the vague assumption that they will need all
the items to make the spell happen. At this point, we have to make sure we can
make it past the deadline.
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
OOC: I really like the idea of the salt. I guess I watched
to much of the Supernatural TV show, but in that show salt rules.
Near Salt City, Texas is the Salt Basin Dunes of the
Guadalupe Mountains. We would have the mountain range at our back (5,000 ft vs
the 3,000 ft of the basin). The Salt
Basin Dunes range in various sizes from 3 ft high to 60 ft high. There are also
dried river beds, dried ponds, and a dried lake plus other forms of cover. Here
are two links
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC: If I remember correctly, we're aboard the Helicarrier -
correct? If thats the case than the Salt Flats could be turned into an absolute
killing field. Trenches, land mines, sand/salt bags, long range bombardment
from the Helicarrier, etc. - we would only be limited by time and available
supplies. An area within the Salt Flats; with the right preparations, could be
made extremely defensible. Depending upon our enemy's number and tactics
however, this location could also make a withdraw extremely difficult - a
battle at this location could easily turn into a one-way trip for some of us if
we're surrounded and overrun by a larger force.
Regardless, I think Clone would go for it.
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
Aperture agrees.
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC:
Kev/Clone, you're on the Omni-Carrier, but not in charge of
its course. It is leading crisis management of the World Storm, and must remain
off the eastern seaboard.
Looks like the majority goes for Salt Flats. How will you get
there?
How soon will you leave?
What defenses will you construct, if any? And who will
construct them?
Where will the Artifacts of Power be?
Jon/Aperture: Are you heading to the Salt Flats or
continuing to invent the anti-magic gun?
Seth/Sentinel: Are you joining the team at the Salt Flats?
If yes, are you reading the Necronomicon there?
Symbiote will remain behind to finish the Janus Chair
reconstruction.
Thanks.
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
Aperture will continue working on the "Digital Pulse
Cannon.", then gate to the others.
He can create a portal using coordinates from the
Omni-Carrier for the others if needed.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
Looks like we have a bunch of people doing work - Menagerie
with the anti-teleport spell, Aperture with the Digital Cannon, Sentinel with
the Necronomicon.
Assuming that those three tasks timelines are similar - then
we could go ahead and gate there all in one shot.
In the meantime, following the location decision, there are
other tasks - there's research of a
defendable location in the salt flats - My engineering background could help
pinpoint that out.
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC:
Hi everyone!
So, is this the plan?...
Onboard the CHESS Omni-Carrier:
Menagerie and Avatar invent the Anti-Teleport Spell.
Aperture invents an Anti-Magic Cannon. Clone helps with
labor.
Sentinel reads the Necronomicon.
Lightning Strike and Symbiote re-create the Janus Chair,
just in case. Clone helps with labor.
Then, when the first two inventions are complete, all of
Vanguard except Symbiote (who will need more time for the Janus Chair) teleport
to the Salt Flats to await Mystic's coming.
(Slingshot's research of a defensible position within the
Salt Flats will be hard to do onboard the Omni-Carrier. The worldwide web is
down, due to the World Storm Crisis. And satellite surveillance is compromised
by the global cloud cover.)
Once Vanguard arrives at the Salt Flats, they will get to
work building physical defenses as best they're able (I'll need more details
about that from you, but...).
Is my understanding of the basic plan correct?
Once four of you (a majority) have agreed to this or any
other plan, I'm ready to move it forward. Thanks!
Viva Vanguard,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: I believe that summarizes it.
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: That's my understanding.
How do we get there? Teleport? Fly? If we fly I would
request a fly over some of that area for a defensible location (use an
engineering roll for that)
Stephane
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC: Sounds right to me
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
OOC: But why does Aperture keep pointing the Anti_Magic
Cannon at Sentinel?
I'm good with this.
We're on an aircraft, surely they have maps...
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: That's Dark Sentinel to you...
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
OOC: That's what I'm worried about...
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Darth Sentinel?
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
OOC: I am good with it.
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC: lol I love it!
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: Yea. Me too. Hopefully Kirk's good outweighs any nasty
effects. But it really seemed his being the one to find the journal along with
all else that has happened to him, the lack of information and this being a
possible source and mystic not wanting him to read it and having stored it away
with the artifacts gives him all the more reason.
And hey, got to give Jeff something to work with...
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Bad bad. I have Cthulhu ancestry since I gave Jeff
something to work with.. :)
--------------------------------------------------
