In a desperate gambit, Vanguard hands over all the hard-won Artifacts of Power to Dr. Swastika in exchange for the lives every soul aboard the CHESS Omni-Carrier.
Vanguard ultimately agrees to run out the clock until 2.5 hours before the stars align at winter solstice and the Pantheon of Great Old Ones once again walk the Earth. Then they will attempt to use the Janus Chair.
“I always hated the ‘Shoot the Moon’ strategy,” groused Grey mildly.
As time passes, Vanguard rests, prepares, and guards the chair and their two telepaths.
Dr. Swastika's heinous journal, and the blasphemous Necronomicon, were lost in the fall of Vanguard Vault. Aperture had scanned some images from these profane tomes, searching specifically for chilling likenesses of his black, amorphic father to fuel an unsettling conversation about Scott's true origins.
Aperture did not scan for gate rituals. That said, from what he did see, the ingenious inhuman calculates that any summoning ritual could encompass several hours. Vanguard knows nothing more about the ritual.
Considering the level of crisis facing humanity, the Vanguard reservists are deemed well enough for active duty.
None have any memories of their time in Swastika’s Body Farm.
Vanguard now has the Soviet Super Soldiers and the Vanguard Reservists counted among their forces.
They believe that Dr. Swastika, in addition to controlling Mystic’s body, has at his command SKULL, the Ubermensch and the Japanese Imperial Guard.
With 2.5 hours until the end of the world, the telepaths, Menagerie and Sentinel, take their seats in the Janus Chair.
Symbiote says, “Here goes nothing,” and fires it up.
Once more, their consciousnesses are transported.
They are given awareness of the entire World Storm-wracked planet.
They can seemingly see forever.
They steel their will to retain their identity. Their sanity.
The Janus Chair shorts out again, sparking and smoking. The heroes are pulled from it before it explodes.
KA-BOOM!
Menagerie and Sentinel know where the Artifacts of Power are.
In the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico.
With satellite imaging and the entire world wide web down from the World Storm, they only know what is remembered by archeologist and historian, Avatar. And Mexico is not his specialty. Avatar briefs Vanguard as best as he is able.
“Given the location, it must be an Aztec site,” Avatar posits.
“Alone in the classical world, only they had pantheons of gods that had no resemblance to Men, and whose origins stem from other worlds and stars.
“They were steeped in mysticism, warfare and cannibalism.
“When Europe was in a Dark Age, they were at the height of their power. An advanced civilization, whose full knowledge still eludes modern historians.”
Actions?
Current Conditions:
Aperture: Hit Points: 35, Power Points: 73, Nanotech: Heightened Intelligence
Avatar: Hit Points: 29, Power Points: 85, Manifestation: None
Clone: Bodies: 1, Hit Points: 23, Power Points: 67, Hit Point Pool: 23
Lightning Strike: Hit Points: 36, Power Points: 85
Menagerie: Hit Points: 26, Power Points: 66, Form: Man
Sentinel: Hit Points: 28, Power Points: 70, Creation Points: 140
Slingshot: Hit Points: 36, Power Points: 92, Invulnerability: 8, Damage that can’t be regenerated: 44!
--------------------------------------------------
Clone:
OOC: I can tell you this from personal experience, navigating that jungle on foot is impossible - it's an absolute mess of vegetation and REALLY HOT! This will have to be an aerial insertion or teleportation type mission - moving along the ground is pointless given our time constraints
There's a ton of ruins in there, but Chichen Itza is the most popular. My suggestion; again OOC, find the temple that's known for having design elements based on the current stories time (i.e. date, astological events, solstices and equinoxes, etc). For example, the main pyramid at Chichen Itza has two snakes running down its main stair case that 'light up' during different times of the year (I forget when exactly). The entire civilization in that region and time period was heavily into astrology and stuff - I'm guessing we can narrow down our choices looking for stuff like that. That's just a guess though . . .
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: We had mapped out the ley lines earlier in the campaign. Let's see if they produce a hot spot in our designated area and especially if it corresponds to known temple area. Or course it could be a 'hidden' temple too. But I think the ley lines of power would help us find the location.
When going are there any Chess Knights still around? I was thinking more of having them on the side-lines as eyes and ears for intel and to perhaps assist in conveying information between groups of heroes that may become separated as we enter the complex.
I'd also think that SSS and reservists would engage the Imperial Guard and Ubermensch for the most part leaving the PCs to engage Swastika and whatever else he has at the core of things.
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
GM:
OOC: Kev and Seth:
The ley line information was kept at the now-incinerated Vanguard Vault.
The World Storm Crisis has shut down the world wide web. Your usual information architecture is unavailable.
All CHESS Knights are in the field, helping with emergency crisis management of the World Storm and the global civil unrest it has sparked.
The Vanguard Reservists and SSS are at your disposal.
Viva Vanguard!
Best,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
Aperture prepares to teleport to the coordinates provided by Menagerie and Sentinel. “Maybe we should teleport a short distance away, instead of coming right in on the ceremony. So that we’ll have a chance to prepare before we face whatever Dr. Swastika has prepared for us. Or, maybe we send one group through as a distraction to pull the Ubermensch and Japanese Guard away, then come in behind them to acquire the artifacts. In my opinion, we don’t have to beat them, we just have to stop the ceremony… whatever that takes.”
Aperture will prepare by donning his signature Indiana Jones outfit, complete with fedora, “if he can find it”, but he will be packing his occult, ceremony wrecking supplies… salt, garlic, silver… whatever he can find.
Jon
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie gathers this items in this pack and strapped on the CHESS issued firearm. He didn't believe there would be an anti-magic zone but he wanted to be prepared is what he told the other's in Vanguard. Secretly he was fearful that the Digital (Anti-Magic) Cannon would catch him in the blast too. He wanted to have a backup in case that happened.
"So we know where we need to port but we are going in blind. At least, that is what the CHESS intel is telling us. We might be on top of the sacrifice within an Aztec ancient temple or it might just be open ground. Since the Soviet Super Soldiers has a teleporter and Aperture can teleport. I recommend to groups. We teleport in on the same side but on either side, like a triangle with the sacrifice as the point on top and we are the two points on the bottom."
"I will use my "Essence of Life" spell to slow down the process until the cannon can be fired"
"Not much more that a Hail Mary pass", Menagerie paused and looked a Director Grey, "but when time has ran out it can be the winning play."
With that Menagerie put his pack on his back beneath his cloak.
OOC: I am thinking a standard pack for CHESS agent going into this type of terrain. If he could get 4 grenades he would gladly take them.
Best
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Sentinel:
OOC: I think I mentioned taking what Kirk could in case he becomes magically neutralized along the lines of what Tom said below too; but in case I meant to do so and didn't give 'orders' then let's us magic based guys do so.
Also, if there is any chance any of the tech that the covert anti-Vanguard/anti-extra-normal division of the government has given anything to alter/assist with mental control is available now would be the time for Grey to share it. He has always maintained there is no such thing but given we are facing Swastika (and Kirk still feels Black Bat at some point) anything in that regard would help.
I also think that with Soldier back as NPC he might have knowledge about some of the above...
I know I'm pulling at strings here but we are pretty desperate... and if Grey is genuinely in the dark, which Kirk things he is, perhaps some verification from Soldier might at least alert Grey to the threat assuming he and we survive this...
Seth
--------------------------------------------------
Slingshot:
OOC: Teleporting straight at the artifact is like suicide, Scott not particularly interested in doing so with his son. On the otherhand, he feels that we need to do some reconnaissance.
We should be able to teleport in at a distance and look for an understanding of the situation.
My assumption is that the coordinates point to Chichen Itza, right? Or another temple? The question is really about being able to teleport to somewhere close enough to use something like a high powered telescope to see what is going on and what do we expect to see happen. Say 1km away? We could find a place high enough to see from afar.
That's my suggestion as a first move. Once we have a little more information, we can put a plan together.
Otherwise, we move in blind and take our lick when we land in a pit of vipers.
--------------------------------------------------
Menagerie:
Menagerie agreed. " I still think we should teleport in as two separate teams. It wouldn't have to be far apart but enough to keep us from being in the same pit."
Menagerie checked his pack for binoculars or something similar
Tom
--------------------------------------------------
Avatar:
OOC: Aperture should be able to configure himself as a Heightened Senses device
--------------------------------------------------
Aperture:
OOC: I like it!
--------------------------------------------------
