RocketLord

I've worked out a guidebook page for the Magic Mesa, based on information from the books and some of my own ideas. Obviously, this relates a lot to Dust Devil II, so he's mentioned a few times, but I hope the location still comes across as something that can be used by just about anyone, with at least a few plothooks. --- Magic Mesa In the Painted Desert of Arizona, not far from the town of Red Rocks, stand a lone monolith, a tower of rock that rises above the deserts sands. It is the Magic Mesa, a place of power, where time and space hold little sway. A multiversal nexus, a well of mystic power and insight, many would seek to control the Mesa. So far, they have all failed: Those seek to exploit the power of the Magic Mesa finds that it is guarded to this day. Location and Appearance The Magic Mesa is located in Arizona's Painted Desert that runs from the East end of the Grand Canyon National park, stretching Southeast into the Petrified Forest National Park. The area is generally only accessible on foot or by going off road, aside from a few major highways running through the area. The Painted Desert is known for its varied colors, ranging from common red rock to the lavender, in beautiful painted landscapes. The town of Red Rocks is named for the distinct color and stone formations around it. While now mostly a tourist stop for visitors to the Painted Desert, it was once a frontier town known for prospectors, rail wars and gunfights. Aside from a few scattered homes, Red Rocks is the settlement closest to the Magic Mesa, and at times, people from other times and places will pass through. Such is life in Red Rocks, and the locals have come to accept such, or leave their homes behind. A few scattered settlers make the area near the Magic Mesa their home, seemingly moving with the Mesa itself as it moves. Their prolonged exposure to the power of the Magic Mesa have changed them in many ways. Most have increased longevity, and many quite mad. The Magic Mesa itself stands as a dark tower in the desert, rising far above the sand. The exact location of the Magic Mesa seems to change, but it will always remain closer to Red Rocks than any other settlement. It casts a long shadow, which seem to be unmoving, even as the sun moves over the sky, remaining even as night falls. The Magic Mesa is filled with caves and passages, both visible and secret. Entering the caves of the Magic Mesa is perilous at best: While a visitor might simply enter the dark cave, leaving unscathed, they could just as well end up in another time and place, including alien worlds and other dimensions. Few know how to navigate these caves to reach their given destination, and fewer yet share this knowledge. Few that seek the Magic Mesa can find it. Others may simply stumble upon it, as they travel through the Painted Desert, for good or for ill. Whatever happens, it is all decided by the Will of the Magic Mesa. Significance The Magic Mesa is the former sanctum of Broken Crow, the Master Mage of his era. The magic energies of the Mesa resurrected Adam Prophet, the Pale Rider, and has possible influenced many more colorful tales of super powered beings in the Old West, and could easily be the source of power for heroes and villains in the future. A long line of guardians have stood watch at the Magic Mesa, reaching as far back as mankind. The identities and abilities of the Magic Mesa's guardians are myriad, though all seem based in the guardian's transformation into a sand elemental. How exactly they use the abilities differ, ranging from being of pure sand with no discernible human shape or mind, to the current guardian, who appears fully human when not actively using his powers. Some could manipulate the sand around them, some only the sand of their own bodies. The Magic Mesa seems to pick its guardians from those that died near it. While the guardians appear to be immortal, rising from the dead if they are killed, there have been a long succession, and the fate of the previous guardians, in particular the predecessor to the current guardian, remains a mystery. The current guardian is Dust Devil II. It is unknown if multiple guardians can exist at the same time, but it is a distinct possibility. The Magic Mesa posses the ability to send visitors that enter its caves through time and space. While a visitor will require a proficient guide to reach specific destinations in either time or space, or be lucky enough to have the Will of the Magic Mesa send them where they want to go, it is just as likely that the Magic Mesa will send a visitor where its Will believes they should go. The Magic Mesa is also able to retrieve those that it has sent to other locations. People NPCs The Will of the Magic Mesa: The Magic Mesa seems to posses a will of its own, primarily demonstrated when choosing a guardian, or if sending visitors to specific places in time and space, before retrieving them again. The Dust Devil II swears that it communicated directly with him when he was chosen, but he has little proof, and has not been able to communicate directly again, only receiving various feelings when he is needed. Ultimately, the true nature and agenda of the Will of the Magic Mesa remains unknown. Guardians: The Magic Mesa has been the home to a long succession of guardians, stretching back to the dawn of mankind. Chosen from those that died near the Magic Mesa, the guardians are empowered as sand elementals. Though they all appeared to be functionality immortal, no one seems to know what has happened to any of the previous guardians. Maybe they simply choose to fade away. Maybe someone or something found a way to kill them. Or maybe they simply sleep, scattered among the sand that surround the Magic Mesa. - The Dust Devil: The immediate predecessor of the current guardian, the Dust Devil was Alejandro Roja, a thief and a castle rustler left for dead. Brought back as a man made of sand, Alejandro became the Dust Devil. The Dust Devil protected the Magic Mesa starting at some point in the 1850'es. He was last seen in February 2018. His current fate is unknown. - The Sand Dancer: A woman with long black hair, tied into a braid. She seemed able to freely shift between sand and flesh, even with only parts of her body, moving gracefully, almost like a dance. She was a devoted guardian, not just to the Magic Mesa, but to any that sought her help. She seemed at peace with herself, and was generally unwilling to kill. Was a guardian at the time the Lemurians lived above water. Dust Devil II met her during a trip to the past through the Magic Mesa. Magic Mesa Residents: The few people that make their home close to the Magic Mesa have all been changed by the constant exposure to the power of the Mesa. For some it is subtle. For others it is not. Few are completely mentally balanced, though whether it is caused by the Magic Mesa, or that such people are simply drawn to the Mesa, is unknown. - Mr. Sting & Big Mama: Mr. Sting lives with Big Mama at Magic Mesa, where he researches poison. His pride and joy are the giant-sized scorpions that he has raised in the caves of Magic Mesa, using their poison for his research. Mr. Sting is a small, but crafty man. He is usually distrustful of others, and is a vengeful sort. Wrong him once, and you might find yourself with a poison knife in your back. Big Mama stands nearly six feet tall, with an unnatural amount of bone, fat and muscle. Her skin is completely black. She is an ugly woman, both of appearance and mind. While she does not appear to posses the full mental capacities of a woman of her age, she is fiercely protective of her home and Mr. Sting, being willing, maybe even eager, to kill to keep them safe. Created by Supercape, ask him before using these characters. Travis Hightower, Mayor of Red Rocks: Mayor of Red rocks for the twelfth year running as of 2019, Travis is a tall, thin man in his late 50'es with skin tanned by the desert sun. He posses a magnificent black moustache and short black hair, through streaks of grey have begun to show. He is devoted to keep Red Rocks stable despite the strange travellers and events caused by the Magic Mesa, and will usually be helpful to anyone visiting. He is a traveller himself, coming either from the future or a much more advanced world in the Multiverse, though he is unwilling to divulge any information about the nature of his original time space. Broken Crow: The Master Mage of the 19th century, Broken Crow made the Magic Mesa his sanctum, further enhancing its already formidable magical power. When he was killed at Wounded Knee, the Magic Mesa was left abandoned, and one might still find artifacts or traces of the former Master Mage within its tunnels and caves. Some say that Broken Crow's spirit still wanders the area of the Magic Mesa at times. Travellers: As the Magic Mesa brings travellers from other points in space time, just about anyone or anything can be met near the Magic Mesa. While some will simply act as tourists and some might offer aid, you are just as likely to find hostile travellers, who either wish to return home or make their way in this new world. PCs The Dust Devil II: Cassidy Collins is the Magic Mesa's current guardian. While primarily based in Freedom City, his abilities allow him to swiftly return to the Magic Mesa, should the need arrive. At the Magic Mesa, he is known primarily through the reputation of his predecessors. He is likely to become involved in any thread that involves the Magic Mesa. History The history of the Magic Mesa is long and varied, having influenced several events and heroes since prehistoric time. Existing at least as far back as the time of the Lemurians, possibly even longer, the Magic Mesa has seen its share of conflict. Many sorcerers and demons, their names now lost to the passage of time, has sought to control the Mesa, always stopped by its guardians. During the 19th century, the Magic Mesa was the sanctum of Broken Crow the Master Mage before his death, influenced many supernatural heroes of the Old West and created the first Dust Devil. While mostly dormant during the 20th century, with only occasional visitors, it seems that the Magic Mesa has once again awakened to become a major location in the magic of the world in the 21st century, starting with choosing its newest guardian, Dust Devil II.

Forever Boy Pan had only just heard about the Super Museum, and he just knew he had to go. A place like that was bound to be full of tales of adventure, mystery and action! Just the place for him to go! But going alone would have been boring, would it not? He had already explored Freedom City on his own and with others, and frankly, he had always found it better to be in company than to be on his own. Too much of that in his life already. So! Reina it was! She was new, had just transferred, and Pan knew all about being new in this city (well, world in general, but he let that one slide), and she really seemed to like super heroes, so this would hopefully be great for her! The line had taken ages, but they had made it through, and Pan paid. After all, he was the one that had invited, and he didn't mind at all! And from what he had seen of her so far, this was Reina being excited, so it was all good. He was flitting around all over the museum, staying close to Reina and still looking around everywhere. It was so exciting! All these heroes! All that they had done! "You are very welcome! I thought it was something you might like, and I have wanted to go for a while, so it was the perfect opportunity, was it not?" He kind of wanted to fly, but stayed grounded. Secret identity and all that. What a silly concept, for him at least. He looked up at the digital collage. A man in blue and gold, with a white cape. The Centurion? He was important, was he not? He had been mentioned a lot of times at Claremont, but Pan honestly didn't know much about him. "So, this is the Centurion? I have heard him mentioned. That big statue in the city is him, is it not? So..." He paused, looking from Reina and to the collage, then back again. "Everyone speaks very highly of him, when I have heard him mentioned, but I have few details! Who was he? He must have been very important!"

Stargazers - January 11th (Aurora, Forever Boy) Also, Guidebook pages for Forever Boy, Dust Devil II and Justice should be up to date with their timelines for 2018.

OOC for this.

GM The Super Museum January 11th, 4:15 PM Starting in a new school was always difficult, especially right in the middle of a semester, but as Reina had come to find out, Claremont Academy was really not a regular school in any way, and as all the fellow students had returned from their Christmas Breaks, she had found out just how special the school was. Young men and women flying around, color-coded squads that competed against each other, the strange and the wonderful. And of course a lot of the regular school drama: Love, hate, rivalries, jocks and nerds and everything in between and beyond. One particular student, one Pan Barrie, had quickly welcomed her to the school, and as he did whenever given half an excuse, he had done his best to make Reina feel at home. And on this particular day, he had invited her to the Super Museum in Midtown. He had only just heard about it, and he had been really excited, and now they had just reached the end of the line, and he had paid for their entrance (claiming that it was just what friends did), and was getting ready to enter the museum proper. A few blocks away, a pair of men were making their way through the crowds. They were tall, clad in heavy trenchcoats and fedoras. Really not as inconspicuous as they might believe. One had a blonde handlebar moustache, the other a full brown beard. Both seemed to be bald, or at least had their hair hidden under their fedoras The one with the moustache was holding out a device, a dark green tablet device with handles on the side. The image on it showed a radar image, with streets and buildings, and a great big red dot, which covered a wide area, but seemed to be shrinking as they moved towards it. "Is this it, brother?" the brown haired one asked. "Are we getting closer?" The other shook his head. "Still hard to tell. We'll get there soon, I think."

GM The Sea Devil knew what she was doing, and Sgt. Shark would slowly start coming to his senses once again. It was not all at once, but he would stop struggling against Asad and Sea Devil, and come to accept it, before finally letting go. Even as he and Aquaria looked at the light, it would no longer have an effect on them, for now at least. But still, he could feel it. The bloodlust was still in the back of his mind, the need to protect the source of the light, to keep all comers at bay. It was a notion now, not a push. Not something that he could not fight. It took no effort at all, actually. And there was something else: A quick glimpse, a machine, bathed in the strange changing lights. It was under water, seemingly grown as much as it had been built. Great, powerful, organic cables ran from it to the surroundings. And that was all he saw. Another crisis averted, how would the trio continue their mission?

That does indeed succeed, and Sgt. Shark is out of the mind control!

GM "No no no no!" Grendel's Mother was panicking by now. Nothing she did worked, even as her claws sank into Lament's flesh, the black ooze simply flowed. No red blood, no life seeping from his veins. There was something about the look in her eyes, as the darkness flowed over her face, even as she fought off the effects of Lament's touch. Something he could see, even in the perpetual shadow that seemed to cloud her... Was it perhaps, fear? "NOO!" she screamed, wildly swinging her clawed across Lament's chest.

Y'know, I did forget that! Still, 23 should be a hit. And the Toughness DC would've only been 26, in that case. Still, you beat it anyway! As for PL, not telling. You don't just get to take down mythological monsters in one hit. Sense Motive vs. Feint: 1d20+12 = 23 And that is indeed a hit! Fortitude Save: 1d20+12 = 30 She's still standing! Trying to hit you with the claws again: 1d20+11 = 25 Another hit! DC26 Toughness Save, Penetrating 5. 19 - Lament - 1HP - Unharmed 10 - Grendel's Mother - Fatigued Make a Notice check. If you beat DC22, look at the spoiler

@Supercape Yes, he is. And yeah, that succeeds, he can't reach that save. @Grumblefloof That hit, Toughness rolls: 3#1d20+4 = 18, 5, 10, you take them all down. And as suggested in the chat, since Lady Horus' move activates one of your weaknesses, DC20 Emotion (Fear) save, and a HP for Mr. Strix.

The point where the blow had connected on Robin's arm was sore, but she didn't really feel it. Her adrenaline was pumping. She did it! She got to do a Rider Kick! It might not be the Rider Kick, not jump and everything, but it was hers, and even better? It had worked. The bad guy had been sent flying away, and in exactly two hits, she had taken out two goons. She stood up straight. "Damn straight!" Phone already in hand, she entered the code and the suit retracted itself. And while she did that, Amber started kicking the men... and broke a heel. Really? Robin found herself just staring at Amber for a moment. Alright, the lady had some frustrations to work out, but really? "Alright, alright, we gotta get going before they wake up or Blowfish sends anyone else to check on you. I think I got a safe place where he won't look, but we gotta hurry." So, she supported her weight, and started leading Amber to the bus. Taking her to the Wall and Kidd would probably be the best option for now.

GM "A Void is nothing! An absence! I am something! Something far greater, far more powerful and wonderful than you suspected, little nothing!" She leapt straight through the cloud of oily blackness. She didn't even seem to register it, simply passing through it to land right in front of Lament. With another bestial howl, one of the many that she seemed to like so much, she swung at him with both hands. Her fingers were like claws now, as she swiped from the right to the left, threatening to eviscrate the Dean of Distress!

Sadly, Grendel's Mother appears to be IMMUNE! She follows him with a leap, landing to rake at Lament with her claws: 1d20+12 = 24 I do believe that is a hit. DC27 Toughness save! And a Penetrating 5 effect, if that matters.

Forever Boy It all happened so fast. Never in his wildest dreams had Pan ever expected to fly this fast, and even if it was not under his own power, it was simply amazing. A huge grin was plastered on his lips, as he stared out at the projected solar system that blurred along. He was simply fascinated by the pattern of the stars. Simulated or not, he had never been somewhere like this, out in the black void of the space. And yet, he had been sitting still for an awfully long time now, with nothing much to actually do. Pan had started creating images that danced in his hand. An ever shifting array of persons he had met. Lost Heroes, fellow Claremont students, his teammates on this trek, villains he had met, random people that he remembered for some reason. And yet, try as he might to occupy himself, he could not help it. "So... are we there yet?" He had seen enough movies to know the significance of the question while travelling!

GM "You are armed with nothing!" Grendel's Mother snarled, as Lament lunged forward at her. She was old. Older than even the tales. She would not fall so easy. She was more than what this mortal host thought! Grendel's Mother sidestepped the fist. Up close, Lament could finally see that her skin was ash-grey. With another howl, she raised both fists above her head, then slammed them down hard into the ground, a wave of dark miasma exploding from the impact and washing out around her.

Sense Motive: 1d20+12 = 16 Just made it! And that is indeed a miss! Area Effect Attack! Reflex 22 for half effect! Toughness Roll DC27 if you fail, DC21 if you don't.

Pan grinned at Dana's harrumph and her question. Of course he was not going to leave her alone. She was interesting, after all! An enigma in a riddle in a mystery inside something even more mysterious! And a promise not to tell anyone else? And she would show them the deal? This sounded like mischief. And he did like some mischief. "Please. When have I ever told anyone a secret?" Secret were important, after all. They held power, and it was a power you shouldn't just share with anyone. Pan had plenty of his own. He was floating now, balancing an apple slice on his finger. His grin widened even more, if possible. "So... What is this deal?" Of course, he made no promises to leave it alone, whatever it was.

Pan stirred. Something was wrong. He could feel it, even before he opened his eyes. A prickling sensation at the back of his neck, like a shiver running down his spine. He snapped up, flying straight up, as far as he could go. If there were open sky, high above. If not, then to the ceiling. His first immediate reaction, get in the air, find out where they were, find out what he could do. He could see Judy, Ashley, Leroy, Dio and Miss Lupine. They were somewhere new, somewhere different. Not where they had gone to sleep. Small desks, small shelves. Children sized. A rug that held a map of the world under their feet. What was around them besides that? He looked around, seeing whatever he could see, then he would land again. He took it all in. Miss Lupine was crying, saying they were lost. She had lost the children? Yes, yes, they were all alone here. Joining the others, he offered his own words of encouragement. "What is lost can be found, Miss Lupine. We will find them." His tone was different from what Miss Lupine had heard earlier. Focus, a lack of humor. So. Watchdog, Pulse, Sun Dragon, Dio and Forever Boy. Not quite all the members of the Blue Squad, but a formidable group in their own right. If he had been able to go high, Pan would share all that he had seen. If not, he waited for Ashley. She was the natural leader of the group, it seemed, and he saw no reason to challenge that. But what could he do? How could he help now? He paused. He could listen. If the children were nearby, if there were any sounds they made... He would find them. This was children. Young children. They were all alone. If they were here, then they would be crying, or they would be making some kind of noise, if they could.

Go for space adventures!

Cassidy honestly didn't know if he was happy or concerned about this. The last weapon, the only one that wasn't just a normal gun, was pretty clearly one of the weapons uncle Ben had been selling. The kind of tech that he had seen in the crate, the kind of tech that got him killed. The first real lead to uncle Ben. Should he touch it? He was made of sand, and the police would need fingerprints to get whoever was behind this. No, better to leave it alone now. He didn't even notice Tsunami coming up before he heard her voice. "Huh?" Get a grip, Cassidy. Focus here. "That's good. Was no telling what they'd done before we got here." He looked around. Would be difficult to even tell what they did with the mess he had made, but honestly, keeping people safe were more important. Tsunami noticed the gun too, so at least he wasn't just seeing things, and imagining it being something it wasn't. "Yeah, it does. That thing's the reason that I'm here. Heard a rumor that weapons like that had popped up in San Diego. I'm looking for their seller." He looked over at the robbers on the floor around them. "You're a local, yeah? Any idea where they might have gotten this?" If not, then they could maybe wake up one of the robbers. He hadn't hit them that hard, had he?

GM Grendel's Mother howled. She sounded like an animal, like a beast. Not at all like the person she otherwise seemed to be. The black mist around Lament did not please her, neither did his feint, or the feeling of energy being drawn from her with a mere touch. Who was this mortal, and what exactly was the thing inside him that let him do such things? She swung her arms wildly, blindly. She couldn't quite see the mortal, but she would try anyway. Oh yes, she would strike him, she would... hit nothing but stagnant air.

Sense Motive vs. Feint: 1d20+12 = 17 HOWEVER, she has Uncanny Dodge [Visual], so I'll roll vs. partial concealment to see if she can see you well enough to keep her Uncanny Dodge: 1d20 = 20 Uncanny Dodge does NOT apply, and you hit. Fortitude save: 1d20+12 = 16. Fail! She is fatigued! Grendel's Mother tries to attack back, flailing wildly. 1d20+12-1 = 16, so that's a miss. Lament is up. 19 - Lament - 1HP - Unharmed 10 - Grendel's Mother - Fatigued

@GrumblefloofI've updated my IC post with a bit for Mr. Strix heading to the room. If you decide to not interact with the guards, and they haven't seen you so that's entirely up to you, you can get to the room at the end of your post, given Mr. Strix's speed.

@Avenger Assembled Time to take 10! If you do so, read the spoiler.

@Avenger Assembled Sgt. Shark is in a pretty animalistic state, and I like the idea, so go ahead!