Heritage

It hadn't even occurred to Casey how dangerous it was for a mute to be out on the open ocean, unable to call for help; the fact that Vicki had still volunteered without hesitation said a lot about her classmate's commitment to helping others. But there was little time for idle speculation; the blonde powerhouse simply offered Hestina a crisp salute, then flew down to inspect the damage to the hull. The tear was long, but she might be able to bend it back into place; if someone could seal it, at the very least it could buy the crew some more time. Endeavor looked to be busy, which left Cerulean; wait, where was she? Casey's eyes darted about until she saw her classmate, clearly overcome with fear. What's that word? Thalassophobia? In a flash, she weaved her way up to the floating girl through the pouring rain, her own golden glow merging with Eileen's blue one as she got closer. Her face drifted close to Cerulean's as she shouted to be heard over the tumult, her long damp hair plastered to her head. "Look Eileen, I get that you're scared; so am I! You just have to put that fear in a box and deal with it later, when nobody's life is on the line!" She pointed down at the people bobbing in the rafts. "Those people can't fly; you can! That's all there is to it!" Then she pointed at the gaping tear in the hull. "If I can pull that closed, can you light it up and fuse the metal, like a giant welder?"

The blonde Claremonter peered towards the river, shifting her vision to infrared to get a better idea of man on the log's status; if he was too cold, he might not even be alive. Still, she was compelled to help. "Yeah, I see him; back in two seconds." The fastest way to get to him would be flying, but she didn't want the golden glow of her bioenergy field to give away their position when she was in the air, so instead she slipped off her boots and belt, trotted over to the river's edge and dove smoothly into the water; in no time, she made her way over to the log, keeping only her head above the surface. <Hello? Are you all right?"> she asked in earnest high school Spanish.

Grim's Reflex save: 1d20+16=32 Pretty sure that means no damage for her, but I'll double check.

No worries! As behind as I am, I can use a little time to catch up!

Okay, both sheets are fixed and ready for review! Grim's sheet is mostly the same; there are a few tweaks to Silberman's Books (mostly new magical effects), and her skills and feats have been adjusted. She also now has Communication Link, which comes from Gretchen's Ring of Power.

Player Name: Heritage Character Name: The Shrike Power Level: 10 (205/205PP) Tradeoffs: Defense -2/Toughness +2 Unspent PP: 0 In Brief: Snarky barista/musician with three magical artifacts. Alternate Identity: Gretchen McDaniels Identity: Secret Birthplace: Portland, ME Occupation: Barista/bookseller/personal crime-fighting assistant Affiliations: Grimalkin, Silberman's Books Family: Evelyn Woolsey (mother, deceased), Mark McDaniels (father), Caroline Clement (aunt), Lynn Epstein (girlfriend) Age: 24 (DoB: November 21, 1991) Gender: Female Height: 5'1" (5'4" in costume) Weight: 113 lbs. Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue Gretchen is an attractive young woman in her early twenties; she tends to keep her brown hair loose, and has a lightly-muscled athletic build. She has several tattoos on her body, including bars of music on both forearms, inspirational lyrics on various parts of her torso, and the words 'The Future Is Unwritten' on the four knuckles of her left hand. Her ears bear multiple piercings, mostly a mix of rings and ear spikes. Gretchen usually doesn't wear much makeup, but she experiments with lips gloss and eyeliner. As far as clothing goes, she sort of falls into the 'hipster chick' look, mostly because she just hits the same resale shops she favored as a FreeSA student, so comfortable jeans, hi-tops, combat boots, fatigue jackets, plaid shirts, t-shirts, vests, etc. When she's feeling frisky, she'll show some skin (typically a more revealing top), but if she's feeling antisocial, she'll dress down. She often wears rings and bracelets, but always has a silver ring with a large red stone on her left index finger. The Shrike is a mysterious figure wrapped in black; her costume is mostly reinforced black leather with silver accents, topped with a hawk-like silver half-face mask bearing another large ruby in the middle of her forehead. Her heavy reinforced boots add three inches to her height, much to Grim's annoyance. A black hooded cloak reaches down to her ankles; when she pulls the hood up, the Shrike disappears from view! A silver ring with a red stone is visible on the index finger of her left gloved hand. History: For most of her life, Gretchen McDaniels has been disappointed; by a father who abandoned her mother to raise a child alone, by a world that seems more concerned with money than reducing human suffering, and by a music industry obsessed with churning out catchy crap. Growing up in Portland, Maine, young Gretchen was drawn to the performing arts from an early age; her mother Evelyn was a successful attorney specializing in labor law, and though their family was small it was full of love, and the budding musician never lacked for love and encouragement. There were piano lessons and violin recitals, and Evelyn couldn't be prouder. But then when Gretchen was fourteen, her mother was killed in an accident while driving home in a New England ice storm; with her father nowhere in sight, it was decided it would be best for the girl to live with her free-wheeling aunt Caroline in Freedom City. Moving to a much larger city during her freshman year of high school, especially right have her mother's tragic death, proved to be particularity painful for the introverted girl, and she began to slowly build walls around herself. However Caroline, who was also musically inclined, offered something to Gretchen to help with the pain: classic punk rock. The anger, passion and energy of the music struck a chord with the unhappy girl, and even though she often struggled to express her grief and frustration through words, she could always turn to punk to feel better Eventually graduating from FreeSA with a degree in Musical Performance, Gretchen found her BFA opened a few doors but didn't lead to steady employment, so like many recent college graduates she turned to the world of retail to make ends meet. She frequently found herself 'working with idiots to serve idiots', and her dry humor and rather surly demeanor did little to enamor her to either her coworkers or customers. In time she got a job at Slberman's Books in the West End, and her life has never been the same. Due to a rather bizzare set of circumstances, Gretchen now bears the Three Gifts of the Magi, once borne by Lynn's great-grandfather Ira Silberman, aka the Amazing Al-Kazar; these three magical artifacts adapt to their user, so her costumed identity is very different from her predecesor's. Personality & Motivation: Gretchen is keenly aware of life's injustices, but for most of her life, she felt powerless to do anything about it; but now, inspired by her mysterious employer Lynn Epstein, she found that she can make a difference in small ways, and as the equally mysterious Shrike, she can do even more! Her attitude is frequently seen as caustic or sarcastic, but it secretly hides a big caring heart that she tries to wall off from the dangers and disappointments of the world. Though she doesn't like to use labels like 'bisexual', Gretchen has dated both men and women in her life; she finds men to be uncomplicated and easier to get along with, but women to be more challenging and rewarding in the long run. In any event, she's never been very good at maintaining long-term relationships, due to her extremely guarded and somewhat negative attitude. Powers & Tactics: The Shrike is still learning to use the three Gifts; her ability to communicate telepathically with her partner Grimalkin allows them to better coordinate attacks, which means the elder heroine can provide her with both needed advice and intel. The Shrike's combination of flight, stealth and ranged attacks make her an ideal infiltrator and combat 'sniper', and the psychokinetic power of the ring allows her to grab and detain foes as well as move objects and remove obstacles with ease. The Three Gifts are now better attuned to her personality, unlocking several new powers, including creating a sort of 'magic grenade' that greatly increases her combat flexibility. Complications: Give a Guy a Break: Gretchen has a tendency to not take men super-seriously, seeing them as rather uncomplicated creatures; this underestimation may cost her. I Don't Like Labels: Gretchen has dated both men and women in her life, though never for very long; this attitude may bother those with more traditional values. Secret Identity: The Shrike has been told how important it is to maintain a secret identity, especially if you're not a shapeshifter! Sidekicks Don't Date: Gretchen is currently dating her partner Lynn Epstein; where this may lead, she doesn't know, but she secretly fears it won't be good. The Distance Between Us: Gretchen is very reluctant to let anyone into her life, due to the many issues of her past; she tends to enter new relationships with a defeatist, self-sabotaging attitude. Abilities: 2 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 26PP Strength: 12 (+1) [Heavy Load: 130 lbs] Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 12 + 16 = 28PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +6 Ranged, +6 Melee, +10 Ring of Power Grapple: +7, +16 Ring of Power Defense: +8 Knockback: -10 (-1 without Cloak) Saving Throws: 8 + 7 + 8 = 23PP Toughness: +2/+12 (+2 Con, +10 Protection) Fortitude +10 (+2 Con, +8) Reflex +10 (+3 Dex, +7) Will +10 (+2 Wis, +8) Skills: 144R = 36PP Bluff 8 (+10) Computers 12 (+15) Craft: Electronics 12 (+15) Disable Device 12 (+15) Disguise 0 (+2, +17 with Morph) Gather Information 3 (+5) Investigate 7 (+10) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Technology) 7 (+10) Medicine 3 (+5) Notice 8 (+10) Perform (Keyboards) 13 (+15) Perform (Singing) 13 (+15) Perform (Stringed Instruments) 13 (+15) Search 7 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Stealth 7 (+10) Feats: 6PP Attack Specialization 2 (Ring of Power) Improvised Tools Interpose Precise Shot Teamwork Powers: 33 + 17 + 36 = 86PP (All have Magic descriptor) Device 8 (Cloak of Mystery, Magical Cloak, 40PP, Power Feat: Subtle. Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [33PP] Concealment 6 (All Audio and Visual Senses) [12PP] Immunity 9 (Life Support) [9PP] Protection 10 (Power Feats: Impervious 8) [18PP] Device 4 (Helm of Truth, Magical Helmet, 20PP, Power Feat: Subtle. Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [17PP] Comprehend 2 (All Codes and Written Langauges) [4PP] Super-Senses 16 (Danger Sense, Magic Awareness [Visual, Analytic, Extended, Tracking], Vision Counters Concealment, Illusion, and Obscure [All]) [16PP] Device 9 (Ring of Power, Magical Ring, 45PP, Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [36PP] Magic Blast Array 10 (23PP Array, Feat: Alternate Power 2) [25PP] Base Power: Ranged Damage 10 (Power Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Precise) [23PP] Alternate Power: Ranged Burst Damage 6 (Power Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Selective, Triggered 2) [1PP] Alternate Power: Move Object 10 (Strength 50, Heavy Load: 12 tons. Power Feats: Precise, Subtle) [1PP] Morph 3 (Limited to Clothing) [3PP] Flight 5 (250 mph) (Extras: Continuous Duration, Power Feats: Subtle) [16PP] Super-Senses 1 (Communication Link [with Grimalkin]) [1PP] Abilities 26 + Combat 28 + Saving Throws 23 + Skills 36 + Feats 6 + Powers 86 - Drawbacks 0 = 205/205 Power Points DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC16 Toughness Damage (Physical) Blast Ranged DC25 Toughness Damage (Physical) Burst Ranged DC21 Toughness Damage (Physical)

Player Name: Heritage Character Name: Grimalkin Power Level: 13 (250/250PP) [283] Tradeoffs: +2 Defense/-2 Toughness (+2 Attack / -2 Damage, +2 Defense / -2 Toughness, in Pixie Form) Unspent PP: 0 In Brief: Shapeshifting faerie with a human soul, recently returned to Freedom after a three-year absence. Alternate Identity: Lynn Epstein Identity: Secret Birthplace: Atlantic City, NJ Occupation: Bookstore owner Affiliations: Former member of the Knights of Freedom and the Interceptors, currently freelance. Partner of the Shrike. Family: Elaine Epstein (mother), Harold 'Butch' Epstein (father), Benjamin Epstein (brother), Edna Epstein (sister). Zachary Reynolds (son), Ruth Reynolds (daughter), Jonathon Reynolds (son) Description: Apparent Age: Mid-twenties Actual Age: 108 Gender: Female Height: 5'3" Weight: 121 lbs. Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown; shoulder-length and curly as Lynn, short and spiky as Grimalkin Lynn is a lovely young woman who typically wears comfortable jeans, T-shirts, hiking boots and a denim or suede jacket by day, but is wrapped in skintight leather of black and midnight blue, complete with domino mask, when she prowls the dirty streets at night. Unless she is going undercover, she always wears a leather lanyard around her neck, from which dangles a dark black ring with a row of diamonds set along the top; she frequently fiddles with the ring while deep in thought. Her ears are pointed and tapered; as Grimalkin, they are clearly visible, but 'Lynn' keeps the tips discretely hidden under her hair. History: A young runaway from Atlantic City, Lynn Epstein turned to a life of panhandling and petty crime to survive; one day it became too much, and she crawled into a dark alley on a chill winter night to die, but instead awoke the next day transformed! For many months she used her powers selfishly, living the high life and swindling 'suckers', until one night she saw a young streetwalker attacked; the FCPD's profound indifference to the crime appalled her, and she swore that night to use her powers to help those the Powers That Be would not help. For several years, she was a member of the West End-based superhero team known as the Interceptors, along with Dynamo, Fulcrum, Jack of All Blades and William 'Colt' Reynolds. Three years ago she married Reynolds and retired from active crime-fighting, and she had not been seen in Freedom City since. Upon her return, Lynn reopened Silberman's Books, the store she inherited from her grandfather on her twenty-second birthday; the building had been shuttered since she and Colt where married in it 2011. Lynn currently occupies the apartment above the shop. She recently revealed to her former teammates that time moved differently on Colt's world, where she'd been for the last three years, and she's now closer to one hundred and eight. She has recently taken on Gretchen McDaniels as her 'personal crimefighting assistant' (Gretchen's preferred term), though the world will soon come to know her as 'the Shrike'! Personality & Motivation: Being that she's a shapeshifter, it's perhaps not surprising that Lynn is rather hard to pin down; she lives very much in the 'now', making few great plans and doing her best not to dwell on the past, even though she still misses Colt terribly. Her emotions are intensely felt, and she can switch from playful to angry to sad almost in the same sentence. Lynn also finds comfort in the little things, everyday wonders like bike rides in the park and lazy afternoons spent lying in the grass; she never seems to have enough of the simple pleasures, which makes her cherish them all the more. Since becoming a mother and having to leave her family behind on another world, she has taken a very motherly attitude towards her friends and coworkers. As a crimefighter, Grim is driven by many things: the desire to see a wasted life blossom once more, an end to cruelty, injustice and indifference, and a strong personal desire to constantly improve her technique. She likes teaming up with other heroes to see how she measures up and maybe pinch a trick or two, but she is frequently very self-critical of her own performance, to the point of downplaying her many successes. Like a trickster goddess with a vengeful streak, her personal brand of justice might seem somewhat capricious, but she would never willfully take a human life in the pursuit of the law. Powers & Tactics: Grimalkin's powers come from her faerie nature; some of them are innate, such as her keen senses and high tolerance to cold, but many of them come from her ability to manipulate glamour, the very essence of the fey. Seeing as her body is now wholly composed of glamour, she can alter it in a number of ways, such as completely changing her appearance, making herself nearly undetectable, or eluding capture; a favorite form is that of a pixie, just under one foot tall with a two pairs of gossamer wings for flight She can also create various objects seemingly out of thin air (actually her own glamour), which she uses as props, furniture or just her own amusement; she has now found a way to maintain a connection with these objects, and can use this link for surveillance purposes. In combat, Grim prefers the stealthy strike to take better advantage of her claws; when forced into a 'fair fight', she uses her wits and charm to befuddle her foes to level the playing field. She has also learned how to use glamoured objects to capture or obstruct her opponents. Complications: Cannot Eat Normal Food: Though she can still consume mundane liquids, Grim's faerie body can no longer process mundane foodstuffs; her body violently rejects any human food. Enmity of the Fey: As a fey with a human soul, and thus the capacity for genuine creativity, Grim is resented by most faerie creatures, and sometimes even considered an abomination. Momma Bear: Grim is very protective of those she cares about, especially friends, family and the staff of her bookstore. Prejudice (The Rich): Due to her lower middle class upbringing, Grim frequently has a hard time sympathizing with the well-to-do. Secret Identity: Though she doesn't go to the lengths some heroes go to protect it, Grim does try to keep the two sides of her life from intersecting. Sometimes it even works. She's the Boss: Lynn employs a small number of employees at her recently-reopened bookstore; sometimes they are overly curious or manage to get into trouble. Yente: Grim is in fact a Jewish grandmother, and sometimes cannot help herself from meddling in people's lives, i.e. trying to patch up relationships, acting as matchmaker, etc. Abilities: 2 + 16 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 16 = 50PP Strength: 22/12 (+6/+1), 4 (-3) in Pixie Form (Heavy Load: 520/130 lbs., 20 lbs. in Pixie Form) Dexterity: 26 (+8) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 26 (+8) Combat: 24 + 12 = 36PP Initiative: +12 Attack: +12 Ranged (+14 in Pixie Form), +12 Melee (+14 in Pixie Form) Grapple: +20, +12 in Pixie Form Defense: +14 (+6 Base, +8 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed. +12 Enraged (+6 Base, +8 Dodge Focus, -2 Rage), +3 Flat-Footed. +16 in Pixie Form (+6 Base, +8 Dodge Focus, +2 Size), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5, -4 in Pixie Form Saving Throws: 6 + 8 + 8 = 22PP Toughness: +10 (+4 Con, +6 Defensive Roll), +8 in Pixie Form (+4 Con, +6 Defensive Roll, -2 Size) Fortitude +10 (+4 Con, +6), +15 Enraged (+4 Con, +5 Rage, +6) Reflex +16 (+8 Dex, +8) Will +10 (+2 Wis, +8), +15 Enraged (+2 Wis, +5 Rage, +8) Skills: 156R = 39PP Acrobatics 12 (+20) Bluff 12 (+20) Craft (Artistic) 8 (+10) Craft (Structural) 8 (+10) Diplomacy 7 (+15) Disguise 0 (+8, +38 Morph) Drive 2 (+10) Gather Information 7 (+15) Handle Animal 2 (+10) Intimidate 2 (+10, +6 in Pixie Form) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Civics) 2 (+4) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Streetwise) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Tactics) 1 (+3) Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) 2 (+4) Language 1 (Hebrew) Medicine 3 (+5) Notice 13 (+15) Perform (Dance) 2 (+10) Perform (Singing) 2 (+10) Pilot 2 (+10) Ride 2 (+10) Search 13 (+15) Sense Motive 3 (+5) Sleight of Hand 7 (+15) Stealth 14 (+22, +30 in Pixie Form) Survival 3 (+5) Swim 4 (+5) Feats: 34PP Acrobatic Bluff Ambidexterity Benefit: Wealthy Defensive Attack Defensive Roll 3 (+6 Toughness) Distract (Bluff) Dodge Focus 8 Elusive Target Equipment 4 [From Rewards] (20EP) Evasion 2 Fascinate (Bluff) Grapple Finesse Improved Initiative Move-By Action Power Attack Rage 4 Setup Sidekick 41 [From Rewards] (205PP) Sneak Attack Takedown Attack 2 Taunt Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Equipment: 3PP = 15EP Silberman's Books (PL12 HQ) [15EP] Size: Small [0EP] Toughness: +10 [1EP] Features: [14EP] Communications Computer Fire Prevention System Gym Library Living Space Powers 4 (120PP, see below) Security System 2 (DC 25) Workshop 2 [Electronic, Magical] Concealment 1 ( ESP Effects, Extras: Area [General, Burst], Duration [Continuous], Feats: Progression [Area] 4 [100ft/rank = 100ft radius], Selective ) [9PP] (Magic Wards) Dimensional Pocket 2 (Flaw: Range [Touch], 250 lbs.) [2PP] (Magical Safe) Nullify 12 (Summon, Super-Movement [Dimensional Travel], and Teleport Effects of Any Descriptor, Extras: Action 3 [Reaction], Area [General, Burst], Duration 3 [Continuous], Selective, Flaws: Range [Touch], Feats: Progression [Area] 1 [10ft/rank = 120ft radius]) [109PP] (Magic Wards) Rusty's Ranch (PL12 HQ) [5EP] Size: Medium [1EP] Toughness: +10 [1EP] Features: [3EP] Combat Simulator Gym Security System 1 (DC 20) Powers: 4 + 18 + 3 + 21 + 7 + 12 + 12 = 77PP Comprehend 2 (Languages 2 [speak Any, One At A Time, Understand All]) [4PP] Glamour Creation 8 (16PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2) [18PP] Base Power: Create Object 6 (6 cubes, Toughness +6, Lifting Strength 30 [Heavy Load: 1,600 lbs.], Extras: Duration [Continuous], Feats: Innate, Precise, Progression 2 [25ft cubes], Selective, Subtle, Drawbacks: Limited [Cannot Create Metal], Power Loss [Contact with Iron], Flaws: Feedback) [16PP] Alternate Power: ESP 7 (Range: 200 miles. Auditory, Visual, Flaws: Medium [Created Objects], Feats: Subtle) [1PP] Alternate Power: Teleport 7 (Range: 200 miles. Extras: Accurate, Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Disadvantage: No Extra Weight, Flaws: Medium [Created Objects]) [1PP] Dimensional Pocket 3 (Flaw: Limited [Storage only], 500 lbs.) [3PP] Glamour Body 9 (18PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3) [21PP] Base Power: Morph 6 (Any Form, +30 Disguise, Extras: Continuous, Flaws: Limited [Cannot Mimic Metal]) [18PP] Alternate Power: Concealment 10 (All Non-Tactile Senses, Flaws: Passive, Feats: Close Range, Selective) [12PP] Alternate Power: Emotion Control 9 (Extras: Action 2 [Free], Area [Perception/Visual], Flaws: Limited to Fear, Range 2 [Touch]) [18PP] Alternate Power: Flight 4 (100mph / 1,000ft per Move Action, Drawbacks: Power Loss [Wings]) [7PP] + Shrinking 8 (Tiny: 2.5ft Space / 0ft Reach, -8 Strength, 1/2 Carry Capacity, +2 Attack, +2 Defense, -2 Toughness, -8 Grapple, +2 Knockback, -4 Intimidate, +8 Stealth, Feats: Normal Movement) [9PP] (Pixie Form) [16PP] Immunity 7 (Aging, Cold, Disease, Heat, Starvation and Thirst, All Suffocation) [7PP] Strike 6 (Extras: Penetrating [2] [DMG 7, 12 with Rage], Feats: Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Incurable, Mighty) [12PP] (Dark Faerie Claws) Super-Senses 12 (Accurate Extended [100ft Notice Increments] Hearing, Accurate Acute Extended [100ft Notice Increments] Tracking [1/2 Speed] Smell, Communication Link [with Shrike], Darkvision, Danger Sense [Auditory [12PP] Drawbacks: (-2) + (-6) = -8PP Vulnerability (Iron, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Moderate [+50% DC]) [-2PP] Weakness (Iron, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Moderate, -1 CON per minute [10 rounds]) [-6PP] Abilities 50 + Combat 36 + Saving Throws 22 + Skills 39 + Feats 34 + Powers 77 - Drawbacks 8 = 250/250 Power Points DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Medium DC16(18*) Medium w/ Rage DC21 Tiny DC12(14*) Claws Touch Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Medium DC22(24*) Medium w/ Rage DC27 Tiny DC18(20*) Create Object Touch DC16 Reflex Trapped Fear Perception/Area DC22 Reflex No Effect DC22 Will Shaken/Frightened/Panicked *Sneak Attack

I think it might be best if I shelve Ana; I feel very little connection to the character and no real desire to start any new threads with her. Sorry to any current or future members of the Voidrunners, but I think it's worse to keep playing a character you don't enjoy writing than to quietly retire them. AA, feel free to NPC her for the rest of Interstellar.

Grim has worked with Queenie once (Incursion: Matter over Mind) and Triakosia three times (I:MoM and Namazu the Savior, and Silberman's Grand Opening in their civilian IDs). She and Dancia also know each other's cell numbers and secret IDs, so that's definitely the stronger link. Also an indirect link between Grim and Miras through Starlight.

Initiative for Grim: 1d20+12=17

May I submit Grimalkin as a possible member? Many of her abilities would be very useful for covert missions in time.

Lynn grinned and nodded. "Great, I'll get started! Let me know if there are any veggies you don't like." She began to bustle around the kitchen, pulling out pots and pans, whisking eggs, chopping vegetables and grating cheese; her movements were amazingly fluid, more like a dance than making an omelet. From time to time, she'd take another swig of beer or hum a few bars of a song. "Yeah, they had lots of balloons; well, actually they were 'dirigibles'." She shrugged. "Y'know, airships. Still, very cool; lightweight aluminum frames, ballistic fiber skins, flexible solar cells wrapped around the envelope. Very quiet, very smooth ride." Suddenly she stopped herself; her staff frequently chided her for revealing her double life too readily to strangers. Gretchen said she should just wear a button that read 'Hi, I'm Grimalkin! Ask me anything!' She was very impressed by Sakurako's balloon designs; clearly this was a young woman who was going to make a difference! But when the young student mentioned the tsunami, Lynn grew more somber; between school and planning her wedding, she was wrapped up in her own world in the spring of 2011. She did make several large charitable cash donations at the time; that was a mitzvah, right? Plus, wasn't the Freedom League already helping out? It was only since she'd come back, and watched all the YouTube videos of the destruction that she'd felt the full impact of just how much she could have helped, had she bothered to volunteer. "Personally, I think it's a mistake to look back too much; you can always beat yourself up for not doing enough, hindsight being twenty-twenty and all." She deftly slid the three egg omelet onto a plate, then laid out a basket of homemade blueberry muffins, a bowl of whipped butter, and a pitcher of fresh-squeezed orange juice, a spread that would make any Jewish mother proud. "Alright, dig in; food for growing minds and bodies, and all that." Everything smelled simply delicious!

While Grimalkin disappeared from public view, Lynn Epstein joined her friend Gretchen McDaniels' relief efforts; another pair of hands were always welcome, and her spoken Japanese was really good for someone who claimed she 'just watched a lot of anime growing up'. Thanks to her keen senses, she had an uncanny 'knack' for finding people in the rubble; and sometimes, they were even alive... But at night, an invisible benefactor visited the aid stations and evacuation shelters; needed supplies were always well-stocked and broken items mysteriously replaced. Children found wonderful toys in their backpacks, and their parents found new clothes, neatly folded. Of course, no one said anything, but there were a few secret smiles and murmured thanks to Gurimarukin. Lynn checked in with Serge and Dancia on a regular basis, ready at a moment's notice to drop what she was doing and rejoin the search for the truth behind the attack; when the call finally came, she happily joined the others at the Sapporo factory, eager to get back to work. The puzzle they were putting together with Kingsnake did not look good; whatever Namazu's founder was up to, it looked like there would extremely serious charges involved. But then she was drawn to the window like everybody else. "Well whaddya know; looks like we might have a chance to ask him a few questions!" In a flash, Grim shrunk down to pixie size and took to the air with her fellow Freedonians.

Initiative roll: 1d20+9=11 Notice [Hearing] check: 1d20+7=21

Seeing as weight really wasn't a problem for her, Casey went ahead and added a second raft to her back before she approached Eileen. "Okay, we're going to do this real simple; one arm across your chest and one across your abdomen. Once we pick up speed, the wind should pull your legs straight back." The blonde smiled. "I will not drop you." She crossed her thumb and little finger across her palm, "Scout's Honor." And with that, she very gently crossed her arms over Vicki's torso; it felt like boarding a roller coaster, when they pulled the padded shoulder harness over your head, comfortable but very very firm. And then they lifted up and swiftly flew outside; once they had a good height, Miracle Girl quickly picked up speed. There was a giddy rush, like the first big hill on that proverbial coaster, but it kept on going and going as the acceleration increased. For a quick second, Vicki blacked out when Casey went a hair too fast for her passenger, but consciousness quickly returned. And then the firm strong hand of deceleration pushed her torso as they quickly came to a halt. The sight was indeed a grim one, with the rolling sea all around them and the cargo ship struggling in the water; the flying teen dropped her two rafts into the water by two large clumps of people, then floated close to the ship itself. She reached down and grabbed Vicki's hand. <"Where do you want me to put you down?">

Lynn nodded as she fished out her smartphone and began to text Richard. "Good, good; this should just take a sec." Maddy, having completed her sale, wandered by and noticed the gathering of employees near the stranger; she raised an eyebrow in Gretchen's direction and mouthed 'new hire?', to which Lynn's assistant could only shrug. Lance meanwhile warmed up Sam's coffee and unobtrusively placed a plate with a delicious-smelling blueberry lemon muffin next to her. A few seconds later, the store owner nodded and put away her phone. "Okay, your story checks out, so I am now making this official; guys, please welcome Samantha Lawrence to the firm." Lance grinned, Maddy laughed and Gretchen sort of smiled as she folded her arms. "Welcome to Team Freak, Sam I Am; there's always room for one more."

Sounds good to me!

My posting might be a bit spottier than usual the next week or so, as I gear up for my math placement test on May 27th; wish me luck!

"I'm good; no worries." For a Claremont student mostly known for flying and brute strength, Miracle Girl was managing to keep herself well out of sight, and the reason was simple: Casey had been practicing. Several of her 'missions' so far had involved at least a little bit of sneaking around, and it was important to her to be able to hold her own, so she'd slipped out a few nights to practice the fine art of not being seen. She often thought back to the night she met Terrifica, and ended up working with her on a case; the mysterious crimefighter appeared to have few extraordinary abilities beyond being very smart and careful, but she really admired how the woman carried herself. It also helped that if she really needed to, she could hover, and therefore avoid some of the more challenging obstacles, as well as the fact that with Sakurako's help, she'd come up with an all black tactical version of her normal suit, complete with black bug-out belt. The infravision wasn't hurting either.

Gretchen awkwardly moved over to where her boss was spilling coffee and leaned her back against the bar; she wasn't great with people, but she figured she should try. Her eyes roamed all over the place as softly cleared her throat. "You...okay?" Lynn nodded as she mopped up her mess with some napkins. "Yeah, yeah, I just...she's been through a lot, y'know?" She turned to look over at the door of her office as she raised the cup to her lips. "I see a lot of myself in her." "And is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Lynn shrugged. Gretchen pondered that for a few moments, then nodded. "You're hiring her, aren't you?" "Yep." "You know...she's probably the least qualified person we've seen who's not a certified psycho." Lynn shook her head as she held her coffee like it was precious. "Don't care; she really needs this job." She gave Gretchen a sidelong glance and a wry grin. "Besides, college students are notoriously flighty." "Ha ha. Freak City?" "All the way; we could use more firepower." "Figured. What's she do?" "No idea." "Well, then." When Sam stepped out of the office, Lynn set her coffee aside and stepped over to her. "Everything filled out okay?"

I'd like to keep going.

The third Merge shrugged as she walked around, getting the feeling of her new body. “Oh, there are a few charities I like; the Our Lady of Mercy Shelter and I go way back, and my dad likes Freedom's Warriors. It's for disabled vets.” She shrugged again. “Either of those would be fine for my cut.” Gretchen was wincing slightly and rubbing a temple. "Can you...not do that right now? It's seriously freaking me out." Merge!Grim pouted as she sat on the edge of her desk. “Aw, I'm sorry!” Then she shifted into a copy of Gretchen herself! "Is this better? Wow, I already feel way snarkier!" She held out her arms so her sleeves pulled back, revealing her now-tattooed arms. "Check it out! I've got ink!" Lynn's assistant shook her head and began heading for the door. "Alright, that's too much; I'm out of-" "Wait, wait!" It was now Lynn herself who gently grabbed Gretchen's shoulders and turned her back around. "I'm...sorry. It's a shapeshifter thing; we like to mess around, is all." She looked at the younger girl with pleading eyes. "I promise I won't be you again without your permission, okay? I totally promise." Gretchen rolled her eyes and returned to her seat. "Fine, if you're going to go all 'Big Eyes' on me..." Then a thought struck the changeling. "Hey, maybe we should bring the new girl in on this; see how she works in the field?" She turned to one of the Merges. "How would you feel about a third?"

Wait, someone's investigating SHADOW? Grim hates those guys!

Casey grumbled slightly about putting on the vest; she didn't feel she really needed it, but her safety-conscious friend would never let her hear the end of it if something went wrong, so she finally obliged. "I can hold my breath for three minutes, double that if I get a good breath in." She dug into a pocket on her 'bug-out belt' and produced a small device attached to a mouthpiece. "And this little doohicky gives me another two minutes, so I'm good for at least eight if I have to go underwater." Using some of the anchor line, she improvised a harness in the blink of an eye, which she looped around her designated raft, allowing her to sling it over her shoulders backpack style; a quick release knot would allow her to drop it in the water at a moment's notice. The harness itself was strong enough to support several carabiners, which she'd found with the rope. At times like this, the experienced Scout become much less talkative as she ritualistically checked and rechecked her gear. She strapped on her headlamp, switching it to maximum brightness. "I can add another raft, if we need it." She thumped her chest twice. "I could just strap it on in front." Then she frowned slightly. "Actually, how much can you carry when you're airborne, Saku? Maybe I should take Vicki."

Casey loved to eat; she'd always enjoyed it, but since her transformation, her heightened metabolism meant she never had to feel guilty about it anymore. Well, except the part where she had to consume more food than the average human, but she hoped to balance that out through her contributions to the world - fingers crossed! So she was happy to spend Sunday afternoon with her friends at what promised to be a very tasty brunch. It was finally starting to get a little warmer in Freedom (not that Casey minded the cold herself), so she felt comfortable busting out some strappy sandals, khaki shorts and a sleeveless cotton blouse in pale blue; her well-toned physique drew several appreciative glances, which she did her best to ignore. As always, her hemp fiber shoulder was over one shoulder, holding her everyday essentials as well as her 'working clothes'. As Eileen eagerly pointed at the exhausted-looking chef, the athletic blonde frowned slightly as she adjusted her glasses. "I don't know, maybe? She kind of looks like she needs coffee and a cigarette; maybe if we just quickly say hi...?"