Heritage

Miracle Girl has Flight.

Casey landed gently back in the boat, accepted the comm link and slipped it in her ear. It seemed like they had as good a plan as any at this point. When Blod requested help getting over, she held up her hand. "I'd be happy to give you a lift; at low speeds, I'm pretty quiet, and we can fly just above the water and circle wide and try to sneak around the back." She gestured, tracing a wide graceful circle with her finger; she also kept her voice low, knowing how well sound could sometimes travel over water.

Casey was unsure if her story had finally shaken their would-be paramour or if something else was up, but she was happy to be rid of the loser. She turned to her new 'partner' and whispered. "Are you any good at tracking people indoors? I could whiz through this place looking for him, but there woukd be a lot of wind and it sounds like we don't want to get too close if we can help it." She pulled out her phone and checked the time; hopefully her father's meeting would keep him tied up a little while longer. Another thought occured to her: unless they did things very differently in Freedom than in Colorado Springs, libraries usually aren't open all night. She went to the library's website to check the hours, to see how much time they had until closing.

You guys are probably right about her not working out as a Sidekick, but it seems downright cruel to maje her a super-crushable Minion. Perhaps the best course is to just make her a regular PL5 NPC and leave her at that.

Ana shook her head vigorously. "Not me, no way; diplomacy and negotiations have never been my strong suit. Apparently I managed to negotiate one of the worst employment contracts in NASA history." She shook her head in dismay. "The cosmonauts stationed on the ISS all thought it was hilarious..." The former astronaut took the opportunity to do a final comm check to make sure everything was working, though she made sure the cutoff switch was still engaged; she didn't want the Gorgon to be startled out of her bizzare birthing process by the sound of her saying, 'Check, check.' Once she was conviced all was ready, she grinned anxiously and held out the headset. "So, any takers? "

True, I went the slightly more realistic route, which means she's more of an entry-level Oracle. Is it possible to apply additional rewards to her later? Then she can grow into the role over time.

Gretchen is a researcher and handles the technical side of things; when Grim is in the field, she can contact her to get information on people, places and events. Floorplans, tech specs, etc. Gretchen also will be monitoring police bands and news sources to point her in the direction of crimes and suspicious activity. In short, she will be the Oracle to Grim's Bat-Family-type-person.

So this is my first pass at statting up Gretchen to be Grim's Sidekick, paid for with her Silver Reward. Still need to figure out her full combat stats and add a bit of a write-up on her backstory and the like.

Player Name: Heritage Character Name: The Shrike Power Level: 8 (135/135PP) 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) Age: 23 (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 Personality & Motivation: Gretchen is keenly aware of life's injustice, but for most of her life, she felt powerless to do anything about it; 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. 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. Abilities: 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 2 + 4 = 22PP Strength: 12 (+1) [Heavy Load: 130 lbs] Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 8 + 12 = 20PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +4 Ranged, +4 Melee, +8 Ring of Power Grapple: +5, +12 Ring of Power Defense: +6 Knockback: -8 (-1 without Cloak) Saving Throws: 6 + 6 + 5 = 17PP Toughness: +2/+10 (+2 Con, +8 Protection) Fortitude +8 (+2 Con, +6) Reflex +8 (+2 Dex, +6) Will +6 (+1 Wis, +5) Skills: 142R = 24PP Bluff 2 (+5) Computers 7 (+10) Craft: Electronics 7 (+10) Disable Device 7 (+10) Investigate 2 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Technology) 7 (+10) Medicine 2 (+5) Notice 9 (+10) Perform (Keyboards) 8 (+10) Perform (Singing) 8 (+10) Perform (Stringed Instruments) 8 (+10) Search 2 (+5) Sense Motive 9 (+10) Stealth 8 (+10) Feats: 4PP Attack Specialization 2 (Ring of Power) Improvised Tools Precise Shot Powers: 20 + 8 + 20 = 48PP Device 5 (Cloak of Mystery, Magical Cloak, 25PP, Flaws: Hard-To-Loose) [20PP] Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses. Power Feats: Close Range) [9PP] Immunity 2 (Cold and Hot Environments) [2PP] Protection 8 (Power Feats: Impervious 6) [14PP] Device 5 (Helm of Truth, Magical Helmet, 10PP, Flaws: Hard-To-Loose) [8PP] Comprehend 1 (Read Any Language) [2PP] Super-Senses 8 (Detect Magic [Ranged, Visual], Vision Counters Illusion, Vision Counters Invisibility, Vision Counters Obscure [Darkness]) [8PP] Device 5 (Ring of Power, Magical Ring, 25PP, Flaws: Hard-To-Loose) [20PP] Blast 8 (Power Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Dynamic) [19PP] AP: Flight 5 (250 mph) (Extras: Continuous Duration, Power Feats: Subtle) [2PP] AP: Move Object 8 (Strength 40, Heavy Load: 3 tons. Power Feats: Precise, Subtle) [2PP] Feature 1 (Quick Change) [1PP] Super-Senses 1 (Communication Link) [1PP] Abilities 22 + Combat 20 + Saving Throws 17 + Skills 24 + Feats 4 + Powers 48 - Drawbacks 0 = 135/135 Power Points DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC16 Toughness Damage (Physical)Blast Ranged DC23 Toughness Damage (Physical)

Cool character! As Rav said, he can always meet other heroes in threads; new players are always welcome, and most established heroes are more than willing to show the new guy the ropes.

Casey was happy; sure, things weren't perfect, and she would still have to check in with Saku later to make sure she was okay, but by and large, the day was salvaged. As a Girl Scout most of her life, there were few things she valued more than teamwork, and the thought of what a team of young superhumans could do together thrilled her in a way she could never have imagined before. We could do SO much together! Now that everyone was on the same page, there was a giddiness in her belly and an eagerness to get to it. "Okay, well, I guess I'll get us started then!" Suddenly the blonde's fist shot out and caught Vonnie in the shoulder; it was a fairly hard punch, but well within the limits of the 'big brother sucker punch' school of combat. "Tag, you're it!" Grinning like a fool, she ran pell mell into the simulated alley. Minus her super-speed and flying, Casey was really just a good athlete with a lot of raw power; she was not a world class gymnast by any means, and she had a good feeling that both Samaritan and Nevermore probably were. Still, today was all about learning together while having a good time, and there was no shame in admitting a teammate was more talented than you.

Thanks for explaining that, Shaen; I was actually unaware how that worked. So if I'm reading your build right, the Selective in the Nullify already allows Grim to control access, right? She would just have to know who wanted in and then allow them access.

Grim nodded as she looked up in the sky. "One or two in my time. Guerilla warfare on Mars, too, but that was in another dimension; reeeeaaaaally hope it doesn't come down to that this time." The changeling gave the speedster a sympathetic look. "Sorry to hear about your kid; no parent should have to live through that." She thought back to another life on another world, worrying about her own children millions of miles away back on Earth while she endured the horrors of that foul POW camp far below the surface of the Red Planet. War was a trial for everyone, but doubly so for a parent; the stakes were just that much higher, the cost of failure that much dearer. Filled with a renewed purpose, the elfin girl (or so she appeared) grinned an unpleasant grin as she returned her gaze to the sky. "So let's all make promise to make this real unpleasant for these bastards when we see them again!"

Underneath the water, Casey couldn't make out what Saku was saying, though the general tone was clear; as playful as she was, she would never put a friend in danger. After a few seconds of pushing het classmate along, the blonde student broke the surface and took to the air, carrying Sakurako aloft; she adjusted her hold so that she cradled the Japanese girl firmly in both arms. "Houston, we have liftoff!" She only flew around for less than a minute; she knew that not everyone liked to be flown around, less about the actual flight and more about the loss of control. She also didn't know the limits of the sim, so she didn't go very high or far out of fear of slamming into a hidden wall. At last she flew back towards the shore and gently landed, carefully despositing her friend on her beach towel. "And here we are back on terra firma! Now let's get working on those dogs!"

Grim's been adjusted back down to PL 12, but otherwise those two effects look pretty solid! I'll have to think about the key thing; it's one thing to add that to an NPC's sheet, and another to require it of any PCs who want to 'pop in', though right now that would probably just be Kit.

Happy birthday M and JackgarPrime!

Sorry, kept fiddling with that last post, adding and adjusting stuff slightly; I will leave it alone now! :D

If it was possible for Ana's face to turn paler, it would've done so now. She unconsciously lowered her voice, as though afraid the 'expectant mother' might overhear them "Pretty sure there isn't any father; this is probably closer to parthenogenesis." As she stared in awe at the spectacle before them, she shook her head slightly like she could somehow make it go away. "What do we even say to her...it? What can we possibly offer as incentive to join us? Do we have anything of value to negotiate with?" The cryokinetic then attended to the broadcasting equipment, making sure all was in readiness. "I suggest once we figure out what we want to say, we send it several times, up and down the EM spectrum to make sure it gets through"

Having finished the transaction, Kiki cheerfully stepped from behind the bar/counter and started heading towards Lynn's office. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back with your purchase!" Gretchen stayed behind the long wooden counter, still grinning like an idiot at the pair of customers. "Uh...can I get you a complimentary pastry while you wait? Mrs. Nussbaum's brownies are kosherific!" Meanwhile Kiki knocked on the door frame of Lynn's office; she blinked for a few seconds at the boy, largely forgotten during what would probably be the largest individual sale of her life. "Oh, uh, hey Lynn? I need to get something from in back." She pointed at the bookshelf behind the boss's desk. "Y'know, way in the back; we just sold that creepy human skin book." Lynn looked up from her scanner, her eyes wide. "The old anatomy book? Wow, that guy must really be loaded!" She looked over her shoulder, then back at the boy. "Uh, Keek? Can you escort Mr. Freeman off the premises?" She handed the lad back his ID. "Here you go, Will. I'll get the book for the customer." Once they were out of her office, the changeling approached the bookshelf behind her desk; it appeared to be part of the room, like the other built-in shelves. She waved her hand, and a section of it melted away to vapor, revealing an ordinary doorknob; a quick turn, and the shelf easily swung open on well-oiled hinges, allowing access to the small dark windowless room behind it. It was dry and a little dusty, with a handful of shelves filled with a mixture of books and unusual odds and ends, and several large, old-fashioned steamer trunks bearing the initials 'I.S.' There was also a large magician's 'disappearing cabinet' and an elegant standing mirror with an intricate gold frame, partly covered by a heavy drop cloth. A short time later, a beaming Lynn came back into the shop holding a wooden box roughly eleven inches by seventeen, and a few inches thick. "Sorry about the wait, sir, here is your item. The slipcase dates from the Nineteenth Century, and is included with the price." She also had a lightweight canvas bag with the Silberman's logo printed on the side tucked under one arm. "And here's a tote bag with some bookmarks and my card inside. Anything else we can get for you today? Would you like to receive our e-newsletter?"

Happy birthday, Gizmo!

On a related note, how does Sidekick approval work? Do you submit the character as an NPC in the Character Bank and then copy and paste into your character edit, or is it just part of the regular character edit approval?

So I'm planning to use some of Grim's earned Rewards to make some changes to her sheet, namely adding Gretchen as a Sidekick (her official title is 'personal crime-fighting assistant') and adding some defenses to the bookstore, mostly of a magical nature. My main thought is to make it harder to get into by magical means, possibly Selective Nullifys targeting Summon, Teleport, Dimensional Movement, etc. The spells effects will be created by Det. Morena Colby, the FCPD detective/vodun priestess NPC I used before, but the 'keys' to the spells would be in Lynn's hands, so to speak. What's the best way to do this rules-wise? Should Lynn assist with the casting? Would Reena have to be given a 'guest list' of people not affected by the spells, or could Lynn control it herself? Should physical keys be created that Lynn could hand out, or could it merely be a mental choice to allow people to pass? Also has anyone else done this sort of thing before, like for Parkhurst or another mystical HQ?

Casey nodded. "Absolutely, we'd be happy to! Just tell us what we should and should not do so we don't put anyone in any danger." She still got the sense that there was a lot they weren't sharing, but no point in antagonizing someone who just asked you for help. Not quite sure what to do yet, Miracle Girl hung back, not wanting to crowd either Endeavor or any of these odd teens. Clearing her throat, she finally began. "So I'm pretty darn tough and strong, as well as pretty fast. What can I do to help? Need something moved or hit, and I'm your girl."

Casey tensed up at the mention of the inbound boat; she was pretty tough, so she was less worried for herself than the rest of the team. She didn't know everyone's capabilities, but she was fairly sure most of her fellow students weren't bulletproof. The powerful blonde tilted her head thus way and that, hoping her sensitive ears might pick up some stray radio chatter. Sakurako's plan sounded solid enough, so she would help anyway she could. As tempting as it was to use her super-speed to cover up the boat, all the noise and wind it would create would completely defeat the purpose of the exercise. So instead, Casey gave her classmates a thumbs up and quietly slid out the back of the boat, being careful to stay low and not silhouette herself or contact the water and make a splash. Reaching back, she found a nice firm handhold on the boat and began to quietly drag it backwards as she floated just above the waves. Here's hoping this works.

Oh, okay; let me know if you ever want to do a thread there, then!