Heritage

Knowledge (Life Sciences) check: 1d20+8=23

Estelle snorted. "At that size, it could take a while to affect it, but my gut tells me we won't be so lucky. On the other hand, we now have tissue samples to work with; may I?" She gingerly took the harpoon with both hands while two hair tendrils began to unpack some portable analytical equipment; the rest of her hair formed itself into a sort of igloo to offer some protection for the elements as the chemist hunkered down on the ground. "Once I have a better idea how this creature lives, I should be able to make a much more effective tranquilizer."

Grimalkin was clinging to the ceiling, where she'd been hurling insults down at new Interceptor Geckoman when the strange creature blithely entered the the training area. Up until that point, it had been a total blast; she'd forgotten how much fun these sessions could be. Maybe later Jack would letter her demonstrate 'Apples and Oranges' for the newbies? But the arrival of the odd slimy thing broke the mood; it smelled rather horrific, but there was a familiar scent mixed in with the dank smell of the deep. Gracefully dropping down to the floor, the shapeshifter went to her husband's side and twined her fingers into his hand. She felt a slight twinge of apprehension in her tummy. "Uh, Dok is that you in there? What happened?"

Will do! Notice check: 1d20+15=18 Grim's got Mastery, so this is just unacceptable! I'll blow an HP on the reroll, since she can't make DC 30 with SM alone. Notice reroll: 1d20+15(+10)=26 Guess it wasn't meant to be! New improved Knowledge (Arcane Lore) check! 1d20+10=11 IC is telling me something, and it's telling me Grim is freaked out! Edit: I just realized I rolled d10s for the first two rolls and not d20s; assuming you appreciate the mistake, I'm gonna reroll the first one, and hopefully reclaim an HP. Correct Notice check: 1d20+15=34 So she knows it's Dok but has no idea what he's made of himself; works for me!

Heh; well I know it's pointless to try and stop you, so have fun! Believe me, I'm concerned about that as well; to be honest, I was having a hard time figuring out a take on her personality, until I took inspiration from two things: Veronica Mars (for obvious reasons) and the INTJ personality type. I don't intend to have either source be a shackle to my creativity, just springboards; the main idea is a good person who genuinely wants to help people, but has some boundary and trust issues and is fascinated by what makes people do bad things. I feel Jeena will be a challenge for me as a role-player, but I think I can pull it off; only time will tell, of course. (crosses fingers) Thanks for all your help and the approval, Shaen!

I actually did the final character edit for Grim because I haven't done one in a while, and wanted to bring her up-to-date for her retirement, and her Arcane Lore is going to be higher; hopefully it won't take too long :(

DONE BY SHAENTHEBRAIN The last PC edit of Grimalkin, befofre she heads off into the Tier 2 sunset :cry: Stay focused! 13pp to spend: 2pp on Feats (Another rank of Luck plus Well-Connected) 6pp on Skills, both new ones and boosting the old: Craft (Artistic) +4 ranks Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +4 ranks Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 5 ranks Knowledge (Civics) 5 ranks Knowledge (Pop Culture) +2 ranks Perform (Dancing) +4 ranks 2pp on Will save, bringing it up to 12 3pp on Immunity, bring it up to 10 (aging, life support) I haven't spent her pp in a while, so this includes stuff she learned in college, preparing to open her bookstore (which supplies occult volumes) and working on her hobbies in preparation for her 'retirement'. Also since she's leaving the Interceptors, I'm converting her 2 ranks of Equipment for her Brownstone/Underground donation into her store and the rooms above, which has the following stats: Size: Small Toughness: 10 Features: Communications, Computer, Fire Prevention System, Garage, Gym, Library, Living Space, Security System, Workshop Total cost: 10 equipment points [img=http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k240/Heritage367/024ydmedcrop.jpg] [b]Character Name:[/b] Grimalkin [b]Power Level:[/b] 15 (250/250PP) [252] [b]Tradeoffs:[/b] None [b]Unspent PP:[/b] 13 [b]Progress to Platinum:[/b] 111/120 (32PP pre-bump, 72PP post-bump) [b]Alternate Identity:[/b] Lynn Epstein [b]Height:[/b] 5'3" [b]Weight:[/b] 116 lb [b]Hair:[/b] Brown, worn short and a bit spiky [b]Eyes:[/b] Dark brown [floatr][img=http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/wiki/images/f/f7/GrimalkinHFMk2.png][/floatr] [b]Description:[/b] A pretty young slip of a girl, Lynn typically wears ragged jeans, T-shirt, tennis shoes and a hooded sweatshirt during the day, but is wrapped in skintight leather of black and midnight blue, complete with domino mask, when she prowls the dirty streets at night. While she may appear to be a wee skinny thing, due to her faerie nature she's actually [i]much[/i] stronger than she looks. [b]History:[/b] A young runaway from Atlantic City, Lynn Epstein turned to a life of panhandling and petty crime to survive; three years ago 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. 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. [b]Personality & Motivation:[/b] 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. 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, ice cream of nearly any flavor, 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. 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. However, she’s still quite young and her confidence continues to grow. [b]Powers & Tactics:[/b] 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. She can also create various objects seemingly out of thin air (actually ambient glamour), which she uses as props, furniture or just her own amusement. She can also grow her nails into supernaturally sharp claws that can rip through steel! 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. [b]Complications:[/b] Prejudice (the Wealthy) - Due to her lower middle class upbringing, Grim has a hard time sympathizing with the well-to-do Sensitivity to Taunting - She can dish it out, but she can't take it. Verbal barbs have a way of really getting under Grim's skin. Prejudice (Vampires) - While she makes an exception (with some difficulty!) in Avenger's case, Grim really doesn't trust bloodsuckers at all. Short Fuse - Under the right circumstances, Grim can get very angry very fast, but usually cools down just as quickly. Secret Identity - While she doesn't go to the impressive lengths of her teammate Jack of All Blades, Grim does wear a mask and use only her heroic name while in the field. [u][b]Abilities[/b][/u] [46PP] Strength 20 (+5) Dexterity 26 (+8) Constitution 18 (+4) Intelligence 14 (+2) Wisdom 12 (+1) Charisma 36/16 (+13/+3) [u][b]Combat[/b][/u] [28PP] Initiative: +12 Attack: +8 Base, +12 Melee, +14 Claws Grapple: +18 Damage: +5 Unarmed (+7 Sneak Attack), +13 Claws (+15 Sneak Attack) Defense: +12 (+6 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -7, -5 flat-footed [u][b]Saving Throws[/b][/u] [8+4+11=23PP] Toughness +14 (+4 Con, +6 Protection, +4 Defensive Roll), +10 Flat-Footed Fortitude +12 (+4 CON, 8PP) Reflex +12 (+8 DEX, 4PP) Will +12 (+1 WIS, 11PP) [u][b]Skills[/b][/u] [37PP = 148 Ranks] Acrobat 15 (+23)[sup]SM[/sup] Bluff 15 (+28/+18)[sup]SM[/sup] Climb 3 (+11) Craft (Artistic) 8 (+10) Craft (Structural) 8 (+10) Diplomacy 5 (+18/+8)[sup]SM[/sup] Disguise 0 (+3, +38 Morph) Gather Information 5 (+18/+8)[sup]SM[/sup] Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 5 (+7) Knowledge (Civics) 5 (+7) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 6 (+8) Knowledge (Streetwise) 9 (+11) Notice 14 (+15)[sup]SM[/sup] Perform (Dancing) 6 (+19/+9) Search 14 (+16)[sup]SM[/sup] Sleight of Hand 7 (+15)[sup]SM[/sup] Stealth 15 (+23)[sup]SM[/sup] [u][b]Feats[/b][/u] [42PP] Acrobatic Bluff Agile Climber All-Out Attack Attack Focus (Melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Claws) Connected Contacts Defensive Attack Defensive Roll 2 (+4 Toughness) Distract (Bluff) Dodge Focus 6 Elusive Target Equipment 2 (Silberman's Books) Evasion 2 Grapple Finesse Improved Initiative Move-By Action Luck 3 Power Attack Setup Skill Mastery 2 (Acrobat, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Notice, Search, Sleight of Hand, Stealth) Sneak Attack Takedown Attack 2 Taunt Uncanny Dodge 2 (Audio, Olfactory) Well-Connected [quote name="Equipment"][b]Silberman's Books (HQ)[/b] [b]Size:[/b] Small [b]Toughness:[/b] 10 [b]Features: [/b] Communications Computer Fire Prevention System Garage Gym Library Living Space Security System Workshop[/quote] [u][b]Powers[/b][/u] [82PP] [b]Comprehend 2[/b] (Languages: Understand all, Languages: Speak any one at a time) [4PP] [b]Immunity 10 ([/b]Aging, Life Support[b])[/b] [10PP] [b]Glamour 7 ([/b]21PP Array, [i]Feats:[/i] Alternate Power 5[b])[/b] [26PP] [list][b][u]Base Power:[/u] Morph 7 ([/b]Any Form of Same Mass, +35 Disguise[b])[/b] [21PP] [b][u]Alternate Power:[/u] Concealment 10 ([/b]All Except Tactile, [i]Feats:[/i] Close Range, Selective, [i]Extras:[/i] Affects Others, Flaws: Blending, Passive[b])[/b] [12PP] [b][u]Alternate Power[/u]: Elongation 5 ([/b]100ft[b]) + Insubstantial 1 ([/b]Liquid[b]) + Super-Movement 3 ([/b]Slithering, Trackless, Water-Walking[b])[/b] [16PP] [b][u]Alternate Power:[/u] Emotion Control 15 ([/b][i]Extras:[/i] Area, [i]Flaws:[/i] Limited [Fear], Sense-Dependent [Vision][b])[/b] [15PP] [b][u]Alternate Power:[/u] Enhanced Charisma 20[/b] [20PP] [b][u]Alternate Power:[/u] Flight 4 ([/b]100mph, [i]Drawbacks:[/i] Power Loss [Wings][b]) + Shrinking 8 ([/b]Tiny, [i]Feats:[/i] Normal Movement, Normal Strength, Normal Toughness[b])[/b] [18PP][/list] [b]Protection 6 ([/b]faerie fortification[b])[/b] [6PP] [b]Strike 8 ([/b]Dark faerie claws, [i]Extras:[/i] Penetration 4 [i]Feats:[/i] Alternate Power, Improved Critical 2, Incurable, Mighty[b])[/b] [17PP] [list][b][u]Alternate Power:[/u] Create Object 8 ([/b][i]Feats:[/i] Innate, Precise, Progression 2, Subtle, [i]Extras:[/i] Duration [Continuous], [i]Flaws:[/i] Range [Touch][b]; [i]Drawbacks:[/i] Power loss: Contact with Iron)[/b] [16PP][/list] [b]Super-Movement 4 ([/b]Slow Fall, Sure-Footed, Wall-Crawling 2[b])[/b] [8PP] [b]Super-Senses 10 ([/b]Normal Hearing [[i]Extras:[/i] Accurate 2, Extended], Normal Olfactory [[i]Extras:[/i] Accurate, Acute, Extended, Tracking], Normal Vision [[i]Extras:[/i] Counters Obscure 2 {"Darkness"}], Danger Sense [Olfactory][b])[/b] [11PP] [u][b]Drawbacks[/b][/u] [-8PP] [b]Vulnerability ([/b]Iron, [i]Frequency:[/i] Uncommon, [i]Intensity:[/i] Major [+50% DC][b])[/b] [-2PP] [b]Weakness ([/b]Iron, [i]Frequency:[/i] Common, [i]Intensity:[/i] Moderate, -1 CON / minute [10 rounds][b])[/b] [-6PP] [b][u]DC Block[/u][/b] Unarmed -- DC 20/Toughness (22 w/ Sneak Attack) -- Damage Claws -- DC 25/Toughness (27 w/ Sneak Attack) -- Damage [b]Abilities 46 + Combat 28 + Saving Throws 23 + Skills 37 + Feats 42 + Powers 82 - Drawbacks 8 = 250/250 Power Points[/b] DONE BY SHAENTHEBRAIN

Okay, I believe I implemented the suggestions correctly; I'm really liking this character!

Fair enough; I was just concerned because Ecal said I would probably need to do combat stats for all nine sizes, and I figured I could lop off several sets of stats by doing so. For 1pp, it's probably a good idea; I think I will take all your suggestions at this point. I think I'm gonna use Quote's suggestions above.

Those are good suggestions; while chatting with Ecal, it also struck me it might be best to set her Shrinking as Full Power Only to clean up the lower end of her powers.

I'm cool with it.

I was thinking of adding something conditional to Growth to bump her Defense; Quote suggested: Which sounds good to me, I'm just not sure the best place to stick it in the Growth AP.

Those who knew Lynn well might have expected her to throw herself at her husband and shower him with kisses, but the day (both good and bad) had taken a lot out of her; instead, she carefully stepped over to her wedding dress and oozed into it, filling it back up with her elfin form, and then returned to Colt's side. Dropping down to hug him fiercely, she rocked him back and forth as she murmured in to his ear, "I've gotcha, honey. I've gotcha..." She did, however, slowly extened a hand in Gillman's direction and gave the villainous cowpoke the finger. The exhausted bride smiled at the newly-engaged couple and nodded happily. "About frickin' time, Dok."

Dismissing the bench, Grim approached the two(?) of them, bobbed her head and waved at the empty space. "Nice to meet you, Mrs Serxner; I'm Lynn Epstein, aka Grimalkin." Grim had to hide a huge smile; it seemed that some aspects of Jewishness crossed over to the other side unchanged. Seeing the hound appear by her side, the shapeshifter dropped down to one knee and gave him a good scratch behind the ears, then turned her attention back to the ghost she couldn't see. "Mrs Serxner, I'm so sorry for what happened to your resting place; me and Dead Head are gonna make sure that everything's taken care of, including having a rabbi come by." She looked around the grounds. "You might remember my grandfather, Louis Silberman? He ran a bookstore in the neighborhood, which he left me to run." Then she nervously looked between the unseen spirit and the revenant. "Uh, I don't know if either of you have...y'know, spoken with him recently."

Okay, like Quote's twin, once Jeena's approved she should be archived until Grim is retired.

[floatr][/floatr]Player Name: Heritage Character Name: Cubic Power Level: 10 (150/157PP) Trade-Offs: None Miniscule: +5 Attack / -5 Damage, +5 Defense / -5 Toughness Fine: +1 Attack / -1 Damage, +1 Defense / -1 Toughness Diminutive: None Tiny: None Small: None Large: -1 Defense / +1 Toughness Huge: -3 Defense / +3 Toughness Gargantuan: -5 Attack / +5 Damage, -1 Defense / +1 ToughnessUnspent PP: 7 Progress To Impervium Status: 7/150 (Platinum Status earned with Grimalkin) In Brief: Size-shifting alien teenager who, along with her twin brother, escaped from a war-ravaged world. Alternate Identity: Jeena Vandermol Identity: Secret Birthplace: Planet Tektan Occupation: Student Affiliations: Claremont Academy Family: Zachary Vandermol (Brother) Age: 16 (Earth Year 1995) Apparent Age: 16 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian (Tektani) Height: 5'1", 32ft at Growth 12, 1" (or less) at Shrinking 20 Weight: 122 lbs., 16 tons at Growth 12, 0.5 oz (or less) at Shrinking 20 Eyes: Blue Hair: Silver-White Description: Jeena is a pretty young thing, though exceedingly pale by human standards, with light blue eyes and wispy silver-white hair. In public, she wears dark clothing, typically black boots and jeans, sweaters, hoodies or long-sleeved T-shirts in either black, dark blue, purple or burgundy, and is never without a pair of special sunglasses to protect her sensitive eyes. Her clothes are more nondescript than fashionable, and rarely sport any sort of catchphrase or logo. She tends to keep to herself at the edge of the crowd, relentlessly scanning the faces of people as they pass, reluctant to engage but secretly fascinated. She rarely laughs but occasionally smiles, shyly like she might get caught. Power Descriptions: Like her twin brother, Jeena is able to change properties of her body due to an induced mutation, adjusting not her density but her volume; she can shrink herself down to atomic size, or shoot up to over thirty feet tall. When small, she is able to ride air currents to cover greater distances than she could on foot, and when huge her strength and resilience are greatly enhanced. She also possess several powers due to her Tektani heritage, native abilities that allowed her people to live and communicate deep underground for long periods of time; in addition, she shares a unique mental link with her twin brother, so in a very real sense she's never alone, a source of both comfort and occasional annoyance. History: Zach and Jeena come from a world where the native humanoid population, the Tektani, live underground; either their sun became increasingly radiative or there was some sort of environmental catastrophe, the histories of that time are unclear. Either way, they've been down there for centuries, doing fine. One day, the cave-dwelling scientists, masters of the seismic energy their planet produces, came to the realization that the planet was unstable and they only have a few years to figure out a way to save themselves, but they couldn't come to any sort of agreement. Civil war broke out. The Cavern Wars, as they became known, were fought entirely underground. There was no distinction between places of residence and battlefields; the entire world of the Tektani were swept up in the struggle. Scientists from different schools of thought lead the charges; some used wondrous technologies once meant for the mining and construction of their cave world as weapons of war, while others employed genetic modifications on children with certain genetic markers that made them more receptive to such experiments, creating an army of super soldiers to fight for their cause. Both sides employ seismic bombs to lay waste to large sections of the elaborate cave systems. Years passed, and there was no end to the bloody Cavern Wars in sight. Suddenly a visitor arrived on their world; he announced himself as the Star-Khan, and he was a powerful galactic being unknown to the Tektani. He offered assistance, and as an outsider helped negotiate the peace and made life better for everyone, allowing them access to amazing new technologies to stabilize the planet and heal their world. The cave-dwellers rejoiced and called him both hero and friend. But soon the Tektani discovered the truth behind the devil's bargain they've struck; their world was now enslaved to the Star-Khan, and their lives become worse than ever as they were forced to churn out weapons for the Star-Khan's galactic war machine. Years passed, and yet another bitter truth came to light: the Star-Khan's triumphant visit to their planet was not his first. He'd secretly arrived years before, detonating a small nuclear device near the planet's core, setting in motion a seismic chain reaction that had begun their planet's journey toward destruction, and sparking the Cavern Wars in the first place. This horrid revelation further dampened the spirits of the downtrodden Tektani. And yet, there was still hope; a small group of scientists, the very same ones who masterminded the most horrible weapons of the wars, started a resistance movement. The secrets of the genetic modification technology still remained, hidden in databanks long thought lost. Children were once again examined for favorable genetic markers while still within their mother's womb. Carefully selected newborns were whisked away at birth and inducted into a secret school to master their powers. Desperate fathers and mothers gladly turned over their beloved children, but the separation from their parents was complete; bred for war, they would never know their real families. The Resistance was mildly successful for a time; the victories of these exceptional young warriors begin to compound, and the movement gained momentum. That is, until the Star-Khan realized the trouble he was dealing with; seeking to nip the threat to his captive world in the bud, he personally lead the charge to snuff out the Resistance, from its scientific leaders down to every last child in the school. Luckily, the Tektani had one more trick up their sleeve. In their last doomed hours, a handful of scientists gathered a group of children, the best and brightest the school had to offer. The scientists fired up a secret invention just as the Star-Khan smashed down the doors to their laboratory; by the blessings of fate, he was unable to stop the wondrous machine. It folded the dimensions of space and time upon themselves, and two locations once light years apart were now separated by a gap of less than five feet. Four pairs of children were able to leap across the gaps in different directions, while the rest of their people remain trapped in the caverns of Tektan, facing the wrath of the Star-Khan...alone. Zach and Jeena were two of the lucky ones who escaped; their path led them to Earth, a world in many ways similar to their own, but in other ways terribly alien. The bright and cruel yellow star that burns in the sky forced them to take refuge in the sewers underground, where they have lived for many months. Short forays above ground at night or on sunless cloudy days allowed them to gather food and needed information about this strange new world. Finally, the Tektanian brother and sister are ready to emerge from their hiding place and join the Earthlings under the guise of an orphaned twin brother and sister, age sixteen; taking the human name 'Vandermol', they speak of a distant homeland far across the sea. Still unsure of the fate of their world, Zach and Jeena vow to one day find a way to return, and set things right. That is, if their poor stricken planet is even still intact... Personality & Motivation: Jeena didn't have much of a childhood; her and her brother were raised from infancy to be soldier-scientists, the best and the brightest, and the keys to their people's salvation; there wasn't a lot of time for idle fancies and all their toys served a practical educational purpose. Needless to say, she grew up fast with a rather serious and driven attitude; she actually does possess a sense of humor (rather dry and sarcastic) and even a sense of fun, though she tends to be super-competitive and rather hard on herself if she doesn't excel. Always fascinated by biology and the workings of the sentient mind, Jeena uses her knowledge to understand her foes, to find out what makes them tick and then use the knowledge to trap them; she especially enjoys defeating older or more experienced enemies who are prone to underestimate her due to her size or youth. She loves her brother very much, though his more carefree attitude often makes her nervous. Since coming to Earth, Jeena has occasionally found herself overwhelmed by the vastness of the outdoors, the delightful variety of food (much better than rations!) and the beauty of fine art, especially painting and sculpture; however, she tries to hide this childlike sense of wonder behind a stern facade. More than anything else, Jeena wants to find a way back home, to know that her people are alright and see the faces of her friends again, one of whom she had some feelings for, though she told no one. She's deeply conflicted about her new life on Earth, alternately seeing it as a 'distraction' from her true purpose and as a marvelous place offering opportunities she never had at home. Until she and her brother can find a way back home, she will learn as much as she can about this new world, and help and nurture sentient life as she was taught to do back at the academy on Tektan. Powers & Tactics: Jeena essentially operates in one of two ways, depending on the situation; she uses her shrinking and limited flight ability to infiltrate and spy on her enemies, and her growth and enhanced strength to defeat them in battle or aid others in time of need. At either size, her mental communication allows her to relay information to her teammates, as long as they are within range. Complications: Big Brother: Even though he's only a few minutes older than she is, Zach is very much Jeena's big brother (it also helps that he's taller...sometimes). He can be overprotective and scrutinizes any boy she so much as asks for directions; luckily her shrinking powers let her slip away now and then... Closet Romantic: Despite her hard-edged persona, Jeena still yearns for companionship like any other teenager and is quite taken by beautiful things, but just as quickly chastises herself for being 'weak'. Perhaps someday she will feel comfortable acting on these feelings. Don't Look Into The Light!: Jeena's eyes are light sensitive due to the reduced sunlight on her home world, and from living underground on Earth for many months. Abrupt exposure to natural light may temporarily blind her without proper eye protection. Mistress of Puppets: During the war, Jeena was tasked with discovering the weaknesses of the enemy and exploiting them for tactical advantages; despite her best efforts, she sometimes finds herself thinking in these terms in peacetime, and must fight the urge to manipulate others for her ends. No Selfless Acts: They were duped into thinking that their home world could be saved by the very person that was behind all of their problems in the first place. The twins are wary of anyone that offers to do them any favors, they've been trained to suspect ulterior motives. Thicker Than Water: Zach and Jeena have difficulty trusting people besides their sibling. After being put through so much deceit and betrayal, they've learned the hard way that they can only trust each other. Abilities: 0 + 6 + 8 + 14 + 2 + 4 = 34PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 24 (+7) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 14 (+2) Miniscule (Shrinking 20) Fine (Shrinking 16) Diminutive (Shrinking 12) Tiny (Shrinking 8) Small (Shrinking 4) Large (Growth 4) Huge (Growth 8) Gargantuan (Growth 12) Combat: 6 + 4 = 10PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +3 Grapple: +3 Defense: +3 (+2 Base, +1 Dodge Focus), +1 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2 Miniscule (Shrinking 20) Fine (Shrinking 16) Diminutive (Shrinking 12) Tiny (Shrinking 8) Small (Shrinking 4) Large (Growth 4) Huge (Growth 8) Gargantuan (Growth 12) Saving Throws: 0 + 5 + 5 = 10PP Toughness: +5/+4 (+4 Con, +1 Protection) Fortitude: +4 (+4 Con, +0) Reflex: +8 (+3 Dex, +5) Will: +6 (+1 Wis, +5) Large (Growth 4) Huge (Growth 8) Gargantuan (Growth 12) Skills: 48R = 12PP Acrobatics 8 (+11) Bluff 4 (+6, +10 Attractive) Concentration 8 (+9) Diplomacy 0 (+2, +6 Attractive) Intimidation 0 (+2, +8 at Growth 12, -8 at Shrinking 20) Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 5 (+12) Knowledge (Life Sciences) 5 (+12) Languages 2 (Dutch, English, Tektani [Native]) Notice 8 (+9) Sense Motive 8 (+9) Stealth 0 (+3, -9 at Growth 12, +23 at Shrinking 20) Feats: 11PP Acrobatic Bluff 2 (Move Action) Attractive Dodge Focus Luck Quick Change Second Chance (Reflex vs Stomping) Set-Up Teamwork 3 Powers: 2 + 1 + 1 + 65 + 4 = 73PP Communication 2 (Mental, 100ft) [2PP] Immunity 1 (Hot Environments) [1PP] Protection 1 [1PP] Size Control 32 (64PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [65PP] Base Power: Small Form 12.8 (64PP Container [Active, Free Action, Sustained Duration]) [64PP] Flight 2 (25mph / 250ft per Move Action, Feats: Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss [Larger than Miniscule size]) [4PP] Shrinking 20 (Miniscule: 3-inch Space / 0ft Reach, 1/16 Carry Capacity [Heavy Load: 10 oz], -20 Strength, +12 Attack, +12 Defense, -20 Grapple, +5 Knockback, -10 Intimidate, +20 Stealth; Feats: Atomic Size, Normal Movement, Normal Toughness) [23PP] Strike 10 (Feats: Mighty) [11PP] [4 + 23 + 11 = 38PP] Alternate Power: Giant Form 12.8 (64PP Container [Active, Free Action, Sustained Duration]) [64PP] Enhanced Defense 2 (Feats: Dodge Focus 4) [8PP] Enhanced Feats 6 (Attack Focus [Melee] 6) [6PP] Enhanced Strength 6 + Super-Strength 2 (Extras: Linked) [10PP] Growth 12 (Gargantuan: 20ft Space / 15ft Reach, +15ft Speed [45ft per Move Action], +12 Constitution, +24 Strength [+39 Carry Capacity], -4 Attack, -4 Defense, +12 Grapple, -12 Knockback, +6 Intimidate, -12 Stealth) [36PP] Protection 4 [4PP] [8 + 6 + 10 + 36 +4 = 64PP] Super-Senses 4 (Communication Link [Mental, Zach], Darkvision, Direction Sense) [4PP] DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Miniscule DC10* Fine DC10* Diminutive DC10* Tiny DC11 Small DC13 Medium DC15 Large DC22 Huge DC26 Gargantuan DC30 Strike Touch Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Miniscule DC20* Fine DC20* Diminutive DC20* Tiny DC21 Small DC23 *Shrinking cannot reduce STR below 1 (-5), and thus, cannot reduce unarmed attacks below DC10, or Mighty Strike attacks below DC(rank -5). Abilities (34) + Combat (10) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (12) + Feats (11) + Powers (73) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/157 Power Points

We have a lot of characters in this thread (probably too many, due to Grim's extensive guest list); does anyone want to be skipped in initiative order? I only say this since I get the sense folks want this wrapped up asap, not because I want to hose anyone out of cool heroic activities.

Gossamer is a big yes for the Lab thread. Jeena/Cubic is almost ready for submission, so I hope to get her in with the Claremonters.

It didn't take long for Grim to find him, since she just followed her nose like Toucan Sam. It looked like he was talking to someone she couldn't see; maybe the ghost dog again? She was about to call out, but the look on Dead Head's face was so intent she didn't want to interrupt. Instead she opted to conjure up a stone bench, some distance away but still within his eyeline, and patently took a seat; it was strange how witnessing an act of desecration made her feel more reverent, like she was back in schul. I guess the eyes of God are upon me...and why wouldn't they be? She closed her eyes and said a prayer.

Estelle raised an elegant eyebrow but otherwise did not comment. "Well, it might be best if we lure the creature towards somewhat higher ground, if any exists." She formed her hair into a large lariat. "If I was above it, I could throw this around its neck and pull myself in closer to the face; my hair is extremely strong, so it should be hard for it to throw me clear."

Gossamer's brows furrowed as she appraised her weapon critically. "Hmm, I'm not very nautical, so perhaps 'harpoon' is the wrong word; I was thinking we would drive the points in via brute strength rather than hurling them, so 'spear' is probably more accurate." She shaded her eyes and looked off in the general direction Mona had indicated. "Perhaps we should target the skin near any sense organs? The epidermis should be thinner near there." She transfered her spear to her hair tendrils, and started to practice a few lunges, first closer to her and then increasing the distance away from her body; her reach and the apparent strength of the various jabs was very impressive. "We may also need to coordinate a simultaneous attack; if the creature is as large as you say it is, I doubt one dose will suffice to subdue it."

Once all the city employees left the crime scene, Grim cupped her hands and called out like a grade schooler. "Dead Head, come out, come out, wherever you are! Olly olly oxen free!" The police had told her to leave the re-interment to the cemetery staff, so she moved some distance away from the open graves. It saddened her to see them lying open like wounds in the earth, the coffins exposed to the night sky; perhaps she and 'Head should spend the night, so they wouldn't be so lonely. Hmm, guess his point of view starts to rub off on ya.

I'm also very interested in getting more threads for Gossamer, if your interested Cy. She's scientifically minded like DS, which might be a possible link, as well as her very short tenure as a Claremont instructor.

Estelle gently shook the sample jars and watched as the 'rock' and 'moss' rattled from side to side, maintaining their current state. "Fascinating," she murmured softly. Looking back up at the others in her lab, she sighed with satisfaction. "Well perhaps you could go on for a while longer, Sam, but I have enough samples now to provide for weeks of study; if I take anymore, I may become a shut-in." She shot a tendril across the room and fetched a jar of lollipops, which she offered to her patient. "Here you are, you've earned your reward." Taking out a Sharpie, she proceeded to label all the samples. When she was done, she peered over her splash goggles and smiled. "So Sam, would you like to join me for lunch down in the commissary? My treat."

Yeah, me too. I'll do a post to start nudging us in that direction.