Dr Archeville

Artificer Heroditus had not initially planned on attending the Valentine's Party. He could wrap his brain around a festival to Aphrodite, but this wasn't quite that, so he hadn't been sure what to make of it. (He did like the Skittles though, they were like tiny fruity shrimp!) When his roommate Rebound had mentioned going, he thought he'd have the room to himself for a bit, and could work uninterrupted (not that Benny interrupted him much, they mostly did their own thing, passing like ships in the night). But after about 30 minutes of that, he found his mind wandering. Well, this can wait, but tonight's event is fleeting. Might as well go see what it is all about. And so here he was, all 6'4" of him, at the Surfacer party. His outfit, while still clearly Atlantean, was at least color-coordinated: dark red short breeches, a pink ("salmon") short-sleeved tunic, cinched together with a white belt and bandolier, and matching white gladiator-style sandals lacing up to his mid-calf. Another new element to his look, for those who hadn't seen him in a while, was some facial hair: longer sideburns, a mustache, and beard, all thin & wispy, and not yet connected to each other. He looked around, recognizing most everyone, but unsure where to go. "Am I supposed to see Danica first, since she sent out the invitations?," he asked the first person to pass by.

2021 January Post Counts 3personal5me Steel Spider: 1 post = +1pp Angrydurf Kensei: 7 posts = 1pp + 1 [Ref] = +2pp Ouroboros: 1 post = +1pp and is now TITANIUM ? Avenger Assembled Angelic: 24+1 = 25 posts = +3pp Fast-Forward: 24+1 = 25 posts = +3pp Watchdog (and Daystar): 5+5 = 10 posts = +2pp Woodsman: 10 posts = 2pp +1 [Ref] = +3pp GM: 11 posts*2 = 22 posts; 1 to Angelic, 1 to FF, 5 to Watchdog, 10 to Woodsman, 5 to The Void Cubismo Arrow IV: 4 posts = +1pp Dr Archeville [Still being worked on] Electra Chelone: 22+3 = 25 posts = +3pp Hologram: 22+3 = 25 posts = +3pp Singularity: 9+16 = 25 posts = +3pp + 2 [Vignette] = +5pp Sparkler: +2pp Miss Americana [Maxed]: +22 posts; 3 to Chelone, 3 to Hologram, 16 to Singularity; +2pp [Vignette], to Sparkler EternalPhoenix Terrifica: 9 posts = +1pp +1 [Ref] = +2pp Fox Eclipse: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp Gremlin: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp Grim: 0+4+6 = 10 posts = +2pp Masque: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp Nocturne: 15+10 = 25 posts = +3pp +1 [Ref] = +4pp GM: 7 = +14 posts; 4 to Grim, 10 to Nocturne Dragonfly [Maxed]: +6 posts, to Grim Wraith [Maxed]: +7 posts; 1 to Eclipse, 1 to Gremlin, 1 to Masque, 4 to The Void Gizmo Chitin: 26 posts = +3pp +1 [Ref] +1 [Vignette] = +5pp Hitter/Lou: 0+2+8 = 10 posts = +2pp GM: 1 = +2 posts, to Hitter Jill O'Cure [Maxed/Sidekick]: +17 posts; 8 to Hitter, 9 to The Void Heritage Crystal Gazer: 1 post = +1pp Shift: 1 post = +1pp Kaede Kimura The Dreamer: 2 posts = +1pp Shadowborne: 5 posts = +1pp Shooting Star: 3 posts = +1pp KnightDisciple Thunderbird: 4+1+2 = 7 posts = +1pp +1 [Guide] = +2pp Raven III [Maxed]: +1 post, to Thunderbird Thoughtspeed [Guest]: 5/2 = +2 posts, to Thunderbird LoneStar Outrider: 1 post = +1pp +2 [Origin Story] = +3pp Nerdzul Nightscale: 21 posts = +2pp Nick Arcana: 0 posts = 0pp +1 [Ref] = +1pp RedSpine Howl: 3 posts = +1pp RocketLord Archer II: 3+7 = 10 posts = +2pp Ghost: 6+4 = 10 posts = +2pp Holger Danske: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp Justice: 3+47 = 50 posts = +4pp +1 [Guide] = +5pp Little Mermaid: 1+9 = 10 posts = +2pp Nevermore II: 8+2 = 10 posts = +2pp +4 [1 Guidebook, 2 Vignette] = +6pp Rebellion: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp +2 [Vignette] = +3pp, and is now TITANIUM! ? Spaceman: 0+10 = 10 posts = +2pp GM: 34 = 68 posts to add; 7 to Archer, 1 to Holger, 47 to Justice, 1 to Rebellion, 10 to Spaceman, 2 to The Void Forever Boy [Maxed]: +15 posts; 4 to Ghost, 9 to Little Mermaid, 2 to Nevermore Spacefurry Blackstaff: 4 posts = +1pp Chimera: 10 posts = +2pp Paper: 14 posts = +2pp Thunder King Specimen: 8 posts = +1pp Tiffany Korta Blodeuwedd: 6+4 = 10 posts = +2pp +1 [Ref] = +3pp Doctor Thorne: 1 post = +1pp Emerald Spider: 1 post = +1pp The Immutable Betsy Brooks: 0+1 = 1 post = +1pp Madame Raven: 2 posts = +1pp Merge Trois: 1 post = +1pp Ms. Bright: 1 post = +1pp Scarab III: 8+2 = 10 posts = +2pp Zhenshchina-voin: 1 post = +1pp GM: 4 posts = +8 posts; 4 to Blod, 1 to IBB, 2 to Scarab, 1 to The Void Zeitgeist Blue Salvo: 1 post = +1pp

Artificer 3 posts = +1pp How a Young Heart Really Feels (3) Horrorshow 1 post = +1pp Dakar Rally (1) Protectron 0 posts = 0pp, +1 [Mod] = +1pp ??? --Titanium Characters-- Dead Head 0 posts, to ??? ??? Doktor Archeville 0 posts, to ??? ??? --Other-- Mod point, to Protectron

In order to make sure the Refs accurately count all your IC posts and award you the due amount of power points, please post with a list of all the threads in which your player character, NPC or sidekick posted IC this month (including the News forum). Also list any threads which you are GMing. GM posts count as double and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push'. This topic will automatically close on the seventh day of the following month (i.e., March 7th, 2021) at Midnight EST. When you make your list, post a link to your first post for the month for each IC thread so we can jump right to it. When you start a thread, make sure IC is the first tag and topic prefix of the In Character thread, and OOC is in the first tag and topic prefix of the Out Of Character thread. It's not required, but additional tags including the major players and locations are viewed as a courtesy. Please list your threads in alphabetical order. Please clearly note any threads in which you are both player and GM/running an NPC. In threads where you are both player and GM/an NPC, please be sure to mark each post so we can tell who it should be allocated to. Please list your threads in a timely manner. Extending the deadline one week into the following month is already a grace period. If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, vignettes, guidebook pages, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. For more information on ways to earn power points, see Character Advancement and Awards in the House Rules section of the Guide. Post counts should be formatted similar to the following: To make clear how many posts from rollover and GM posts are assigned to each character. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in being forced to re-live 2020 your post counts being postponed or skipped completely. If you missed the deadline, see this thread.

Protectron Protectron witnessed Loyal Replicants go forth And halt organics Leaping over all Peridot Arachnid bounds Filaments flying Jetting though the crowd Integrity kicked and punched Busting up the crowd Prophet, stoic, strode, Clad in red and green, bringing The gift of battle Screaming Streamdriver Breaks up the White Rabbit’s guests. Divide and conquer But the tea poured on - For every three guests felled, Two more took their place. Meanwhile, high above, Em’rald Spider and Justice Made their way inside. Protectron wondered, Cape billowing behind, if Ill winds ever stop.

Interesting reaction. "Always happy to help a squadmate," Davyd replied with a smile, shifting back into his human form, "and happier still to help a friend," he added with a nod. "So, what next? Back to some lab to work on these designs? Or to the library, to work on some homework assignment? Or just back to your room to, uh, chill out, yeah? Oh, or maybe over to Pan's room, for some-" He quickly clammed up -- literally, his lips & jaw calcifying into a bivalve's shell and snapping shut. Yeah, maybe don't go there yet, Dayv. Tonight's activity may have brought us a bit closer, but I don't think close enough to start ribbing her on stuff like that.

"Ah," he clapped his hands sharply, "that is very much in my wheelhouse! Alright, so," his form began shifting, "when I think of you, the mental image that comes to mind is... well..." Before Eira now stood an unusal version of herself, combining several elements of various forms and looks she'd had. She wore black leather boots that almost came up to the knee, riveted jeans, and a black tee with the inverted pentagram logo of Arch Enemy on the front, printed in some luminous silvery ink. She had long hair, vibrant neon blue, with some falling across the left half of her face, and matching blue lipstick, eyeliner, and nail polish. This Eira had no piercings, though, for she had no flesh: her skin was all silvery chrome, flexible as chainmail in some spots and rigid as plate in others. This Composite Eira made a few poses before the real one -- some suited for a punk culture magazine, others more geared towards technical journals -- then stood straight, hands behind her back, and waited.

Wow, she really does not like lying. Wait, does that mean she automatically distrusts shapeshifters? Is she anti-Grue? She spent so much time with those Lor, that'd make sense. Davyd swayed a bit, shifting balance from one foot to the other and back again. But does that mean she dislikes... me? Did she feel she was forced to interact with me when we were put on the same Squad? There was certainly some iciness when we first got together, but I just chalked that up to her being Swedish. And a robot. Davyd suddenly realized he was nodding along with Eira's words, not fully aware of the last few things she'd said. But he was still the ever-agreeable sort, "hrm? Oh, sure, sure, whatever I can do to help you, yeah?" Maybe she is anti-Grue, but that doesn't mean she's anti-Davyd. Nah, we've been through a lot together, we're good.

Ranged attack is +4, using a Rank 10 Create Object effect... 1d20+4: 23 [1d20=19] Not bad!

Protectron's going to continue having its "Replicants" keep the Tea Party Guests distracted. Not sure what, if anything, I should be rolling.

"Ohh," he replied, eyes going wide, "that is definitely something I'd want to check out! You always hear about the scientific and technological advances we can learn from contacting alien races, and there has been a lot, yeah. But the cultural stuff is what I want to see. What do their versions of fantasy, horror, romance, science fiction look like? Their literature, poetry," he clapped his hands sharply, "and films and teevee! And who knows what other media. Maybe there's a race out there with, like, an olfactory-based way of telling and recording stories?! Or some folks who sing in x-rays?!" The events of the recent Election Night replayed in Davyd's mind, interrupted when he saw Eira's Neverlandian-inspired look. His smirk faded almost as quickly as she shifted away from it. "Yeah, that was a wild night. I - hunh." He cocked his head to one side, "I just realized, I haven't seen Judy since that night. I figured she's be out for a few days after that night," he shrugged, "getting things sorted with her family, but it's been almost two months now. Did she come back to Clarermont?"

"Oh, sure, the humanoid form's suited for lots of things," he replied, shifting so the spider abdomen and legs reformed into two slender humanoid legs, "very... optimized, I think is the term, yeah? Still, there is something to be said for," he looked down at "his" hands, front and back, while causing them to enlarge slightly, a second thumb to sprout opposite the original, and all the fingers to elongate and add another segment, "having a few extra bits? Some personalized touch?" "Did you ever go to the Robot Nation?," he asked, form rippling back to Human-Davyd. "I remember you talking about going, but that was months and months ago." He glanced at his hands again, "I can appreciate wanting to stay connected with your people. One reason my folks moved out here was because of the big Ukrainian-American population in Jersey, so they felt like they still had some connection to their homeland." He did a double take, "oh! That wasn't what I meant by studying psychology an- uh, I mean, yeah! Sure! I didn't know there were any studies like that of Grue. Thank you!"

"Of course you are," Davyd replied, his thin lipless mouth twisting into it best approximation of a grin. "Defining one's self is a problem a lot of shapeshifters seem to have," he said as he examined Eira's latest model. "Something about being able to become anything leads to choice paralysis, so they start copying others around them. I've even read some theories saying that it's how the Grue became a hive mind, dominated by one mega-Grue." He shrugged, "maybe I need to read more on psychology and sociology, yeah?" "So," he pivoted to look at the real Eira, "have you considered something less humanoid? Something like," his form shifted and swelled, now looking from the waist up like an eight-eyed version of Eira's Spider form, but from the waist down was a great, glimmering arachnid abdomen supported by six eight-jointed legs. "Eh? Eh?"

DoppelSpider began to smile sheepishly, but then caught himself and stood a bit taller, allowing himself to accept Eira's compliment. "Thanks," he replied, managing to speak clearly and not mumble. "Different? Like, ultraviolet in one, infrared in another? Wouldn't that lead to, ah," DoppelSpider's primary eyes blinked, but the others, lacking lids, did not, "sensory overload? I've had some troubles adjusting to having new senses, I can only imagine what having several new senses would be like." He shrugged, "but I'm sure you could handle it, yeah? Fast brain, and I bet you could come up with, like, a buffer or something." Do I- Well, that's not something I've been wrestling with for over a year... "That's a good question," he replied after a moment, as he retracted the extra legs back into himself. "Even before," he smoothly shifted back to his Davyd form, "I was a child of two cultures, born and raised in Freedom, in America, but raised by parents and an uncle and grandmother who'd grown up in Ukraine, who'd spent most of their life in that country. My personality has certainly shifted some since the night of that accident -- I've become more outgoing, more sure of myself -- but is that because of these new abilities, or just a natural part of growing up? Or of growing up while surrounded by other superheroes-in-training?" He shrugged, and his form rippled again. Now he was the crude, vaguely humanoid form of muddy protoplasm that was his true default form. "This is what I look like when I'm asleep, not consciously holding any form -- is this the real me? Is what I can do a definer of what I am? I have many of the physical abilities of a Grue, but almost none of the mental or psychic ones, of their arrogance or xenophobia. Would other Grue consider me a Grue?"

DoppelSpider tilted his head as Eira changed her additional limbs, then saw his own and realized what had happened. "Ah, geez, sorry about that! I still need practice with inorganic forms." He reached up and grabbed the tips of the upper spider limbs with his hands and concentrated, slowly causing them to smooth out to be more like Eira's original form. "I can get the look of most metals or plastics right, with some modified chitins, but the shapes, well, I find those a bit trickier." The top spider limbs now looked like Eira's original mechanical design, but the bottom ones were still decidedly arachnid-y. He reached for those, then stopped, realizing that Eira had not dismissed his erroneous morph. "Hrm, okay, I'll keep these like this, let you see both types of limbs, yeah?" He nodded at his own words, then at Eira's response to his question. "Ah, right, you've got personal mentors in the superhero community already, too. And Dragonfly was a student here, wasn't she? Has Miss Americana ever visited campus?" At her request, his brow furrowed, and two and then four arachnid eyes sprouted. "Grimalkin and Miss Grue have both visited me on campus," he said with some pride.

DoppelMaiden took a step back at the sight of Eira's new form, "wow!" He walked around her, once clockwise, then back again, "impressive! And let me guess: this one's optimized for... web operations, yeah? Ah, sorry, sorry," he waved a hand dismissively, "couldn't resist. Seriously, though, this is a really cool design. And I'm sure you can think up all sorts of gadgets to put in those things. Tools, lasers, cameras so you can peek around corners." DoppelMaiden began growing leaner and slimmer, "so how's this work, anyway? I mean, are you going to modify your existing body, or build a brand new one and, ah, transfer into it? I'd imagine you can only modify that body so much, but building a whole new one would be more resource-intensive, yeah?" Davyd was now a copy of The Spider, though without the extra limbs, "that's how you got this way in the first place, yeah? Your folks transferred your mind into a new body, they didn't build a body around your old one... right?" The image of a small child's skeleton suspended deep inside Eira's core flashed through his mind. He shook his dead to dismiss the image, then concentrated a moment to grow the extra arms out of his back. They were long, and silvery, like Eira's, but with a more organic, chitinous look to them.

"If you're not feeling it," Davyd shifted to mirror the Fenris Maiden, "then why adopt it? Honoring your family is all well and good, yeah, but if their ideals are not what you're about, well..." The doppelMaiden tilted her head, "okay, I know this isn't quite the same, but actors taking on roles often try to find some connection to the character, to make their performance more authentic. Would your... familial connection to what this body represents be enough to overcome the lack of, ah, of," doppelMaiden's eyebrows scrunched up in a very un-Eira like manner, "of ideological connection to the mythological elements this form represents? Would you truly be comfortable in this form?" Like I've got much room to talk, a deep part of him thought. I can be anyone, anything, but when the lights go off and the curtains draw close, who am I?

Lady MacDavyd clapped his hands together, "oh, that's a great idea, yeah! Oh, but," he wagged his right index finger at her, "for a job like this, your money's no good. I mean," his right hand opened, defensive, "I'm sure your money is fine, yeah? Wealthy family and all that. No, no, what I mean is... well... we're squadmates, yeah?" He grinned, wider than a human should, "we look out for each other, we help each other. Especially when it comes to our powers, our abilities. So," he smoothly morphed back to his Davyd form, "I help you develop the next stage of your..." he gestured back and forth between mini-holo-Eira and the real Eira, "your self, and in doing so, you'd be helping me practice my shapeshifting." He smoothly shifted again, this time to a life-sized version of the bathing suit'd Eira, "imitating existing people, making variations on a theme, stuff like that, yeah?" He walked towards her, and began mirroring her movements, "of course, if you insist on some sort of material compensation, well... I'm sure I can think of something. Maybe some Swedish horror or sci fi flicks."

Artificer 0 posts = 0pp An Unexpected Journey (0) Horrorshow 12 posts = 2pp Rally Me This (0) Second Coming (0) Sordid Deeds By Night (12) [closed] Weird Flex (0) Protectron 1 post = 1pp, +1 [Mod] = 2pp League of Their Own (1) --Titanium Characters-- Dead Head 0 posts, to ??? ??? Doktor Archeville 0 posts, to ??? ??? --Other-- Mod point, to Protectron

Davyd knew which studio she was going to be in, but he'd been idly wandering the halls underneath the Leonard Fox Auditorium, admiring the many props and costumes stored there. After seeing a mannequin-mounted costume, or a cast photograph, he would morph into one of the characters, and if it was a character he knew well enough, he'd act out one of their scenes. Which is how it came to be that Eira heard the following approach from the hall. "... yet do I fear thy nature; It is too full o' th' milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, Art not without ambition, but without The illness should attend- oh, hi, Eira!" She could see he was wearing an elegant blue dress -- which he filled in better than he should -- and his hair had grown about a foot in length and was in two elaborate braids. "So, got something good on that diamond-sharp mind of yours, yeah?"

In order to make sure the Refs accurately count all your IC posts and award you the due amount of power points, please post with a list of all the threads in which your player character, NPC or sidekick posted IC this month (including the News forum). Also list any threads which you are GMing. GM posts count as double and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push'. This topic will automatically close on the seventh day of the following month (i.e., February 7th, 2021) at Midnight EST. When you make your list, post a link to your first post for the month for each IC thread so we can jump right to it. When you start a thread, make sure IC is the first tag and topic prefix of the In Character thread, and OOC is in the first tag and topic prefix of the Out Of Character thread. It's not required, but additional tags including the major players and locations are viewed as a courtesy. Please list your threads in alphabetical order. Please clearly note any threads in which you are both player and GM/running an NPC. In threads where you are both player and GM/an NPC, please be sure to mark each post so we can tell who it should be allocated to. Please list your threads in a timely manner. Extending the deadline one week into the following month is already a grace period. If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, vignettes, guidebook pages, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. For more information on ways to earn power points, see Character Advancement and Awards in the House Rules section of the Guide. Post counts should be formatted similar to the following: To make clear how many posts from rollover and GM posts are assigned to each character. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in being forced to re-live 2020 your post counts being postponed or skipped completely. If you missed the deadline, see this thread.

Whoops, sorry, I completely missed this! Protectron's initiative is 1d20+7 = 17 [1d20=10].

Artificer 0 posts = 0pp An Unexpected Journey (0) Horrorshow 0 posts = 0pp Rally Me This (0) Second Coming (0) Weird Flex (0) Protectron 1 post = 1pp, +1 [mod] = 2pp League of Their Own (1) --Titanium Characters-- Dead Head 0 posts, to ??? ??? Doktor Archeville 0 posts, to ??? ??? --Other-- Mod point, to Protectron

Protectron is stunting off of its Primary Energy Systems/Create Object power something like the following Create Object 10 (”replicants”, 10 5-ft. Cubes, Toughness 10, STR 50; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Movable; Flaws: Duration [Permanent], Range [Touch]; PFs: Innate, Precise, Subtle, Variable Descriptor 2 [any matter]) {25/25} (It's easier to track than Summon!)

Protectron The amicable android nodded, then looked to each of its teammates in turn. "Please standby," it said. From the lenses on its forehead, in its eyes, on its shoulderpieces and in its chest, wide beams of multicolored lights washed over each hero. It then turned and faced the growing mob, and sections of the plating on its chest and abdomen slid back. With superhuman speed, the robot removed a never-ending stream of components from its abdominal cavity, assembling them into a crude skeleton. Thin, fibrous tendrils shot out of ports deep within its chest, adding musculature to the frame. Other ports sprayed on quick-setting polymers that formed skin-like covering and clothing. In moments, life-sized action figure duplicates of Emerald Spider, Justice, Visionary, and Waverider stood before them. A close look would instantly reveal their synthetic nature -- plastic skin, obvious seams, unblinking eyes -- but from a distance, or among a mob of dazed civilians, they might could fool someone into thinking they were the real deal. Except, of course, that they weren't moving. And then they were. A signal from their creator activated the replicants, which turned and ran towards the mob. "They possess limited combat abilities," Protectron said, keeping its optics on them, "but should prove an adequate distraction."