Geez3r

Atlas checked his hand again. He needed one more card to complete his straight, but there was a chance someone had already made theirs from the flop. But when Colt checked and Grim folded, he figured it wouldn't cost him anything to see what the last card was. "Check all around zen. Real high stakes ve got here." he added with a chuckle.

Alrighty, we had a good run.

"When we last played poker, you lost when you had 2 pocket sevens." Atlas had expected that she wouldn't believe it was him, and with good reason, he didn't recognize him as him. This was the first thing that popped into his mind that he could prove who he was. He had practiced the line for nearly 10 minutes before he had picked up the phone. Atlas hastily responded "No! No. Nothing - Nothing like that." but under his breath adds "God I hope not." After a small pause and what sounds like a steadying breath he continues "I live out in Ashton uh.. 13th street. uhh... yeah. you'll know which one it is... Door's open. Get here quick."

If needed.

February 20th, 2010 It was rare that Atlas called anyone. He never really liked talking on the phone, he'd much rather speak to someone face to face. But when he did call someone he did so with urgent news, and this was very much not an exception. After waiting for a few rings, Grim finally picked up. "Uhhh.. Hi.. Grim? Yeah this is Atlas..." Grim immediately knew something was up. Firstly, Atlas's accent was gone. Secondly, he seemed really, really upset about something and was breathing heavily, practically on the verge of hyperventilating from the sound of it. And thirdly, he sounded scared. Truly and legitimately scared. "If you could like swing by my house, like now. That'd be good. I'm kind of in some trouble, and I think you're the only one who can help."

Maaaaaaybe.... <.< >.> <.< Also, since you approached the machine, I'm going to need a Fort save from you.

Yeah. I'm just figuring out a proper way to run the encounter without it being a curb stomp in either direction. Probably going to fake level up some of the NPC's and then use Malice's Inventor and Masterplan as a backup. If it goes "according to plan" then the heroes stop the villains from achieving any of their goals, but they manage to slink away into the shadows. Sound good?

Atlas nodded somberly. It was hard to put into words what those times were like, and the both of them had lived through it, or at least in its shadow. So it was best to left some of those feelings left unsaid. "Zanks, but no zanks. You have more important zings to be doing. And I could have done some research myself. I nearly did many times over ze years, but I alvays stopped before I got started. I vant to know, but at ze same time, I really don't. Vhen I don't know, zen zere is room for hope. Vhen I know ze truth, zere is no escape from reality da?"

Darius, the machine seems to be the source of the collapse. It appears to be eating the mountain.

Atlas stopped himself just shy of bowling over the rest of his team mates, causing a somewhat amusing moment while he tried to regain his footing without squishing anyone. "Don't sneak up on a guy like zat. Vell I know vhere ve can go to find out. Back zat vay zere appears to be a giant sort of ritual room. Don't head in zough, I zink it is trapped."

GM ONLY POST The heroes decide that the strange mechanical noises merit their immediate attention and head down the right fork to investigate. Judging from all of the twists and turns in the path, along with the fact that the ground was uneven lead the heroes to believe that this was a natural cave complex, or at least this portion of it was. Besides the twists and turns, and that one section where it got really cramped, the journey itself is quite uneventful with the exception of the fact that the mechanical noise is quickly becoming a low roar. As you round one last damp corner, the tunnel is suddenly bathed in a sickly green glow as the source of the noise is revealed. As the tunnel opens up into a large cavern, our heroes are greeted with what appears to be some sort of energy conversion machine. Clearly not of earthly origin. Ambient energy is gathered in a long clear tube, larger than a bus, before it crushed into a sphere by large metal plates and it is sent off down a smaller tube to parts unknown. The air in the room feels thin and a minor feeling of nauseousness begins to settle over the heroes. Besides the machine, the room is completely unoccupied. There is another passage way at the far end of the cavern.

Bump Ecalsneerg'd

Frosty Toughness save DC 37 (1d20+14=34) Natural 20 Takes a bruise

As the snowman and the goddess fought with the fury of the heavens, Medea set to even the odds again. Medea spoke more words of eldrich power and overran Atlas's mind. He was able to shake off most of the effects, but it did leave him staggered and his vision a little blurred. "No matter how strong you may be brute, it will fail you one day and all you will have is your frail little mind."

Okay, Frosty is stunned again so no actions for him. Medea is going to use Mental Blast on Atlas again. Will save, Mental Blast DC 20 (1d20+8=14) Bruised and Stunned. Divine - Bruise x1 - HP x2 Frosty - Bruise x3, Injured x3, Staggered, Stunned Medea - Unharmed Atlas - Bruise x1, Stunned - HP x3

So, which fork are you guys going to take or are you going to split the party?

Atlas nodded as Archeville laid out his first theory. But his expression hardened a bit when the discussion headed to the issue of family. "I never got ze chance to know zem all zat vell. Zey vere taken by ze government for "rehabilitation" and I never saw zem again.... So ze simple idea is zat I simply have no idea. Zough personally I zink it is razer unlikely. Ozervise, I vould zink zat zey vould have fought back against ze government. But zat just may be ze vishes of a young boy; hoping zat zeir parents really vere bullet proof da?"

And there was much rejoicing!

Checks out to me. Approved.

sDQuBUy1dgo

The strange tunnel makes its appearance, and Jester pops out of the ground again, only now dressed like a doctor and a full on defibrillator pops out of the the tunnel after Jester. "Make way, make way. One side, one side." Jester wheels the machine right up next to Strong Man. "Stay with us man. You're gonna be alright!" He rubs the pads together shouting "CLEAR!" and Strong Man is instantly zap fried as he collapses to the ground. Jester pulls out a wad of papers out of his pants, dropping it on Strong Man. "Your bill sir." He hops on the wheels of the defibrillator and uses it as a cart pushing himself closer to the fire while cackling madly "HeheheheeehheeHAAAAAHAHAHAAAAA!"

Completely forgot that Jester was up next in the initiative. My bad. 40 - Dash - Unharmed 24 - Jester - Unharmed, HP x4 20 - Breakdown - Bruise x3, HP x4 17 - Strong Man - Staggered, Unconscious 16 - Mongrel Angel - Unharmed, HP x3 15 - Jack of all Blades - Unharmed, HP x2 12 - Burn - Bruised x2 6 - Thad Minker - Unharmed, HP x4 2 - Force - Unharmed Attack roll vs Strong Man, DA/PA 5, DC 30 (1d20+4=9) Thank god Strong man was Stunned, that just barely hits. Strong Man Toughness save DC 30 (1d20+15=18) fail by 12, staggered again, he's out.

I'll go with Jester just so I can break him in all proper like.

GM ONLY POST "You know Jack... I think we got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you let me up so we can take it from the top hrmm?" asks Force as her eyes glow with power, and Jack feels a force in his mind compelling him to let her up. A veritable sonic boom is felt throughout the area as Dash runs back into the area and cracks the power sliding Breakdown upside the head with a bat at full speed. He skids to a halt turning to face Breakdown "Look at this. Just caved in your head, my bat's still dry. No clumps a' hair. Nothing. I mean look at you! Looks like you ran through traffic." after his taunts, he speeds off into the distance again.

That'll work. Alright, let's see... Force will use Mind Control on Jack, so DC 20 Will save there. The command is to release her from the pin. Dash is going to run back and try and take off Breakdown's power sliding head. Dash attack vs BD, DC 25 +1 per point it exceeds DEF, max of +5 (1d20+10=18) Due to the fact that Dash has Concealment while moving, BD is flat-footed by this attack. Dash will use Move by Action to be another mile or two away from the scene after his attack.