Ecalsneerg

Equinox eyed the ward pensively. "I think Nick should try to rope the beast. He's got more know-how when it comes to Voudoun creatures, and the best I could probably do is just tie it up just long enough for it to break free." She raised one hand towards the wall. "But the wards should go down if I hit them hard enough in the right place, and that's something I do know how to do. There should be a weak point, so if I start burning apart the 'threads', it'll unravel without too much trouble. Theoretically. But we've only really got the time for rough field work"

Conquest If conquest does not bind posterity, so neither can compact bind it. - Charlotte Smith Power Level: 13 (262PP) Trade-Offs: +3 Attack / -3 Damage (unarmed), -2 Attack / +2 Damage (chains), -2 Defense / +2 Toughness Abilities: 20 + 10 + 20 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 80PP Strength 30 (+10) Dexterity 20 (+5) Constitution 30 (+10) Intelligence 20 (+5) Wisdom 20 (+5) Charisma 20 (+5) Combat: 20 + 16 = 36PP Initiative: +5 Attack: +10, +11 ranged, +16 unarmed Grapple: +20, +26 with Super-Strength Defense: +12 (+8 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5, -14 with chains Saving Throws: 2 + 4 + 7 = 13PP Toughness: +15 (+10 Con, +5 chains [impervious 13]) Fortitude: +12 (+10 Con, +2) Reflex: +9 (+5 Dex, +4) Will: +12 (+5 Wis, +7) Skills: 52R = 13PP Intimidate 15 (+20) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 5 (+10) Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 10 (+15) Notice 10 (+15) Sense Motive 12 (+17) Feats: 14PP All-out Attack Attack Focus (Ranged) 1 Attack Specialisation (Unarmed) 3 Distract (Intimidate) Dodge Focus 4 Improved Disarm Improved Ranged Disarm Startle Powers: 6 + 58 + 15 + 8 + 17 + 2 = 106PP Comprehend 3 (herald of the apocalypse, all languages [speak/read/understand]) [6PP] (divine) Device 14 (The Chains of Conquest, Hard to Lose, 70 device points, Power Feats: Indestructible, Restricted 1 [Will +10 or more]) [58PP] The Power of Conquest Array 23 (46DP array, Power Feats: Alternate Power 2) [48PP] (binding, divine) Base Power: Blast 5 (lashing chains, Power Feats: Mighty 10) [20DP] linked to Trip 13 (Extras: Knockback [+1], Opposed By Strength [+0]) [26DP] [total 46DP] Alternate Power: Snare 15 (shackles of conquest, Extras: Regenerating [+1], Power Feats: Tether) [46DP] Alternate Power: Mind Control 15 (shackle the body, chain the mind, Extras: Conscious [+1], Effortless [+1], Flaws: Range - Ranged [-1]) [45DP] Protection 5 (armoured by chains, Extras: Impervious 13) [18DP] (binding, divine) Shield 4 (swat from the air) [4PP] (binding, divine) Force of Nature Array 6.5 (13PP array, Power Feats: Alternate Power 2) [15PP] (divine) Base Power: Emotion Control 13 (look upon me and despair; only allows inspiration of despair, hate and fear, Extras: Area - Perception [visual] [+1], Flaws: Range - Touch [-2]) [13PP] Alternate Power: Super-Strength 6 ("I crush worlds", Heavy load: 50 tons, Power Feats: Thunderclap) [13PP] Alternate Power: Super-Movement 3 (dimensional travel 3 [any dimension], Extras: Portal [+2]) [12PP] Flight 4 (white horse, 100 MPH) [8PP] (divine, horse???) Immunity 16 (Emotion Control, fear effects, life support, Power Feats: Innate) [17PP] (divine) Regeneration 2 (inherent part of the universe, Resurrection 2/day) [2PP] (divine) DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Chain Blast Range DC 30 Toughness (Staged) Damage, linked Trip 13 vs Strength Chain Snare Range DC 25 Reflex (Staged) Entangled/Bound Chain Control Touch DC 25 Will (Staged) Despair/Fear/Hate, Perception Area Abilities (80) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (13) + Feats (14) + Powers (106) - Drawbacks (0) = 262 Power Points Notes: Atop a white horse, the four Riders are led by Conquest. Clad in robes of dark midnight, stained even darker by the blood of a million opressed souls, he rides with a shining crown of white gold atop his head. His weapons are the chains of the oppressor, the shackles of the imprisoned. Conquest's chains are controlled by his will, and cannot be broken for more than a handful of seconds at a time. They writhe and twist about him, striking down attacks and foes with equal ease, twisting and coiling to restrain victims physically, or worse... subjugating them mentally. Conquest rides, and empires are brought beneath his heel. Conquest is the Horseman most marginalised by popular culture, in part because, well... he's a lot like War. This Conquest represents subjugation, oppression, and beating down the masses. Thus, he wields a mighty chain, which he uses to whip his foes, to shackle them, and ultimately to lord it over them. Which is why the Bible portrays him as wearing a crown. (Why can you use Strength to break free of his Indestructible chain's Snare? Regenerating Snare means it just reforms when you do it.) His chains are wrapped around him and can only be taken when he is rendered helpless (no small task), and commanded by his formidable will. Note that while nominally a close range weapon, the chains shrink and grow to such an extent that they're not even using Elongation anymore, they're just shooting back and forth like a projectile weapon. So they're Ranged. Also, notably, all the powers within his Chains have the binding descriptor, not just Snare. Lady Liberty and people with similar freedom-based powers can Nullify his attacks. And his protective powers. Also note that even when his array is tied up chaining down people, or using mind control, he can still do other thinfs with his standard action, like make everyone who can see him fall down and cry, or punching things. I'm just going to go with his 'horse' being a manifestation of his infernal power, so his big white horse is just part of his movement powers. And probably very likely one of the descriptors for his unarmed strike, so he can be busy hogtying one PC while his horse rides over another.

Geckoman nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure I could just pass myself off as a psychology student. Redye my hair a different colour, put on some specs with plain glass in the frames, and we could walk in and out the front door." He scratched at his mohawk. "Which is probably going to take me all night. That said, it's not like we'd be going there now anyway. I think we should get some rest before going in, just in case things go south. It's harder to resist your brain going screwy if you're tired."

Skill Mastery up 25 on K: Arcane to figure out the best way to bring down a ward.

Siobhan deposited Hayley on the floor calmly, ignoring the scowling animal's puffed up fur from joining the undead in leaning out the window. The witch pulled out her wand, slipping her pentacle around her neck as well. Muttering under her breath, her clothes swiftly turned into her costume and coat, her pentacle pushing an invisible field of magical wards about her, barely perceptible as a crackling in the air around her. "Aren't those the bulls with the... nevermind." She levelled her wand at the door. "Really, I'm not one for the subtle approach, so maybe our priority should be to get those guards out by blowing down the door and flash frying the giant death bull? Do it SWAT style, one of us opens the door, the other two open fire."

"Yeah, I know all about hubris," growled the great bird of prey. "And I suppose, in a way, that means that even though everything in me wants to crush your sternum, I know I don't need to." Arrowhawk laughed bitterly. "You're never going to sleep well again, are you? You'll see their faces. For the rest of your life." He towered over the prostrate scientist, fury in his eyes. "Will that... thing... come back?"

Equinox, breathing hard, lowered herself back to the ground before her concentration gave out and her levitation spell shattered. She just wasn't used to throwing magical punches so hard, and knelt on the ground for a good minute, breating steadily and trying to will her legs to begin working again. "I think Rene has a point," she gasped quietly. With a grunt and a supreme effort of will, she forced her aching body to stand up, and rolled her neck with an audible click. "Why don't we try divination? Although we can probably think of something more advanced than tea leaves."

Equinox spends a HP to become only Exhausted, not Unconscious.

"Hmmm," pondred the debonair diplodactylid, running a hand through his hair thoughtfully. Or at least trying to, his cunning scheme foiled by the dastardly gel and wax therein. "Sounds like someone's been working mind mojo, the asshole." His lips moved soundlessly, but rapidly, as Geckoman clearly thought over the issue. "Jack, do you know who Faith Wilkins was ir? Like, Dr Wilkins' wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, favourite aunt, that sort of thing?"

Unarchived at player request.

Entering the office, Geckoman knelt down on the floor beside the masked man and examined his face with a discerning eye, listening carefully to the man's words. It was the stillest and quietest any of them had ever seen the young man. "They really did a number," he said softly. And then he stood up and faced the group. In a lower voice he continued. "It's obvious he still has some conditioning left in there. Currently, his personality is stuck... well, somewhere in his head. The head bit's fairly obvious. And it's coming out of whatever door you guys made. But there's still a door, and it could still be slammed shut again. Get me?" He turned and knelt back down beside the Kevlar clad man. "Listen, dude, whatever you can tell us," he said gently, toying with the removed mask. Loss of identity by making him faceless, probably not going to help us. "We can nail whoever did this to you. Even if it seems half-remembered, or makes like no sense, or if you don't understand it, we can try to piece it together and find this guy. We need your help, uh... what's your name?"

Alright, Geckoman uses psychology degree! Behavioural Sciences check. (1d20+5=24)

Alright, :approved:

:approved:

:approved:

:Approved:

:approved:

I only have one issue... does she wear a costume or not? (The Claremont jumpsuit counts as a costume) You should probably state if she does or does not.

Equinox has 6 HP. However, she has to spend 1 one of these to make her Fatigued rather than Exhausted. This brings her down to 5 HP. And then she's going to use Extraordinary Effort again. This time, she's going to first use it for an Alternate Power: Drain Toughness 11 (Extras: Range - Ranged [+1], Flaws: Action - Full [-1]) [11PP] and Blast 11 (Extras: Penetrating [+1], Flaws: Action - Full [-1]) [22PP], with the Power Feats Knockback 2 [2PP] = 35PP total. The other use of Extra Effort given by Extraordinary Effort bumps this up to Rank 13. Which is one hell of a big, scary magical power, but my justification is this: fire, physically, is a powerful destructive force. Spiritually... ditto. Fire ends magic spells. And, since intent is important, wanting to use fire to scourge a spell, like the one knitting the Grue corpses into one big form, means that your fire can possibly do that. Also, it's like insanely hot fire. Equinox uses a lot of fire. This is a theme here. So, I'm also going to buy a Heroic Feat, Power Attack. Down to 4 Hero Points. And then I'm going to All-out Attack for 2 while Power Attacking for a full 5. The spell of death... DC 28 Fortitude for the Drain Toughness 13 effect, and DC 33 Toughness save for the Penetrating Blast 13 effect. (1d20+7=21) So, big boom. Also, Equinox will be Unconscious next round if she doesn't spend a HP, and until that round, is at Defence 18. Fun.

Equinox flinched and cartwheeled backwards through the air as the vicious ectoplasmic tentacle whirled around at her. Eyes screwed shut, she prepared for the worst... only to re-open her eyes to Dead Head lying crushed. "No..." Eying the massive beast angrily, she lifted her wand and didn't even bother speaking. She just channelled forth her anger, frustration, her tiredness, even channelled the sheer exhaustion seeping into her bones from using so much magic in such a short space of time. The magic exploded forth with such a heat that even the air boiled and simmered around the blast of flame, which whirled and sparked and twisted in a manner which was nothing like normal heat. The spiritual flame hit the giant mewling creation first, scourging the spells binding it into existence a little and leaving them worn and worried. Then the main body of fire struck and those weakened spells could do nothing to stop the main body of the creature turning to ash.

The witch slid her fingers down through the air, stopping briefly to move them in a circle when she thought she'd felt something. Gingerly, she pressed against the air, and for a brief moment it looked as though she was pressing her fingertips against a glass window as the skin was pressed flat. "There's a very faded trace here," she said softly, sliding her hand across the residual magic lingering in the air. "Probably a few months old. A ritual, but not very formal or structured," continued Siobhan as her hand momentarily slid forwards, then backwards as if tracing an invisible rollercoaster. "Summonings are pretty much always formal and structured, because if you want to call a demon, you want your cage to be well built."

Give my Ref pp to Geckoman. I'd also like to apologise for not doing my usual double checking of post count, but I'm exhausted. Arrowhawk Kilts & Kooks Equinox [Gorgon] Unwelcome Guests Maybe Baby Burnt Offerings Geckoman [Gorgon] Queen of Heaven Public Anomie

Nothing, he uses sonic weapons :D

Due to shenanigans, I will be away Friday to Sunday. If the shenanigans kick off badly (or awesomely) enough, it may be Tuesday upon which I return. Ecalsneerg is going to hit Glasgow so hard it is no longer able to hit back.

Chapter One In Which We Meet Our Protagonist While it was with my head that I impacted the roof slates, the pain seemed to spread across my entire body. I slid down the rooftop, uttering obscenities as I slid along the rough material, until I reached the edge and proceeded to free fall. It was then perhaps lucky for me that some considerate costermonger had left a crate full of ripe oranges in that particular place. Rolling from my landing in a hail of splinters and orange juice, I immediately checked my pocket for my cargo, and proceeded to sprint down the street, ignoring the incredulous stares of the passers-by. Honestly, it was if a man falling from a window and landing on the street wasn't an everyday occurrence. And then one of the cobbles exploded behind me. As a shard of flying stone embedded itself in my ankle, I stumbled and for the second time in less than a minute found myself rolling along the ground. I glanced up at the window where I'd come leaping forth from. A portly gentleman with a truly magnificent moustache and a large hunting rifle leaned forth from it, aiming intently at where I lay. As the second shot fired, I rolled and narrowly avoided being shot in the heart as a second cobblestone shattered from the force of a powerful bullet. Apparently the household had not taken kindly to me stealing their possessions. So I once more leapt to my feet and sprinted through the now-panicking crowd, shoulder barging past tradesmen, rolling between the legs of startled horses, and trampling laid-out goods in my haste. But the crowd was simply hindering me at this stage of the panic, especially as two more shots fired overhead. I wasn't progressing anywhere fast, and thus had to resort to a second option. I turned sharply to my right, and sprinted straight towards a sheer brick wall. Practised momentum carried me up the wall far enough to push my feet off the ground floor window ledge. I lightly sprang up and grabbed the next window ledge, pulling myself up and rolling so that I crashed through the glass and landed on my feet in the room behind it. Well, until I slid on the soapy water on the ground. When my head finally stopped ringing from the constant impacts with solid surfaces, my ears began to ring from the high-pitched female scream emanating from somewhere near me. Scrabbling across the floor, I tried to avert my eyes from the woman bathing just a few feet from me. “Sorry, ma'am, urgent business,†I said, slipping and sliding on the tiles. “Won't trouble you for long.†Finally, I managed to make it to the door, dragging myself to my feet with my hands pressed against the wooden frame. Only to get knocked on my back again as the door burst inwards and a manservant with a venerable looking cavalry sabre forced his way in to defend his mistress. I sighed. Just what I needed. I rolled backwards and sprang to my feet to avoid the sweeping slash which ended up only carving a swathe into the floor. The man was clearly possessed of a good many decades, but his grizzled, scarred face and grim countenance pointed to him clearly being some form of ex-soldier. I didn't want to be caught up fighting him, as unarmed and tired as I was. Yet I didn't want to severely injure him either, he was only doing his job after all. I tried to bare that in mind as I ducked a sweeping horizontal swipe, my right hand shooting out to grab the man's arm as my whole body twisted around, flinging the servant around and behind me. A swift kick to the shins sent him sliding to the wet floor, and I was off once more, running out into the corridors of the house. I grinned as the maid screamed and ducked into a side room as she saw the madman running through the house, leaping up and onto her abandoned tea trolley. My momentum carried myself and the trolley rolling down the hall and towards the stairs leading down to the entrance. Another servant stood at the foot of the stairs, a battered old service revolver held in his hand. Damn and blast. This looked about to become an even trickier situation. Some days, I just didn't have any luck. So I did what any self-respecting criminal would do, and improvised a distraction. My bowler hat was aimed well, and he had to lift an arm to swipe it away from his face. Which was when I kicked my feet upwards just as I reached the staircase, the trolley lifting up and off the ground. Crockery shattered and metal clanged as the trolley bounced down the stairs, forcing the gunman to jump to the side to avoid it. Which is when I came sliding down the bannister, flying down them at speed and vaulting over the mess I'd just caused to continue my mad flight towards the door. A bullet ricocheted inches from my left ear as I pulled open the door and bounded out into the street once more. Right into the arms of two somewhat angry looking policemen. Both of them were stocky looking gentlemen, their truncheons held ready to apprehend the dangerous criminal causing havoc on the streets. Evidently, crashing through the window had alerted them to my position. Thankfully, surprise was still on my side. Not many officers of the law expect their quarry to run out of their hiding hole clean into their grasp. So I kicked the left one hard in both shins and shoulder barged the man to the ground. His partner growled and swung his truncheon into the small of my back. Ouch. That hurt. “Hand yourself in, son!†he snarled as he advanced towards me, weapon held in front of him. “You're in more than enough trouble to see you locked away for a long while.†As if I didn't know that already. My back was hurting considerably, and I could only turn to face him and back away unsteadily. “Listen, officer,†I said, hands held out in front of me. “There has clearly been some form of misunderstanding. Maybe if we talked about this, we could-†“No,†came the gruff answer, cutting me off. How rude. At least let a gentleman finish his sentence before dismissing his ideas. To punctuate his course opinion, he lunged at me, his length of sturdy oak held high in front of him. So I stepped into his guard and kneed him in the groin. Don't judge me for that, dear reader, for I know it isn't the best thing to do to a respectable law-abiding citizen. But he hit me with his truncheon. I was not in the best temper with the man. I followed up my strike with a quick one-two to the officer's rib cage, finally spinning just as his partner rose to his feet and came at me. I forward flipped over his head, landing back to back and jabbing my elbow backwards to the base of his skull. Without pausing to gauge his reaction, I fled. Now, you probably have an impression of myself as being somewhat of a coward from all the running I have thus described. And, yes. I am. You do not get ahead in my line of business by sticking around to get into a bout of fisticuffs, especially when you're in the middle of a job. So, yes. I ran. Through the streets, down alleyways, heading down towards the Thames like the hounds of Hell were at my feet. I barely paused to take stock of my surroundings, I was moving so intently, and so quickly. Which is how the Scarlet Swordsman managed to get the drop on me. He burst forth from behind a small cart of eggs, and caused me to near drop dead of shock and fright. And swiftly after those emotions hit me, cold terror began to creep up my spine. Reader, you will inevitably be familiar with England's tradition of masked mystery men, thwarting crimes and protecting the so-called innocent wherever they tread. And you will likely have heard of the Scarlet Swordsman. Clad all over in crimson leather (no, not scarlet, I have an eye for these things. It makes it easier to prioritise what would be more valuable and thus whether to steal it), and hidden behind a domino mask, no one knew who he was, or from whence he hailed. But his skill with a rapier was to my knowledge unparalleled. There were tales in my circles of men who had valiantly, and idiotically, tried to fight him. Not a single one had ever defeated him, and as he came at me at near inhuman speeds, I could understand why. Without injuring me, he managed to sweep his sword in front of my shins and trip me using the incredibly sharp looking metal blade. “Halt!†came his commanding voice, a deep bass which brooked no disobedience or contradiction. And, unfortunately, I have this problem with authority. Which is perhaps why, despite knowing how suicidal this ploy was, I landed on my hands and spun my legs around in a whip-like motion, catching the mystery man on the chin. As he was thrown sideways from the force of my blow, I continued my roll forwards, coming to my feet in a loose fighting stance, legs spread to balance myself and my fists bobbing to and fro before my face, facing my foe as he brought himself into a similar stance. I was going to die. That was my only thought as I engaged the world's deadliest swordsman in a fist fight. And yet idiot pride forced me to keep doing it. The Swordsman's first strike was flawless, aimed at my chest at just the right angle to maximise damage, while not leaving any opening for a smart opponent to exploit. Except for one. He still had to hold his sword in his hand. And, as fast as he was, I was no slouch in that department, grabbing his wrist and twisting it hard. The blade spun like the hand on a clock, rotating out of any position to harm me. Any satisfaction this momentary victory had brought me was swiftly dispelled by my vision going white with pain as my nose suddenly felt like it had exploded. The bastard had head butted me before I could even react. A thick boot stomped on my left foot, shooting more of that atrocious white hot agony shooting up my leg. Somehow, I contrived to keep clinging to the Swordsman's sword hand, even as white stars circled around my visual field. I aimed a clumsy right hook at him, but he simply swivelled his wrist back around, even with the force I was exerting on it, and parried my punch with the flat of his blade. “A nice effort,†he commented quietly. “You're uncommonly fast, I must commend that.†“Thank you,†I said graciously... or as graciously as one could manage in such circumstances. My entire body ached. My head was still pounding from the roof and my torso had collided with so many surfaces that I was sure to be an elegant tapestry of bruising tomorrow morning. My foot ached, and I could taste the warm blood flooding forth from my nose. So I just let the pain wash over me, my legs crumpling beneath me. I lay there with that vicious blade held to my throat as the police arrived, shackling me and roughly manhandling me into the back of a carriage. Damn.