Avenger Assembled

"She told me once that one of the greatest gifts Dagon and Hydra gave their children was the power to love one another," said Vale, a smile tugging faintly at her lips. "And she meant it. Honestly I think she may be the Deep One equivalent of a supervillain, a deviant who's only able to find a home among the enemies of her people. But she's been a fascinating source for post-Deluge Lemurian culture; my next book actually looks at apocalyptic practices in Deep One religion as an outgrowth of their post-Lemurian status..." She shook her head, waving the conversation away. "Deep Ones are fundamentally driven by group instincts. As far as I've been able to tell, the people of this city are her group now. As far as what she's like, well, she can be loud and emotionally labile, but that's not uncommon among metahumans in my experience."

"Both you and Aquaria were being tested," said Vale frankly. "We only have her word about her activities before she first appeared in Freedom City, which has been a subject of concern - particularly as she still practices the traditional Deep One religion. She arrived in Freedom City shortly after the invasion. She was held in Blackstone for some time before being granted a supervised release. There were some concerns about a Deep One being active here, but she has defended the city and its inhabitants on several occasions, particularly during the recent Terminus outbreak. All that's on the public record." Vale pursed her lips for a moment, then said, "If you would like to speak to her, she's outside."

Ashley shot Corinne a look as black as her eyebrows. "Charmed," she growled through gritted teeth at Davyd. "Hello!" said her sister warmly, her eyes seeming to light up at the sight of Davyd. "Ah'm Judy Smith, risin' sophomore, and this is mah sister Ashley. She's a little older than me," she added with a bright smile, "but we're in the same class, hah-hah!" She introduced Davyd to Monica and Leroy, reaching down to take the second boy's hand as she said, "Welcome to Claremont! It gets a little crazy around here sometimes but we're all good friends. Ah think you'll like it here."

Judy stepped away into the arcade, where once she was out of sight of her friends, she immediately took out her phone - and was confronted with the horrifying sight of a red, blinking battery on the front. "Ah, you stupid thing!" she hissed. Why didn't I bring my battery? She had her emergency transponder, of course, but if she used that to send a signal, she'd never hear the end of it. She looked around for a moment, then stepped into the shadows between two machines. Closing her eyes, she reached out, concentrated, and began muttering to herself. "Gotta hit the right frequency, gotta hit the right frequency...there!" Tuning out the noise in her head as best she could, she rubbed her temples while muttering, "Everything is okay," she communicated, "everything is fine. I will talk to you after the movie..." When she was done, she stepped out, her head aching, and wished she could drink a glass of water without puking it up afterwards. With a little sigh, she slumped down by the air hockey table and fished around for the cord in her pocket. Maybe she could get a little charge on her phone while she was waiting for her friends to buy snacks. Behind her, a lanky young man with short-cut hair had gone from idly scanning the room to staring at the weird muttering girl. He considered things for a moment, then took out his phone to send a text. I THINK I SAW A GIRL WHO NEEDS HELP.

Sea Devil wasn't sure what to say next. She knew it would be impolite to tell Dead Head that he smelled awful, but he really did. With her helmet down, she couldn't really smell him, but what else could she talk about with the animate corpse of a dead Surface-Man. She considered for a moment, then said, "What happened to you when you died?" she asked curiously. "Not what made you dead, but after that."

"Dammit Frost!" And with Siren's words, Archeville fell into a familiar place - darkness. When Dr. Archeville opened his eyes again, he was laying on his back in Freedom Hall's small clinic. At his side was Cassandra Vale, her Siren guise tucked away, stately in an ageless way that belied just how long she'd been active as a hero. "Hello, Viktor," she said as he awoke. It was quiet in here, but there was activity outside; unlike in a more conventional doctor's office, they at least had the room to themselves. "I'm sorry about that. Your reaction was - not expected."

Aquaria stared and stared at the man, acutely aware that Siren and Frost were looking at her, and the man was looking at her. He smelled bizarre, like flesh and metal together, but why was everyone looking at her? She peered intently at him, hoping that someone would say something soon! "Hello Viktor," offered Siren, giving him a calm, professional smile that reminded him just how long Cassandra Vale had been a superhero. "I'm glad you're here. This is Aquaria Innsmouth, she's been a superhero here in Freedom for quite some time. Aquaria, this is Viktor Archeville, but you know him as-." "I know." This name Aquaria did know, suddenly recognizing the man she had never seen with her own eyes. She leaned back into her crouch and flexed the muscles of her throat involuntarily, producing a noticeable bulge. When she spoke, it was with a distinct hiss. "R'K'Vll." She gave a low, audible thrum after she spoke the words.

Frost's grip was strong and cold, his smile ready and just a little predatory. "Oh, well, I am sure they will have much to say to you!" He clapped Archeville on the shoulder. "Is just me and chickens today. Oh and Siren but she is with friend. Come, there is someone I want you to meet." He led the way past Cynthia, winking at the robot as they went, and led Archeville to an elevator - one that went up, rather than down. "Your pardon, Herr Doktor," he said sociably, "but I must beg your indulgence on small personal matter. There is individual of some interest to League who I have long thought you should meet." The elevator led them up to an office corridor, the sort of place the League used for teaching and meetings with the general public rather than fellow superheroes. Everything seemed mundane enough, but a distinct, oddly familiar bass sound was coming through the doors. "After you, " suggested Frost, stepping back to let Archeville enter the room first. Inside the briefing room, Aquaria was regaling Siren with tales, crouching on top of the table with her hind legs folded behind her. "...and when I woke up, my pillow was-" Spreading her arms wide, she looked up as the door opened, staring at the Surface-Man entering with big goggle eyes, her wide mouth set in a frown. She was all but nude at the moment, her armor under repair by the League, her trident resting against the table as she gestured grandly. The lights were turned down low in deference to her eyes, which glowed faintly with reflected light from the door. She sniffed the air with her great nostrils, the sound like a seal snorting. Well this man smelled bizarre, but didn't all Surface-Men? The Deep One, for that was clearly what she was, stared at Archeville unblinkingly.

Ashley pursed her lips disapprovingly, but didn't say anything as Judy smiled at Leroy. "Leroy, that is...look at you!" She blushed and looked around, as if they were about to be scolded by someone for how Leroy was dressed. "You're hardly wearing anything." Biting her lip, she was about to say something else before Ashley handed her leather jacket to Leroy, shooting her sister a look that was hard to read. Ashley had made sure to take her gear out before she'd handed over the jacket, and resumed the process of fastening it to her belt. She was wearing a heavy T-shirt with the logo of a snarling wolf on the front, the bulk in her torso suggesting she was wearing body armor as usual. With a little sigh, Judy patted Leroy's arm and said, "Ah'm doing just fine. We're gonna make sure we give this new guy a show he won't forget." "Right," said Ashley laconically. "So what was in your sights tonight?" she asked Leroy brusquely. "Anything tough?"

"Well, all right, that movie did look pretty funny." Judy had to admit the cartoon didn't sound too bad - and since Danica had suggested it, she didn't have to feel like a sheltered little kid. "We should do something exciting after the movie, though." Once they were inside the theater, she took a look at the ample snack section, then glanced behind her automatically. Blinking a few times, she stepped past the crowd gathering for the matinee showings, and offered, "Ah'm gonna go play in the arcade," she said nervously, "Ah'll just meet you guys inside the theater."

How many of the minions could she plausibly hit with Takedown Attack, @RocketLord?

"Viktor, hello." The temperature in the room dropped noticeably, and turning around Archeville was confronted by the most famous hero of the Soviet Union - Comrade Frost. Frost had been with the Peoples' Heroes the last time Archeville had been active among the heroes of Freedom City, but he'd heard of the decades-long career of the Russian hero even then. "I am glad you could be here today," said Frost diplomatically, hands buried inside the voluminous parka of his costume. Frost looked a bit like a man dressed for the icy cold, as befit a man with his fantastic cryokinetic abilities. "Have you been well?"

"Ah think we're supposed to wait for the headmistress," said Judy. "This new guy must be pretty special," she opined, "if he's gettin' all three of us for his tour!" Ashley had not been informed of the full details, which she knew had unsettled her bodyguard a bit. "Another brick in Summers' wall, huh?" said Ashley with a dismissive shrug. She took a moment to snap her sensor back together, then hooked it to her belt. So many people at the school complained about her habit of scanning them, but nobody'd ever complained about it. Attitude or not, she hung back, the better to let Judy actually have the conversation.

With no one around to impress, Ashley was leaning casually against the wall outside Summers's office, tweaking one of her belt sensors. As perfectly coiffed as her own considerable talents could manage, Judy Smith was sitting in one of the big wooden chairs outside the office, legs folded neatly in front of her. This sort of thing was something she could do in her sleep, even if she didn't know who exactly they were going to be showing around campus just yet. She let her eyes unfocus for a moment, listening to the sounds of the datasphere all around her, and lost herself in the patterns of heat and light that no one else could see. It was good, if only for a moment, to relax.

PL: 10 (150) Gale al-Darsah Abilities: 4 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 4 + 8 = 24 pp STR 24 [14] (+7/+2) DEX 24 [14] (+7/+2) CON 24 [14] (+7/+2) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 18 (+4) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 pp ATK: +6 (+7 Melee) DEF: +9/+7 (+1 Dodge, +2 Shield, +3 Base), +3 flat-footed Grapple: +14 Init: +7 Knockback: -5/-3 Saves: 0 + 0 + 5 = 5 pp TOU +11/+7 (+7 Con, +4 Defensive Roll) FORT +7 (+7 Con) REF +7 (+7 Dex) WILL +7 (+2 Wis, +5) Skills: 48 r=12 pp Acrobatics 3 (+10, SM) Bluff 11 (+15, SM) Concentration 3 (+5) Diplomacy 6 (+10, SM) Intimidate 6 (+10, SM) Knowledge (Current Events) 5 (+5) Language 1 (Arabic [base], English) Notice 3 (+5) Sense Motive 3 (+5) Sleight of Hand 3 (+10) Stealth 3 (+10) Feats: 16 pp Acrobatic Bluff Attack Focus: Melee 1 Dodge Focus 1 Evasion Fascinate (Bluff) Favored Environment (Underwater) Inspire 4 Leadership Power Attack Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate) Takedown Attack Taunt Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Powers: 4 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 3 + 3 + 16 + 13 = 69 pp Device 1 (Walking Stick, Flaw: Easy to Lose, PF: Subtle [looks normal]) [4PP] Enhanced Feats 2 (Defensive Roll 2) [2DP] Feature 1 (Computer) [1DP] Shield 2 [2DP] 2 + 1 + 2 = 5DP Enhanced CON 10 (to CON 24/+7) [10PP] Enhanced DEX 10 (to DEX 24/+7) [10PP] Enhanced STR 10 (to STR 24/+7) [10PP] Flight 1 (10MPH/100FPM, PF: Subtle) [3PP] Immunity 3 (drowning, environmental heat, pressure) [3PP] Luck Control 3 (cancel HP expenditure of others, give someone else HP, spend HP for someone else, PFs: Luck 7) [16PP] Might of the al-Darsah Family Array 5 (10PP, PFs: Alternate Powers 3) [13PP] BE: Damage 6 (fiery strike, PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2, Improved Crit, Mighty) [10/10] AP: Create Object 2 (creation, Extra: Duration [Continous], PFs: Innate, Progression 1 [10 ft by 10 ft]) + Enhanced Feat 2 (Quick Change 2) [10/10] AP: Healing 1 (Extras: Action [Standard], Total, PFs: Persistent, Regrowth) [8/10] AP: Insubstantial 2 (smokeless fire) [10/10] costs abilities 24 + combat 24 + saves 5 + skills 12/48 + feats 16 + powers 69 = 150 pts Notes: Just for fun, here's Gale al-Darsah, a future child of Edge and Monsoon who has popped up in a few threads. Gale doesn't quite wield the vast power of their parents and siblings (political or otherwise) but they're very good-looking and they like to get into trouble, so that's a lifestyle choice right there. Gale has been around superpowers all their life and is better at planning and thinking than you'd imagine from their devil-may-care demeanor, and is actually a good asset to a team when they can get their head out of their ass and actually do it. The bulk of their powers they use for special effects and making fun things, but when they need to they can turn into smokeless fire and pass through doors, or set their hands and feet on fire and start punching people. They're the peak of genetic perfection because Mother used the greatest power to make sure she had the greatest children. Mother always liked planning things, but Father never did, and here they are now. You could use this build for any trickster-type character you want, just mix up the things they can actually do.

"Oh, the ice man? I do not like the way he sounds but he is not an enemy." She lightly tapped her trident against the ground, then said, "Comrade Frost is his name. He lives in Freedom Hall. Sometimes his lover visits him there, the one who is the champion of the Surface volcano gods." Great Ghatanothoa, who waited Below for when the lands would erupt, but who helped create through fire was not really a god Surfacers worshiped. "I have been there, but you should tell people you are coming, or they will shoot you. Sometimes people do that," she said, her croaking tones sounding apologetic, "if they think you are an enemy."

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). This topic will automatically close on the seventh day of the following month at Midnight EST. 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'. 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. 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. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in your post counts being postponed or skipped completely. If you missed the deadline, see this thread.

Judy looked over Danica's shoulder and considered her options. She knew she didn't want to see the movies about Captain Wonder or Halogen, because the last thing she wanted to see a movie about superheroes. She was fairly sure her friends wouldn't be interested in seeing the Christian movie...and when she really thought about it, in her heart of hearts, she had to admit she'd seen plenty of movies like that on her own. Mama is probably going to play that for us when I go back for summer anyway, she thought - and suddenly realized how much she wasn't looking forward to that. Shaking her head, she pushed herself back into the conversation. This was supposed to be a normal outing, where she didn't feel like everyone was looking at her for once. She wondered for a moment if anyone wanted to see the Stephen King movie, but she'd never actually seen a rated-R movie and wasn't going to be the first one to suggest it. "Let's go see Five Feet Apart," she said, "it's supposed to be real good, and Cole Sprouse is really cute!"

Lady Horus hesitated - and then boomed "Razzle-dazzle!", the word sounding strange in her operatic tone and distinct Received Pronunciation accent. The word provoked a curse inside Wadjet's helmet, a moment before Esperanza broke from cover and charged the big man at the door. With a flick of her wrist, she pulled a butterfly knife from her sleeve and stabbed the cultist in the belly, a strike that skidded off something without doing any appreciable damage. The big man seemed to take in his new prey - Lady Horus was stepping up behind Dr. Thorne. "Hold thy head," she commented as she put her hand on the back of Thorne's head. "We move!" And then suddenly they both were moving, a golden streak that vanished from sight as it whizzed past Wadjet and the big man at the door, straight inside the room that he was guarding. Once inside, Horus stopped to deposit Thorne, then brought her ankh together on the back of his head again with an audible thunk. "Idiot," sneered Wadjet as she slipped her knife back into her sleeve.

A few minutes went by and they were free of the school, past the city parks near the Claremont campus that helped shield the campus from prying eyes, and walking the streets of Bayview without any escorts at all. For all that the expedition had been Judy's idea, she hung back a little as the unlikely group headed down the sidewalk, sending a quick text before firmly shoving her phone in her pocket after turning off the ringer. She smiled at everyone, first her big beauty queen smile, then a bit softer as she added, "Ah've never even been on a train, much less gone to a mall by mahself before," she said as they made their way into the Uber, a red station wagon driven by a youngish-looking guy in a flannel shirt with sunglasses.

Done

The gas precipitated out of the sky as it approached Frost (who had suddenly become cold indeed in mien and atmosphere), falling around him like so much poisonous snow. Frost was struck by the way the light from overhead passed through the crystals, all colors thanks to what was surely toxic chemicals in the mist, and found himself absurdly moved by its beauty. For the second or two it took him to remove his gloves (the last clothing he wore over his torso) he wanted to comment on the beauty of the scene to the Hornet, and perhaps invite him back down to finish their conversation. But then the moment passed quickly, and he gestured toward the sky, ice beginning to form on the ceiling and man above as Frost opened the gateway inside himself to the ever-burning cold of Hel's realm. "So. Done with talk, then," he murmured, mostly to himself.

Sea Devil paused, then set down her trident on the ground, butt-end first. "That is good," she croaked after a moment's pause, having modulated her tone slightly, reducing her voice to a low rumble. "I have met dead people here," she said. "There is the ice man, the one who mates with the volcano woman, and I have heard that there are others. I have not met one like you." She leaned close and peered at Dead Head. "Some dead things are monsters hungry for flesh and souls," she said, "but I do not think that is you. Not everything is like the thing that it is." If Jessie were here she probably would have helped her hit the thing, but that was what one did for friends.

All right, well, I'll keep with the manuever; she'll go for her knife with Cultist 2, then.

Wadjet steps out and stabs Cultist 1! http://orokos.com/roll/715644 = 28! That is a DC 19 Toughness save for him.