Avenger Assembled

Everything is fine inside the building, except what's inside the heads of people there. Midnight can tell that there is something screwy going on inside the mental structure of the building; an ongoing effect that's reaching out into the minds of everyone there. It's definitely controlling them into sleeping, but it's hard to tell if that's the only thing it's doing. (i.e. he can't tell if it's JUST a sleep command, or is it a deeper control effect?) It's a technological effect, one that's being produced from along one edge of the building (not the one he's at currently), near the windows that overlook Liberty Park.

Around the back, Fusion and Midnight both were able to peer into windows and figure out what was going on inside, or at the very least make some informed guesses. Though the slumped bodies in the corner office and inside the loading office, respectively, looked for a second like a scene from a murderous charnel house, a closer look revealed that the people inside were still breathing, just mysteriously unconscious. Joan muttered a curse as she watched invisibly, thinking about the people inside and all the toxic fumes they were no doubt absorbing, speculating with disgust about what Otaku might do with lots of unconscious people. But on closer inspection, she (and Midnight above) noted something decidedly odd about the unconscious people inside. "Wait, that longshoreman obviously didn't drop that box," Fusion muttered to herself, "and that clerk should have fallen out of that desk, not just laid down next to it. It's as if they're asleep...or as if they _chose_ to lay down..." Outside, Gabriel and Fleur's display (which would later be one of the most popular Freedom City Herotube videos of the week by a wide margin) soon got the attention of Doc Otaku, who had rapidly gone from tormentor to tormented. "You...you perverts!" a voice suddenly screamed out from the building's loudspeakers as Otaku hastily reordered its outdoor broadcasting systems, usually used so people could watch GBN shows even without being near a TV. "First you stop my broadcast, then you mutilate my beautiful robot babes!" He was looking disheveled as he shouted into the microphone, a tentacle from an off-camera robot patting him comfortingly on the shoulder. "Well, I'll show you! My Fusion androids are on their way to pummel you right now, and after that I'll make robot friends that look just like you!"

Mimic PL: 10 (150) Abilities: 28 pp STR 30 [18] (+10/+4) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 14 (+2) Combat: 28 pp ATK: +6 (+10 Melee) DEF: +10 (+4 flat-footed) Init: +6 Grapple: +14/? Saves: 10 pp TOU +10 (+4 Con, +6 Density/Protection) FORT +6 (+4 Con, +2) REF +6 (+2 Dex, +4) WILL +6 (+2 Wis, +4) Skills: 16 pp=64 r Bluff 8 (+10) Concentration 13 (+15) Diplomacy 3 (+5) Drive 3 (+5) Knowledge: History 5 (+5) Knowledge: Physical Sciences 5 (+5) Languages 3 (pick three) Notice 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Stealth 8 (+10) Feats: 17 pp All-Out Attack Attack Focus: Melee (4) Dodge Focus (2) Improved Initiative Luck (3) Move-By Action Power Attack Takedown Attack (2) Ultimate Save (Toughness) Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Powers: 51 pp Immunity 3 (aging, disease, poison) [3 pp] Object Mimicry 6 (Extra: Reaction [+2]) [48 pp] {30} Equipment: 10 ep Cell Phone [1 ep] Motorcycle [9 ep] costs abilities 28 + combat 28 + saves 10 + skills 16/64 + feats 17 + powers 51 = 150 pts --- Design Notes: This is my build for a Mimic, a very generic character type that I’ve tried to give some bite. The tough thing about characters with variable powers is that they cost so many points that it’s tough to build characters with a solid voice for them without a background. Unlike the corebook Mimic, this guy can’t absorb powers from other heroes or bad guys (something that’s not a lot of fun to play), rather, he gets his powers like the Absorbing Man in Marvel or Amazing Man in DC: he touches a solid object and absorbs some of its abilities. I’ve gone with the assumption that his base power is some metal like iron or steel, but he can copy anything he touches. One thing I’ve done here that may not fly for you is I’ve bought his Object Mimicry up to a Reaction: this means he doesn’t actually have to take an action to change his allocation. He can do things like get hit by a flame blast and turn into fire, becoming immune to the hit, get exposed to poison gas and turn into gas himself, and the like: this is obviously a very powerful ability. As a GM, I’d make sure to keep an eye on it. (i.e.; “No, you can’t take an immunity to bullets because someone shot you, no, you can’t change allocations multiple times a round, just like what the book says,” etc). If this doesn’t fly for you, just give him Object Mimicry 8 (since Reaction is a +2 extra for this power) and have 40 points to play with rather than 30: it’s a loss, but you won’t complain too much about having another ten points to spend! I figure this guy’s an experienced superhero given his powers, one who’s refined his abilities by long practice well enough to be able to use them so quickly. He’s a pretty competent PL 7 action hero without his powers, but suddenly becomes very powerful indeed when his powers come on: again, a sign of how long he’s been in this game. Tweak him by giving him different Mimic powers if you want, but I think Object Mimicry is the most heroic. Not that it’s a sin to copy other people’s powers, but you the player will feel cooler if you’re getting something from your own talents rather than by copying someone else.

"Physical contact that works across a legion of species suggests that armor as such will need to be specially prepared. Beyond that...I don't know." As he stepped into the darkened room with her, his shoulders slumped, the drone looked almost defeated, as if oppressed by the remembered world around him. "I saw him work, but rarely saw any resist. By the time any came this far..." He took a deep breath, the sound rendered tinny and mechanical by his armor. "I should tell you to turn back." Harrier said suddenly. "That there is no mercy here, that this is a place where heroes die in agony, or become the monsters they despised. But if you can pull down these walls and slay the monster within, even for a day, an hour...come prepared for this, child. If you would fight the greatest monsters, you have the greatest responsibility."

Bogatyr III PL: 10 (150) Abilities: 52 pp STR 24 (+7) DEX 18 (+4) CON 24 (+7) INT 10 (+0) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 20 (+5) Combat: 24 pp ATK: +6 (+8 melee) DEF: +8 (+3 flat-footed) Init: +8 Grapple: +15 Saves: 7 pp TOU +12 (+7 Con, +5 Protection) FORT +8 (+7 Con, +1) REF +6 (+4 Dex, +2) WILL +7 (+3 Wis, +4) Skills: 16 pp=64 r Bluff 12 (+17) Climb 4 (+11) Diplomacy 4 (+9) Intimidate 8 (+13) Knowledge: Civics 6 (+6) Knowledge: History 6 (+6) Languages 2 (English, German) (Base: Russian) Ride 4 (+8) Survival 6 (+9) Feats: 18 pp Attack Focus: Melee 2 Benefit (Hero of the People) Dodge Focus 2 Improved Initiative Inspire 5 Leadership Luck Move-By Action Power Attack Rallying Cry Takedown Attack Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Powers: 33 pp Immunity 10 (Aging, Life Support) [10 pp] Impervious Toughness 10 [10 pp] Leaping 1 (x2) [1 pp] Speed 1 (10 MPH) [1 pp] Strike 5 (PF: Mighty) [6 pp] 'magic sword' Protection 5 [5 pp] 'magic armor' costs abilities 52 + combat 24 + saves 7 + skills 16/64 + feats 18 + powers 33 = 150 pts --- Design Notes: This is my speculative build for the Bogatyr legacy, the father-son team of heroes who are the only actually mentioned Soviet/Russian-bloc heroes in the Freedom City universe. The name and timing of the character’s appearance (in the Golden Age) suggested to me a legacy similar to the Mystic Knight’s; a magical hero wielding a mystic blade and shielded by bulletproof armor, shielded from the slings and arrows of the world in his quest to rid the motherland of Nazis. So I made this guy, a tough melee combatant who’s also bulletproof and a very good leader. You could tweak the archetype in various ways, certainly, but I was trying here to cover all the bases. I built this character with the idea that it could stand in for any member of the Bogatyr legacy, either the Golden and Silver Age versions of the character, his successor, or maybe a new Russian hero to carry the title. Freedom City is a low PL universe; a PL 10 guy is still pretty darn formidable. So how did this guy beat the Centurion? Through sneakiness (high Bluff), good teamwork (Inspire, Rallying Cry, and Leadership), and by sharing a mutual understanding with the Man of Adamant about the nature of duty and honor. Maybe Bogatyr’s masters were less honorable than those who cared for the Centurion’s movements, but both men knew what it meant to be a leader, as well as the necessity of giving everything they had to save the day. Freedom City doesn’t do very well with international heroes, so having another around is definitely a good thing. This character is probably the leader of the current Russian super-team if he’s currently active, so might make a better NPC...but OTOH, what a great story if he isn’t! As a PC, this character is like Captain America’s time as Nomad, roaming the world in the name of justice, beholden to no man and no cause save duty, honor, and defending the downtrodden against the powers that seek to do them harm. In short, if this guy does become a PC, he’s very much on a Knight’s Quest...

"Tomorrow," said the muscular man in the well-tailored suit, "I am told that you and the others will be touring the King's facilities at the very heart of the mountain. It's a great honor," explained the gentleman who practically radiated 'bodyguard', "as few outsiders, even superheroes, have had the honor of seeing the Heart of Dakana. You must be especially trusted by his Majesty." The word of the White Lion was evidently good enough for the people of Dakana, and no one raised any issues about the teen heroes visiting what was evidently a sacred site. After the massive meal culminated in a dessert made somehow entirely out of goat's milk cream, Dakanan-grown coffee and chocolate, served in a bed of melons, the teens and their hosts began the process of rolling their way back to their rooms.

"All right, we'll..." Fusion looked around, tentacles waving, then gave a short laugh. "Guess Midnight's answered that question. You two sort things out, I'll be going around the back. His robots are powerful, get help if you haven't fought them before. Easiest thing to do is hit them as a team. If you can teleport in _after_ he sees you, that's even better: that'll get him looking." She whipped out a tentacle and snatched the flower from Fleur, her gesture quick despite all the power behind it. "Thanksssss...." And with that she vanished herself, her skin shifting in color and tone to match the landscape behind her, a quickly invisible blur as she whipped up a long tentacle and headed around to the other side of the building, landing quickly by a rear loading dock. It was quiet inside; too quiet. What was going on?

Harrier Attacks the Snare: 23 That's at least a DC 32 TOU save for the Snare, depending on its Defense. If that doesn't do it, Harrier will surge and hit it again.

Mark passes the Fort save Are we in posts?

Telekinetic PL: 10 (150) Abilities: 28 pp STR 14 (+2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 16 (+3) INT 10 (+0) WIS 16 (+3) CHA 16 (+3) Combat: 20 pp ATK: +4 DEF: +10 (+3 flat-footed Init: +7 Grapple: +6/+20 Saves: 11 pp TOU +10 (+3 Con, +7 Force Field) FORT +6 (+3 Con, +3) REF +6 (+3 Ref, +3) WILL +8 (+3 Wis, +5) Skills: 15 pp=60 r Bluff 12 (+15) Concentration 7 (+10) Diplomacy 12 (+15) Gather Information 7 (+10) Intimidate 6 (+9) Knowledge: Civics 5 (+5) Knowledge: Pop Culture 5 (+5) Languages 2 (Spanish, German) (Base: English) Notice 2 (+5) Sense Motive 2 (+5) Feats: 15 pp Benefit 3 (Hero of the People, Security Clearance, Wealth) Connected Contacts Dodge Focus 4 Luck Move-By Action Improved Initiative Second Chance (Concentration checks to maintain powers) Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Well-Informed Powers: 61 pp Flight 2 (25 MPH) [4 pp] Force Field 7 (Extra: Impervious) [14 pp] Telekinesis 10 (Extras: Damaging, Range [Perception], PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) [42+1=43 pp] AP: Damage 10 (Extras: Alt. Save [Fortitude], Range [Perception], PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) costs abilities 28 + combat 20 + saves 11 + skills 15/60 + feats 15 + powers 61 = 150 pts --- Design Notes: Telekinesis is a common power, so I thought I’d build a guy centered around it and some of its various uses. I chose to model Dave, aka the Sentinel, originally a Marvel Universe character who I’ve played in several superhero games. Dave is a handsome, well-connected guy who has a job as a government-employed super: a municipal defender in Aberrant terms. He flies around, beats up low-level bad guys, and generally does his best to make a good impression to better further the political career he has in mind for himself. He’s not terribly bright or terribly thoughtful, but he’s savvier than the people who’d like to use him give him credit for. If he does turn out to have a higher political career, he may come to surprise the people who think they know him when he does achieve power. What made Dave fun as a PC (and what might make him fun as an NPC if he ever gets written up) is that Dave is an unthinking sellout of the super-minority group he’s a member of, gladly championing mutant or Terminus baby registration without stopping to think about the potential hazards to others less charming and handsome and powerful than he is. In his own setting he saw the light and became as heroic socially as he was physically, but he’d make a potent antagonist for heroes defending an oppressed minority, people who he’d dismiss as liberals playing identity politics. He's the mutant Graydon Creed could love, and this is not a good thing. Mechanics-wise, he’s a standard telekinetic: he flies around, shrugs off bullets thanks to his impervious force field, and can grab and crush anything he can see with his telekinetic powers: that may not sound like much, but think about how incredibly broad telekinesis is! (Broad descriptors are definitely your friend and not your enemy in M&M.) He can power-stunt a very wide range of powers, everything from crushing someone’s inner organs (Fort save on his Damage) to whatever else can be reasonably fit under his descriptors. There are a lot of telekinetics in comics, and they’ve pulled off a lot of tricks over the years!

Hulking Blob PL: 10 (150) Abilities: 22 pp STR 30/24 (+10/+7) DEX 12 (+1) CON 24 (+7) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 10 (+0) Combat: 20 pp ATK: +4 (w/Growth) [+10 Melee) DEF: +6 (w/Growth) (+2 flat-footed) Init: +1 Grapple: +36 max Saves: 7 pp TOU +14 (+7 Con, +7 Protection) FORT +7 (+7 Con) REF +5 (+1 Ref, +4) WILL +5 (+2 Wis, +3) Skills: 3 pp=12 r Notice 6 (+8) Sense Motive 6 (+8) Feats: 13 pp Attack Focus: Melee 6 Dodge Focus 2 Fearless Improved Overrun Luck Move-By Action Power Attack Powers: 89 pp Growth 4 (Extra: Duration [Permanent] (+0) ) (PF: Innate) [13 pp] Immunity 50 (aging, lethal damage, life support) (Flaw: Lethal Damage Converted to Non-Lethal) [30 pp] Protection 7 (Extra: Impervious) [14 pp] Nuclear Monster Array [30+2=32 pp] Corrosion 10 AP: Enhanced STR 6 and Super-Strength 12 AP: Snare 10 (Extras: Engulf [+0], Suffocating [+1]) Drawback: (-4) Normal ID (full-round action) [-4 pp] costs abilities 22 + combat 20 + saves 7 + skills 3/12 + feats 13 + powers 89 -drawbacks 4= 150 pts --- Design Notes: Who says all rampaging atomic monsters have to be angry green giants? This fine fellow was once an atomic scientist (just use the Scientist archetype from the corebook if you don’t have anything specific in mind, or build a low-PL genius if you want to play up how smart he is when he’s not a monster) who was transformed into a horrible gelatinous blob monster! Now he roams the countryside with his little buddy in tow, battling against bad guys and protecting a world that fears and hates him while doing his best to escape the army that hunts him as a murderer! He’s your standard horrible gelatinous blob: he rolls over people and crushes them, sucks them into his innards and holds them there, or just chews up solid objects. He doesn’t have Insubstantial: he doesn’t flow through his bonds, he eats them and punches the guy on the other side right in the face! I figure his base form doesn’t have arms as such, but he can make them as necessary (i.e., no drawback): buy him Additional Limbs if you want to make him even MORE of a ridiculous grappling fiend. He’s also effectively immortal: you can knock him unconscious, but he’ll survive anything from a flamethrower to a direct nuke to the face. A Continuous Snare (i.e.; freezing him) might do the trick, or maybe Draining off one or more of his attributes. I’d give him a complication to say he changes when he’s in some emotional state: anger? Hunger? Characters like this develop in several different ways. One of the easiest is to integrate his two personalities, perhaps by really saving up your PP and buying up the skills and INT for the normal personality to be integrated at will into the blobby body. If you decided you want to be a monster 24-7, maybe have the ‘normal’ guy turn out to be the evil one all along, and have your Blob be the hero battling his ‘smart’ self’s wicked plans and schemes! You could also shoot him into space, I suppose. (He’d be fine) This is a tough character to play in tabletop: make sure you know what you're doing before you even ask.

"He's expecting me," said Fusion with a frown, her tentacles writhing with an anger she was doing her best not to show. "Takashi and I have fought before. He's a disgusting little pervert who ought to be locked up for what he does to kids who watch his antics, much less the stupid crimes he pulls off." Unconsciously, one tentacle crushed a steel piece of rebar she'd been playing with. "I suggest we work by stealth. Give him something big and shiny to look at, and the rest of us can get in the back and deal with him."

Edge Seizes Initiative. When you've got the init post up, I'll post IC!

Harrier suddenly had a disquieting thought. "You..." He studied the AEGIS symbol on the false Victory's chest for several long seconds before he spoke. "Yes, they might do just that." He pointed his crackling staff at Vanquisher. "The power of the Terminus is not yours to control. You may imagine yourself Omega's loyal pawn. You may even imagine yourself his rival. Those thoughts are a mistake. If you surrender, you can yet be purged before your soul is taken from you." He said with deadly assurance. "But I will not allow agents of the Terminus. They will not be allowed."

The battle for Roeun was a vicious one, with Nazis giving no quarter to the heroes of the city, in or out of uniform. Jimmy, the genie, and Edge seemed to be everywhere on the battlefield, appearing and disappearing miles away when necessary, beating back what looked like a tremendous Axis advance, even when it was backed up by low-level Ubersoldaten. That didn't surprise Mark, not really; the Genie had been probably the most powerful member of the Liberty League if you omitted the power of the Centurion's courage, and as for himself...well, he hated Nazis. Who didn't!?! When the day was done and the Lucas men rejoined Cannonade and his grandfather, Jimmy looked a little crestfallen. "Aw, gee, fellas, I've gotta get out of here and get back to my girl in Freedom. The Centurion's gonna be awful sore when he found out I didn't listen to Uncle Sam, but somehow I just knew I had to be here to help you fellas today!" "I guess...I guess you just got lucky," said 'Lucky Strike', suddenly embracing his grandfather as he fought back tears. "You're a real hero, Jimmy Lucas. Never let anyone tell you otherwise." He looked the man he'd never met dead in the eye, glad for his face-concealing mask. "Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history take care of the rest," he quoted.

"I can't tell how stable the floor is till someone actually walks on it," agreed Fusion with a frown. "We'll have to get up there and inspect it personally." When no one seemed terribly interested in riding with slick black tentacles instead of shiny gold hair (just as she might have expected, Joan thought irritably), she stretched up her arms, grabbing to the ceiling rather than the floor upstairs, and headed up to the second floor!

"Like I said, I haven't had a lot of personal dealings with the Grue. I understand there are some active on Earth who are not agents of the Hegemony, and I'd love a chance to give them the public exposure they deserve. It can't be easy to live like that," she said reflectively. "Spending all your days pretending to be someone you're not, terrified that everyone around you, even those who love you, will realize that you're a monster." She shook her head and studied Dr. Archeville, her costume slowly retreating back into a more normal outfit. "Anyway, I suppose I can understand their desire for privacy. Anything else I can do for you, Doctor?"

Invisible as she arrived, Fusion hesitated a few moments as she saw the giant robot about to fall. _Now's my chance to..._ She saw Gabriel go down from the robot's bombardment, though, and changed her tune. _There are heroes down there who need my help. I can...I can get Takashi later._ She swung down from the skyscraper nearby, visible as a black, tentacled shape heading into the robot's open eye sockets. She headed straight for the giant robot's inner workings, tuning out the foul syllables in Japanese it chortled about being fondled by tentacles as she slid her way to its power core. Wrapping tentacles around the radioactive heart of the beast, she wrenched, producing an abruptly-stifled shriek from the Mecha-Maid, the giant robot suddenly freezing stock-still as the tentacled titan ripped out its power core. She appeared out the mouth a moment later, swinging down to land at the other heroes' side. "Takashi's designs always have a weak point," she said shortly, her voice an otherwordly hiss, "You just have to know how to get them. Hello, Gabriel, Fleur. You must be Midnight." She'd heard of the Golden Age hero, of course, but never actually seen the old veteran in person.

Move Action: Fusion swings down and punches the robot in the head. Standard Action: And a miss! Wow. One HP later...23 hits TOU for the Robot, trying to beat 30... 5 Welp, it's done. IC post coming.

OK, are we in initiative?

Distracted from an animated conversation with his seatmate, Mark reached over to his other neighbor and touched Trevor's face. "There, now your mask is permeable to coffee!" he said brightly. "And maybe other stuff," he added worriedly, "but probably not. I had to make coffee machines for Ms. Harcourt using nothing but the parts I could find in my chemlab drawer, and so I got a pretty good idea of what makes a good filtering agent and what doesn't. Our uniforms," he added seriously, "make terrible coffee. Particularly if you grind them...ANYWAY. Now you can drink coffee!" Alex was nice to offer, Mark reflected, but it was even nicer to just do it without worrying if anyone would object.

Golem PL: 10 (150) Abilities: -4 pp STR 30 (+10) DEX 14 (+2) CON n/a (-) INT 10 (+0) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 10 (+0) Combat: 20 pp ATK: +6 (+10 Unarmed) DEF: +6 (+2 flat-footed) Init: +2 Grapple: +18 Saves: 6 pp TOU +14 (+3 Density, +11 Protection) FORT n/a REF +4 (+2 Dex, +2) WILL +6 (+2 Wis, +2) Skills: 40 r=10 pp Diplomacy 5 (+5) Intimidate 5 (+5) Knowledge: Arcane Lore 5 (+5) Knowledge: History 5 (+5) Languages 4 (English, German, Russian, Polish) (Base: Hebrew) Notice 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Feats: 8 pp Attack Specialization: Unarmed 2 Dodge Focus 2, Fearless, Interpose, Move-By Action, Power Attack Powers: 102 pp Density 7 (Extra: Duration (Permanent) [+0]) (PFs: Innate, Subtle) [23 pp] Flight 5 (250 MPH) [Dynamic] [11+2=13 pp] DAP: Super-Strength 5 (total 7) (Heavy Load: 180 tons) Immunity 40 (Fortitude Saves, Magical Damage) [40 pp] Impervious TOU 6 [6 pp] Incurable Unarmed Damage [1 pp] Protection 11 [11 pp] Regeneration 6 (+0 Recovery Bonus, Resurrection 1/week) (PFs: Persistent, Regrowth) [8 pp] costs abilities 4 + combat 20 + saves 6 + skills 10/40 + feats 8 + powers 102 = 150 pts -- This is my attempt at a golem, a magical or psionic construct distinct in many ways from the robots I’ve built before. She lacks the immunity to mental effects that her robotic kinfolk have because she actually has a soul inside her iron or clay body, one either taken from a living human who is now dead or conjured up from the essence of the Earth itself. Instead she’s protected against magic given the dual nature of her body, whether or not she herself is a creature of magic. She has Incurable Unarmed Damage as a nod to the classic clay golems of D&D. I made her a paragon with the presumption that she’s a Golden Age heroine who’s been around for decades in various guises, but of course you can judge that however you want! She's got some density, just enough to make her life difficult without making her overwhelmingly heavy. She weighs about as much as a marble statue version of herself would. She's tough, with nothing short of a bursting shell able to pierce her skin. Give her more INT and some Arcane Lore if you want to play up the magical side of her heritage, more Wisdom and Theo/Philo if you want to play up the divine origin that might be behind some of her powers. Maybe throw in some weapons if you want to play up her warrior heritage. This kind of character can be born in tragedy, especially if you tie her back to the Golden Age moments where the sort of people who made golems were being murdered by the uncountable millions. But that’s a little depressing, and maybe a little tasteless; why not make her an immortal champion of justice, battling to build a better world so that what happened to her people will never again happen to anyone else? And maybe, just maybe, the powers that created her gave her flesh realer than carefully molded clay. A human soul resides best inside a human heart, whatever that heart happens to be made of.

The teens danced and socialized for quite a while as the music played, before it was time to eat! Dakanan food was legendarily rich and vital, particularly for sub-Saharan Africa, and the plates put before the teens as they took their places along the traditional long, inwardly curving table were bursting with food! Again sitting next to his friend from the Ag Council with spaces for his friends nearby, Mark settled into a quiet, intense conversation over a magnificent hunk of what turned out to be camel steak! But there was fish from the sea and goat from the mountains, along with a dark chocolate grown along the seacoast that not incidentally also was used to flavor the legendary Dakanan coffee, supposedly the first coffee ever brewed by civilized man! Conversation was boisterous among the large crowd, giving privacy in its own muffled way to everyone.

"Taylor!" Avenger literally didn't touch the ground as he flew to her side, his body exploding into mist, then recoalescing as he embraced her and the baby. "" he promised her in a whisper of an old Slavic language spoken only by mystics and vampires doing business with each other, "" And from his tone of voice as he tried to move her, or take their baby from her arms if that failed, he damn well meant every word of his rather grandiose threat.

"Gentlemen," said Edge with a nod to his accompaniment and a gesture at the band, "I trust you can outmatch those fellows. As for me..." He hmmed for a moment and realized that luckily, he happened to speak Russian! It was a good thing he'd paid so much attention in Russian class the week before, he reflected. He approached the group of Russians, his deerstalker's cape flapping in the breeze behind him, and pointed at the Russian in the wheelchair, opting at the last second to translate his Russian after each sentence for the benefit of his English-speaking allies. "" He found himself singing along with the rising tide of music coming from behind him. "