Raveled

Initiative xxx -- Snare -- Injured x1 41 -- Ernest 1 -- Bruisex1, Bound & Helpless -- GM 40 -- Ernest 3 -- Uninjured -- GM 33 -- Ernest 2 -- Uninjured -- GM 25 -- Glow -- Uninjured -- HPx3 11 -- Crow -- Uninjured -- HPx1 11 -- El Heraldo -- Interposin' -- HPx2 Ernest 1 tries to bust out of his bonds. DC 22 Toughness save resisted by a Rank 5 Snare. Snare's Toughness save, vs DC 22. (1d20+5=19) Injured. 2 and 3 go after Glow and Crow, respectively. Ernest 1 & 2's melee attack check, vs Def. DC 22 Tou (1d20+7=21, 1d20+7=13) Yowch. Well, Glow got hit and Crow did not. Quite a thing, huhn? Glow is up.

"Pool party." Glowstar officer his reply to Wail as he floated high above the action. "Or maybe a fashion show? 'Look at this year's model and their hydrodynamic performance!'" The teen hero coasted to a halt directly above the shark. "Of course, this model is going to need an overhaul by the time I'm done with him." Glowstar brought his hands in towards his core, red threads of energy leaking out of his body and coalescing between his cupped palms. Before long there was a golf-ball sized sphere of red energy there, black motes spinning off and disappearing. It grew quickly, to baseball and then basketball size. With a karate shout Glowstar spun in the air and thrust it towards the mutated mobster, and it broke into a thousand red-and-black lines that quickly closed the distance.

We'll keep focus on the outlier, shall we? Mutli-blast with +5 All-Out Attack. Glowstar's ranged attack check w/ +5 All-Out Attack, vs Shark 1's Def. DC 27 Tou + Autofire (1d20+17=35) Well, that should hurt.

Ernest 1's Reflex save, vs DC 15. (1d20+7=9) So he is Helpless. Ernest 1's Fort save, vs DC 15. (1d20+7=18) Makes the save against the Damage, though.

Ernest 1's Toughness save, vs DC 23. (1d20+7=21) Bruise x1.

The three Ernests moved in eerie concert, spreading out to cover the heroes' path, each of them showing gnashing teeth and grasping claws. It looked a tad incongruous to see the monsters dressed in stuffy suits, but there was nothing amusing in their evident malice. There was a sudden blur of movement from the three monsters and they were suddenly right in Glow and El Heraldo's faces, swinging their claws in tight arcs. The nimble Aussie managed to sidestep one blow but felt the other one rip into her arm; the paragon's bright shirt was shredded as the last creature ran headfirst into him and started trying to chew through his chest and to his heart.

Initiative 41 -- Ernest 1 -- Uninjured -- GM 40 -- Ernest 3 -- Uninjured -- GM 33 -- Ernest 2 -- Uninjured -- GM 25 -- Glow -- Uninjured -- HPx3 11 -- Crow -- Uninjured -- HPx1 11 -- El Heraldo -- Uninjured -- HPx2 Time for them to get punchy. Two go for Glow, one for El Heraldo. Ernest 1 & 2's melee attack roll, vs Glow's Def. DC 22 Tou (1d20+7=21, 1d20+7=14) That's one hit for Glow. Ernest 3's melee attack roll, vs El Heraldo's Def. DC 22 Tou (1d20+7=19) And one for El Heraldo!

Oh yeah, we're going to need Initiative rolls. The Ernest's will be using AA's DNAscendent build knocked down to PL 7. Ernest 1, 2, and 3 Ini. (1d20+30=41, 1d20+30=33, 1d20+30=40)

Glow and El Heraldo hurried out of the study, Todd Hayden in tow. They ducked through a door and into the main area of the mansion -- to find Ernest waiting for them. "You cannot leave, sir," he said to Hayden. "The masters will be most displeased." "I knew that you would prove to be a bother," another Ernest said as he descended the stairs towards the ground floor. "If you had just left earlier, all of this unpleasantness could have been avoided." "Not that it shall be entirely unpleasant," a third Ernest said, rounding a corner and wiping his hands on a rag. "I shall greatly enjoy gnawing the meat from your bones." He grinned at the group, showing teeth that were far too sharp for a man. Hayden cowered behind the heroes. "Don't underestimate them! The Serpent People sent them to watch me. They're not human!"

"I was hoping to get into pro ball." Brian flexed his arms and squeezed his bicep. "Become a receiver or a kicker, maybe. Make ten million a year, retire when I hit thirty. But, you know, getting shot at in an alley every night is a good second choice." He winked at Morgan and let his eyes fall down to the cooking fish. His mind drifted back to per-adolescene. His father had been a consummate geek and not really interested in physical activities, but his mother had insisted that Brian keep himself in shape, taught him to fight and even enrolled him in Scouting. That was where he'd learned to navigate, and trap animals, and swim, and de-bone and cook a fish. Given how red one side of the meat was and how black the other looked, it was an experience that Morgan had skipped.

"Hey now! No leaving the party early!" Glowstar rose into the air and dashed after the fleeing shark-man. The rest of the thugs seemed like normal street-scum, but he wasn't about to let some 'roided up animal-man run free and wild in the middle of the city. The young hero easily caught up with the fleeing monster and focused power into one fist. The man-beast juked into an alley and followed back ways, but Glowstar kept up easily as he continued to charge his blast. Finally he let loose with it, lighting the dark street with blood-red energy.

Glowstar will fly after the fleeing shark and hit 'em with his Focused Blast. Using full Power Attack and full All-Out Attack, to end it early. Glowstar's ranged attack w/ +5 Power Attack & +5 All-Out Attack, vs Shark 1's Def. DC 32 Tou (1d20+12=29)

Power Level: 10 (150 PP) Trade-Offs: None Abilities: 0 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 10 + 2 = 28PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 18 (+4) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 20 (+10) Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +6 melee, +6 ranged, +10 Beatbattling Grapple: +6 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 5 + 6 + 2 = 13PP Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +8 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +7 (+2 Con, +5) Reflex: +10 (+4 Dex, +6) Will: +7 (+5 Wis, +2) Skills: 68R = 17PP Bluff 12 (+14) Concentration 9 (+14) Knowledge (Arcane) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Behavioral Sciences) 8 (+10)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 8 (+10)Skill Mastery Notice 10 (+15)Skill Mastery Perform (Dance) 8 (+10) Sense Motive 10 (+15) Skill Mastery Feats: 17PP Accurate Attack Challenge (Fast Taunt) Defensive Attack Defensive Roll 4 Dodge Focus 4 Improved Initiative Improved Trip Power Attack Skill Mastery (Knowledge [behavioral Sciences, Physical Sciences], Notice, Stealth) Taunt Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Powers: 26 + 6 + 8 + 3 + 8 = 51pp Beatbattling 10 (20 PP, Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 4) [26PP] BE: Trip 10 (Extra: Range/Perception) (Trip Over Yourself) AP: Blast 10 (Get In Your Own Way) AP: Paralyze 10 (Indecision) AP: Move Object 10 (The World Dances) AP: Emotion Control 10 (Dance to the Beat) Super-Movement 3 (Slithering, Surefooted, Trackless) [6PP] Super-Senses 8 (Accurate [All Auditory], Analytical [All Auditory], Extended 1 [x100, Normal Hearing], Ultra-Hearing) [8PP] Super-Senses 3 (Accurate [Normal Tactile], Ranged) [3PP] Teleport 4 [8PP] (Be Where You Need to Be) Abilities (28) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (17) + Feats (17) + Powers (51) - Disadvantages (0) = 150/150 PP What can you do when you're tied into the pulse of the world, when you can feel the music that the rest of life dances to? It turns out, quite a lot! This character certainly can; he's in tune with the beat of creation, and because of moves through life effortlessly, making everyone else look clumsy by comparison. He can also make enemies fall down, hurt themselves, or simply stand in one place for a bit. How can he do this, is it magic or some kind of amazing science? Well the picture at the top comes from the (excellent, highly recommended) indie fantasy movie Ink. The Pathfinder can feel the tune of the world and influence situations because of it, so for him it'd likely be some kind of innate magic. What could push someone to having these powers and using them for good? As said before, in the movie Ink the Pathfinder is one of several Storytellers, who act more or less as angels; you could run with that, have him a divine or mystic entity for whom their magic comes as easy as breathing. Or maybe he's an urban shaman for whom the honking of horns and the flashing of lights and the whole cacophony of city life is a symphony. Or, to tie in with the Knowledge skills, maybe he's a psychologist or a physicist who made an amazing breakthrough and now can move with the rhythm of creation!

Glowstar :arrow: Investing all his loose points in Impervious Toughness. And for some reason he has Force Field listed instead of Protection? Changing that back... TOUGHENED UP by GIZMO

Ironclad :arrow: Spending both PP to buy two ranks of Dodge Focus. BULLET TIME'D by GIZMO

"Yeah." Brian's voice trailed off and he stared up at the clouds for a moment. Then he laughed and reached out to poke Morgan. "Hey, look at this way. If one of us does die, it'll just give us a reason to go kick sand in your mom's face, right?" Hours passed and the two young men threw barbs back and forth in good nature. Brian took a couple jogs around the pond and another swim to cool off, and when he got back to camp Morgan was deboning a trout, while another flopped on the ground nearby. The bigger teen sat down next to his friend and grabbed a spare knife; before long the two fish were skinned and sliced and sizzling on a collapsible skillet held over a campfire. Brian sat opposite Morgan and watched the fish cook. "Okay, so. Hypothetical. You don't have superpowers, you don't have a crazy god for a mother and you never find out that your dad was a hero back in his day. What would you want to do with your life?"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to make a name for yourself as an archeologist? It's not all Indiana Jones or Danger Inc, swinging in to snatch a golden idol off a pedestal. It takes years to find a proper site to excavate, more years to get funding and permission lined up, and if you're lucky you'll get a couple of papers out of the whole deal so you can go out to do it again! I... I needed an in, I needed a leg up, I..." Hayden hung his head, letting his eyes drop to the floor. "It was the Serpent People. They told me where there were old Atlantean ruins to excavate. It was the deal of the century. I mean, Atlantis? At-f***ing--lantis? We know more about it from a half-finished pamphlet by Plato than we do from history books. I... thought I was helping the world. "And then last week they called it all in. They told me to donate the skeleton to the aquarium, said it needed to be front-and-center somehow. They said it would only be used for a distraction. They promised that no one would get hurt." Hayden's head snapped up and his gaze switched between the two heroes quickly. "I can tell you where they'll be. Or at least where they had the skeleton delivered. But you have to leave now, if Ernest or... or anyone realizes what's happening -- We have to get to the garage, quickly!"

Starlight listened to the Penitent talk to the one called Revenant. Apparently this was another superhero, so he didn't need to worry so much about him hurting a civilian. And then he claimed his innocence in the whole matter and she was ready to scoff. Lots of villains protested their innocence. Except... She had so easily slipped through the police' safeguards by changing her form. Was it so impossible that the Penitent was the victim of such an attack? On the one hand if she revealed herself and her intentions to him and he was evil, or at least misguided, he might take the chance to get the first attack in, and that wouldn't help anyone. On the other hand, if she stayed with him and he did end up doing evil, she would be right there to stop him. There were risks, yes, but what was life but a risk? There was a flare of brighter-than-bright light in the room and when it faded Starlight was there, hovering serenely. "The one called Penitent," she said, staring down at the grey-skinned man. "I am Starlight, the bearer of the Light of Pharos, of Logos." She floated down until her feet touched the ground, keeping her eyes on him. "And it is the light of Hope, for all those falsely accused and attacked."

Up from the depths, thirty stories high, breathing fire, its head in the sky!

"Well. The thing is." Hayden glanced up at the ceiling, running a hand through his hair. "The company that did this... They're very, um, how do you say it..." He leaned forward suddenly and fixed his eyes on the two heroes before him. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Listen, they said no one would get hurt, okay? They said the skeleton would just fly around for a bit, scare folks off, and not hurt anyone! No one was supposed to get hurt!"

Starlight's Stealth check. (1d20+3=23) Ah-hahahaha!

Starlight swore in an alien language as Revenant appeared at the apartment's front door. He couldn't see much around Marlow' bulk; just a tall woman in a formal suit, her skin unusually pale but otherwise not striking. If this was a confederate this meeting could go from bad to worse; if it was a random civilian who had stumbled on Penitent's lair, or worse a reporter who had tracked the vigilante down, this could get ugly in a hurry. Her entire body quivered oddly and broke apart into a cloud of fireflies, dimensionless points of light swirling madly for a moment before they funneled down to the window. The fog gathered beside the window and slammed back together and Starlight was whole once more. She floated there and peeked through the window, trying to remain unseen while still keeping an eye on the intruder.

Starlight was rather concerned with how lax security was in some parts of the city. When she'd heard of this over-violent 'hero' calling himself Penitent, she had done a little bit of investigating on her own, but that wasn't exactly her forte. Instead she had sat back and observed the police of Freedom City; then one day took the form of an off-duty officer and walked right into the file room, made a copy of the case files, and walked back out. It had taken less than five minutes and no one had looked at her twice. Considering the city had come under siege from her own people before, such a lack of defenses against shapeshifting intrusion was worrisome -- but for the moment, Starlight was willing to take full advantage of it. Now she was standing on a rooftop opposite an apartment owned by one Charles Marlow, a known associate of Penitent's. Part of her wanted to simply run in and take Penitent by surprise, but she didn't want to get the civilian caught in the crossfire. Of course, if Marlow was in on this vigilante justice streak...

Starlight's Gather Info check. (1d20+4=21) Darn homelss heroes, savin' the day just for pocket change!

So we'll run with a group of KoS, YB, Strombreaker, and Jubatus. Anyone have any objections?