Raveled

Megastar's Sense Motive, vs DC 25. (1d20+20=32) That's gonna be a no on the Feint. Changeling's attack does hit him, though. Megastar's Will save, vs DC 24. (1d20+10=22) So he loses 2 pts off his Will save. Megastar's Will save, vs DC 29. (1d20+8=15) No. This is not going to end in a single round. Megastar picks up 2 Bruises and Changeling gets a HP.

Mega is actually doing it as a full-round action. He had a Surprise Round, where he booted Glow, and the first action in the regular round, which he used to Intimidate the Irregulars.

Glowstar stood up abruptly as Megastar vanished. His first instinct was that this was a prelude to an attack; villains getting rid of the most experienced person on the ground. When the alumni returned a moment later, the young hero relaxed -- until 'Mega' began talking again. "The Gorgon? Megastar, what are you on about? That's who we're supposed to --" Glowstar never finished his thought. Mega dropped down to the ground, his boot soles scorching the wooden planks of the zen garden, and delivered a thundering uppercut that Glowstar never saw coming. The teen took off on a parabolic arc, quickly vanishing from view. The self-proclaimed warrior of the Preservers turned to the rest of the Irregulars, radiating power. "BEWARE, ALLIES OF THE TERMINUS. STAND DOWN OR YOU SHALL BE DESTROYED AS WELL!"

Surprise round! Everyone take a HP. Cosmic!Mega is going to start by punching Glowstar. Punching him so hard. Megastar's melee attack check, vs Glowstar's flat-footed Def. DC 33 (1d20+12=30) That actually ends up being DC 38. Guess why!! Glowstar's Toughness save, vs DC 38. (1d20+12=23) That missed by exactly 15! And the Knockback is 32, which is higher than the progression table goes. Although taking the maximum distance would send him flying *Calculates* More than 470 miles. I think Megastar wins the Knockback competition. Time to fiat that a bit. Megastar's going to make an Intimidate check against the Irregulars, and I'm going to rule that he gets a +4 bonus for just punting Glowstar out into the river. That comes out to a DC 27 to resist being Shaken. Folks with Fearless don't have to worry about this, natch. Initiative 32 Megastar -- Uninjured -- GM 19 Myrmidon -- Uninjured -- HPx4 17 Changeling -- Uninjured -- HPx2 15 Crow -- Uninjured -- HPx3 14 Wisp -- Uninjured -- HPx3 10 Glowstar -- Unconscious, River'd -- HPx6

Starlight floated above the concrete as she wafted into the warehouse, still holding the semi-truck high in the air. "The Light is within us all," she exclaimed, holding out her arms to the criminals. "Put down your weapons, make restitution for your crimes, and you too may walk in the Light. It is not too late to make amends; this day does not yet have to end in bloodshed and harm!" The alien put all her knowledge of human psychology to the test. These men were heavily outnumbered and outclassed; surely, the smart thing for them to do would be to lay down their weapons!

Starlight's going to try and talk them down. Starlight's Diplomacy check. (1d20+8=23) Hey, not too shabby!

Ironclad gasped as the electricity coursed through her. Normally her suit filtered out the more extreme sensations that she encountered in her job, but for some reason she was unable to do so with electricity; it forced its whole energy into her and through her. In her more reflective moments she wondered if that made her weaker than other heroes, if maybe she should learn to deal with such pain instead of blocking it off behind a wall of electronics. Right now, though, she just hurt. Despite the agony, she forced herself to stay on her feet, forced her attention to stay focused on the fight happening right in front of her. She raised one arm, steadied it with an effort of will, and sent a blast aimed straight at the steampunk monstrosity's head.

*Looks through his options* Yeeeeah, let's just go with negating the Daze. Ironclad Free Action Spend HP to negate Daze. Standard Action Blast the bad guy! Ironclad's ranged attack check, vs robot's Def. DC 25 (1d20+10=19) Ehn. With luck, that'll hit.

Glowstar's Ini. (1d20+6=10) Megastar's Ini. (1d20+25=32) Well, this isn't a good thing. Of course, this whole thing can't go forward until SA posts something. :argh:

Ironclad stared out at the gray, metal expanse all around her, stretching to the horizon -- indeed, it was the horizon. Her mind wasn't prepared to accept something so overwhelming, so uniform and unmarked. On Earth, such an expanse would have been broken up by the creations of man, or at least by living things colonizing the open ground. Here there was nothing, nothing as far as the eye could see, and it reinforced that Gorgon was master of its own domain in a way that mere earthlings could scarcely comprehend. The young genius teetered on a metal edge, trying to understand that she was standing on a face bigger than North America, but she just couldn't. It was too big an idea to wrap her head around. So she approached it from the other side; the Gorgon became a hostile planet, on route to impact Earth. They had to take some samples and figure out a way to reroute it. THAT was something she could grab ahold of and understand. Firing her thrusters in little burps in order to stabilize herself in relation to the monster below, she nodded at Protectron's plan. "The sooner we're out of here, the better," she said. "Let's find the quickest route down there and get what we came for."

Given what happens in the next post, CT might as well get an Initiative up anyway. The Prof and Squirt are going for the ship; Screech and Bruiser are going to engage the baddies on the pier with Protectron and FA. Bruiser, Screech, Prof, and Squirt's Ini. (1d20+5=20, 1d20+10=30, 1d20+3=21, 1d20+11=16) Battlesuit, Gunner, Marital Artist, and Pyro's Ini. (1d20+8=9, 1d20+5=22, 1d20+17=23, 1d20+6=19) Glowstar's Ini. (1d20+6=9) So the Ini order, broken up into Ship and Pier, is as follows. Pier 30 Screech -- Uninjured -- GM 23 Martial Artist -- Uninjured -- GM 22 SWAT 1 -- Uninjured -- Minion 21 SWAT 2 -- Uninjured -- Minion 20 Bruiser -- Uninjured -- GM 20 Soldier 3 -- Uninjured -- Minion 12 Freedom Angel -- Uninjured -- HPx1 12 Soldier 2 -- Uninjured -- Minion 11 Protectron -- Uninjured -- HPx1 11 SWAT 3 -- Uninjured -- Minion 9 Battlesuit -- Uninjured -- GM 7 Solider 1 -- Uninjured -- Minion 5 SWAT 4 -- Uninjured -- Minion 4 Soldier 4 -- Uninjured -- Minion Ship 24 Cobalt Templar -- Uninjured -- HPx3 22 Gunner -- Uninjured -- GM 21 Prof -- Uninjured -- GM 19 Pyro -- Uninjured -- GM 16 Squirt -- Uninjured -- GM 9 Glowstar -- Uninjured -- HPx5

Ironclad swooped through the air above the streets, wincing as Son Wukong took a particularly nasty-looking hit. The monkey god was still on his feet, though, so apparently divine constitution counted for something. She switched her attention back to the arena for a moment as she heard the mingled sounds of battle; it was a good thing she did so, because she also noticed Cannonade in-bound on the fight! She twitched her thrusters to get out of his way and watched him swap blows with the elephant demon, unfortunately not doing much. The armored heroine decided it was time to stop playing with this enemy. There were plenty of other threats to deal with, and they couldn't waste time on a single opponent like this; that had been Bres' plan from the start, after all. She quickly locked down a firing solution and pulled up short in the air, hovering for a moment as she fired off a full-power shot at the elephant.

Ironclad's gonna try and smack that guy hard. Ironclad's ranged attack check w/ full All-Out Attack and full Power Attack, vs demon's Def. DC 30 (1d20+10=22)

Starlight's Initiative. (1d20+7=16)

Starlight's Grapple check, to grab the truck and all the baddies inside it. (1d20+8=24)

"Beware, criminals!" A voice boomed beyond the warehouse, as a bright yellow-white glow appeared around the heavy truck. The vehicle's tires left the ground, as a shining figure in golden armor descended. "The Light sees your actions, and the Light calls you to task!" As the truck stabilized a a dozen feet or more above the loading area, Starlight touched down, at almost the same instant that Young Britannia hit the ground. She glanced around, raising an eyebrow at the impeccably dressed young woman. "The Light does not stand alone," she called to the criminals, not missing a beat.

Yo. Look me up under the same email I use here (and pretty much everywhere). ntwehues(at)gmail(dot)com

Introduction Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence. A freed Grue drone empowered by the power of the White Light, trying to do good now. Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume? When traveling in the stars I go by Leyla. Here on Earth I live under the identity of Elizabeth Moya, from Spain. I am the Lightbearer, the champion of the White Light. My chosen name is Starlight. What is your full birth name? I do not have one. I was not 'born' in the traditional sense; I was spawned by a Gruen birthing pool. I did not have a name because I did not have an existence independent of the Meta-Mind. Where do you live? I have an apartment in Freedom City a few blocks north of Freedom City University How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)? I am not sure how many Earth years have passed since I was born. I count my age as seven years, because it was seven years ago that I was infused with the power of the White Light. Physical Traits What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain. I am a Grue, a shapeshifter by nature. My default form, and what most people see, is female, but any gender is really optional for me. How would you describe your heritage? Evil. I am spawn of the Meta-Mind, one of the most tyrannical and evil entities in space. I can only hope that my time as a hero can do something towards undoing its foul heritage. How tall are you? As Liz Moya, I usually stand 5' 4" tall. As Starlight, I grow to over six feet tall. What is your body type? As Liza Moya, I prefer a form that is round and... I try for voluptuous, but I cannot say if I succeed. Starlight is intentionally inhumanly thin. Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities? I have a strong mind, but once a psychic gets inside of my head there are still triggers buried there by the Meta-Mind. Once past my defenses it is distressingly easy to take control of my mind. How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence? Liz walks slowly and is careful not to bump into anything or get into the way of anyone. Starlight is much more confident, even commanding -- when I choose not to fly. Describe your skin, eye, and hair color. Liz has dark skin, dark hair, and dark green eyes. Starlight has milk-white skin and golden pools for eyes; in that form I do not have any hair or other facial features unless I choose to. How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair? Liz wears her hair tightly braided. Starlight does not have hair at all unless I will it. Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others? I try to blend into the crowd. Making myself particularly appealing to others would be counter to that goal. Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks? Anything like that is temporary; by default, I do not. Do you resemble anyone famous? I could, but I choose not so. Do you have a dominant hand? I find myself favoring my right hand for offensive uses of my powers, and my left hand for defensive uses of it. What kind of clothing do you wear? I can create any sort of clothing I can envision. Liz normally wears fairly plain clothes, in order to blend in better. Starlight wears a sort of golden armor. Do you wear makeup? Not in the traditional sense. I can change the pigmentation of my skin at will, but I normally choose not to. What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way? I can imitate virtually any sound or voice within audible hearing range. Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people? It has been remarked that I do not use contractions. It seems... wasteful. It took a deal of effort to learn this language, I do not want to feel like I am abusing it. History Where do you come from? I am not sure which spawning pool I came from. By default, my homeworld is Gruen Prime. Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown? I have abandoned my home and turned against my people. Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country? I have no particular love for these United States. It is a place, no more and no less than any other place. When I have done what good I can do, I shall depart and move on to other places. How do you feel about the place you come from? I hate the Grue and would willingly destroy the Meta-Mind if I had the chance. Where is your home town? What was/is it like? I cannot recall it with any clarity. Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you? I was part of the Grue Unity. All round me were billions, even trillions of identical copies that were less alive and vital than the least amoeba or fungus. Upon my rebirth with the power of the Light, I chose to stay around the most diverse set of sentients I could find. I suppose I was trying to lose myself in the crowd. Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life? I have found that I have a certain affinity for music. I enjoy making music, either by singing or using various instruments. Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)? Some years ago I was forcibly liberated from the psychic enslavement of the Meta-Mind and given my freedom. I would not go back if I could, but there was a certain amount of trauma associated with the event. Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. What stupid things did you do when you were younger? I served in psychic bondage to a galaxy-conquering psychic terror. I suppose that counts as stupid, even if I did not have a choice at the time. Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it? Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not? When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision? Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why? Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you? Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why? If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets? Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge? Family What are your biological parents' names? Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you. What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living? Where are your parents now? Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot? How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable). How do your parents view you now, or how would they? Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them. What was your birth order in the family? Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do? Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged? Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular? Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)? Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life. Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them. If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind? What type of person would be your ideal mate? Relationships Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them. Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend? If you were to go missing, who would worry about you? Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do? Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you. If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future? What is the worst thing someone has done to you? Where do your loyalties lie? In what order? Who or what do you trust the most? Why? Who or what do you despise? Why? What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess? What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities? Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why? Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower? Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them? Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that? Personality & Beliefs Who are your heroes? Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances? Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it? Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides? What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)? What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)? What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear? Is there anything you would give you life for? How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end? How do you generally treat others? Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused? Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence? How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex? What are your most annoying habits? Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why? What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can? What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)? What is your favorite treat (dessert)? Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat? What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike? What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate? If you have a favorite scent, what is it? Do you have a favorite animal? What is your most treasured possession? Why? Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts? Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do? Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you? Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special? If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization? Could you kill? Have you killed? What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action? Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they? How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours? How would you react if something important was stolen from you? How would you react to public humiliation? How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you? What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why? If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours? Career & Training Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it? Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person? Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them? Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to? What is your preferred combat style? Have you ever received any awards or honours? What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could? How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn? Lifestyle & Hobbies What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine? Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up? What do you do for fun? Do you have a costume? What does it look like? How do you normally dress when not in costume? What do you wear to bed most nights? Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like? Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables? What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance? Miscellaneous Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make? If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body? What would you like to be remembered for after your death? Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not? What do you perceive as your greatest strength? What do you perceive as your greatest weakness? As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...

Ironclad powered down her weapons as her fellow heroes stepped into the fray. They certainly looked like they could handle one guy in Kevlar. She started feeling distinctly superfluous when her gaze landed on the woman the bad guy had just been trying to choke. She went over to her and carefully lead her away from the developing fight, making sure to stay between her and the combatants. "It's alright. We've got this handled." She took the civilian down the stairs and around the edge of the dance floor, finally sitting with her at the bar. Ironclad's helmet folded back and away, and she brushed a lock of hair out of her face. "Are you alright? Do you know who that man is?"

+50% version of Electricity Vulnerability brings those DCs up to 25, 30, and 25 respectively. Ironclad's Reflex save, vs DC 25. (1d20+7=18) Nope. Ironclad's Toughness save, vs DC 30. (1d20+15=18) Yikes. Uh, Staggered + Dazed Ironclad's Fortitude save, vs DC 25. (1d20+6=16) And another Daze! Those don't stack, right? Ironclad's Initiative. (1d20+5=15)

Ironclad flailed away from the data line, a headache suddenly thundering through her brain. Once again she resolved to design an anti-virus program that simply gave a technopathic hacker a firm "no" rather than a migraine. The heroine joined the pair of heroes ready for whatever was coming. She raised her own weapons and sighted on the doors. "No time to waste," she said simply. "The reactors are still going full-bore. Whoever's in there is using a city's-worth of power and it's still not enough. I don't want to know what he's thinking of doing." She took a breath and fired, the bolt of energy briefly gilding the group.

Ironclad's ranged attack check w/ full All-Out Attack and full Power Attack, vs door's Def. DC 30 (1d20+10=25) Oh, yeah. Ironclad's Toughness save, vs DC 18. (1d20+15=23) Easy pass.

Starlight followed Arcturus into the theater. "I hope you are right," she said, her voice low. "I've tracked this monster for awhile, and he doesn't like leaving potential witnesses alive." The front of the building looked just as the heroes could have guessed from outside; plush carpets long since rotted in places, counters devoid of their glass frontings, stairs that looked distinctly unsafe, and boarded up windows letting in cracks of sunlight. There was some frankly terrible music coming from the performance area, and the heroes crept up to the doors, taking a window apiece. It was hard to see exactly what was happening; what lights there were, were focused on the stage. A man dressed in leathers and ripped jeans was sitting on a stool there, plucking away at a guitar. Either it was very poorly tuned or the player was just terrible, because the sounds that were floating out set Arcturus' teeth on edge (thankfully, Starlight didn't seem to have that particular problem).

The figure's eyes grew wider as she took in Marcus' outfit and mask. After a moment she narrowed them again and looked him over more carefully. "My apologies," she said, bowing slightly as she touched down on the pavement. "I missed your aura; it was overmasked by the strength of the energy that resides in this place." She flicked a hand and her gaze over the building, then bowed to him. "I am Starlight, warrior of the Light and hero. I have followed portents to this building. I fear a dread necromancer has made his nest here." Her gaze returned to Marcus and settled on him. "I would welcome your aid in destroying this deal of evil."

Archeville notes the micro-crsytalline Daka injections are dimming Glowstar's lights & adding lots of dermal hardening Glowstar :arrow: Fixing some formatting issues. :arrow: Getting rid of Environmental Control and putting those points into Protection, bringing his Toughness up to PL 12 caps. Archeville notes the micro-crsytalline Daka injections are dimming Glowstar's lights & adding lots of dermal hardening