Supercape

GM "There is no one path" concluded Armitage. "Drake may have the mask already, or be attempting to procure it. This is a small risk, a speculation, but on the other hand it is more critical. Getting the mask is important, but it could possibly be delayed" said Armitage. "It would be advisable to do both" he concluded. He pondered a moment. "And perhaps we should. I could see Drake, and you could steal...err...acquire....the mask. However you see fit" he offered. "But in any case, Zyte is the irritation of the moment. How do you propose, exactly, to deflate him?"

GM Armitage looked disappointed. "Hmmm....very well. Electonic letters it will be" he said, not pleased. He stuffed the amulet back in its drawer. "I think you unwise on this matter, however. If Drake has some kind of Eldritch power at her disposal - and I am not saying she does - but if she does, the Eye may save you" he explained. But the matter was decided, for good or ill. "But I would not force any magic on a soul who was not comfortable with it. That is only fair, even if the results are unpalatable". "Before you go to Drake then, we have the matter of Zyte and his protege to deal with. Annoyingly, he is as clever as he is vexatious. If he spies a story, and he surely will, he will do all he can to get it. Or rather, to present it. The man is a virus, you see" he said, grimly. "And he is persistent. As you brought this little parasite to my front door, I would be most gratefully if you could remove him. Ideally, in a painful and humiliating way. But really, any way will do...."

GM With the eye of Ember, Dreadnought could now see what previously he could not. And what he could see was a hole. Sailing through the sky, he could see it more clearly now - on the top of a hill, where rocks were plenty and trees were few, a cold eldritch wind flowed down from a hole. He landed with a terrible force that could be heard for hundreds of miles. Stories would be told of the day the earth moved. Of Sky Gods and Cloud Maidens, Giants and Fires. And cold, cold, demons. From the hole came a whisper. "Ember! You come!" It was cold and icy and empty, full of wicked cruelty. "The age of ice is nearly done, and we shall fall away from the earth. Yet we are here still, and glad we shall be too grind your bones! You ride the flesh of a giant, and we shall grind his bones too!"

For reference, then! Dreadnought - 2 HP - Fatigued

Fine by me: HP or Fatigue?

GM "You are strong" said Ember, approaching Dreadnought in an embrace. The heat was ferocious at even a few feet, and the touch would have burned any man. Ember was not solid, but made of burning bone dust. The skeletons of centuries of tribesmen and women, all feeding the fire that never died. As he embraced Dreadnought, the dust parted, and he was more smoke than fire. And then he was on the skin, burning...burning. Dreadnought did not catch fire, but he felt the burning, and felt his skin crackle and pop. And there he was after a moment of agony, a burned man. His skin blackened, cracked, and ashen, scarred and horrible. He could feel Ember in his bones and skin, and there was pain too, but more of a grumbling ache now, than anything more terrible. Whilst he felt uninjured, he could see that his appearance was of a terribly burned giant, and his flesh looked terrible. And now, he could see...although it hurt his eyes to look....a path of cold air blowing through the invisible world....a path to the ice demons....

GM "Morgen..." murmured Ember. "It is not a question of price, but of transformation. She is bold and brave, and would transform herself. One eye flesh to see in the mortal world, one eye fire to see the world beyond" he explained. "To do this would take will and an affinity to the ways of the tribe. Morgen could do it. I do not think you could. Why, would you burn out your eye to do so?" he asked. "No, I think instead you would need me. My fire, my light. Inside of you, or held in your hand. Or crackling over your skin. I could be your guide, directing you. It will burn, though, such is my nature. Burn to your bones..." "And if I am here, the tribe will be without the everlasting fire. For I am it, and it is me. You must be swift!"

GM "Such is coldness" replied Ember, floating now, a few feet from the floor. It was an impressive sight, if one was honest. At least, the tribe seemed quite impressed. "And such is fire" The flames flickered just that little bit stronger. "And thus it is that fire is life, and fire is sight. An coldness is death and blindness" he went on, mulling every word. "What then, are you suggesting?" he added, quite plainly and firmly. "What is your heart set on?"

GM "Everything can be stopped with ice and time, bold one" answered Ember, his body still but smouldering and fiery. "I do not bargain, I protect. I hold back the ice, I hold back the demons. This is my will" he explained, voice low. It was surprisingly soft, but cracked lite a spitting fire every now and again. "I do not require sacrifice, but sacrifice is required. The fire gives light, and grants vision. It is through fire we see in the night and illuminate the invisible. I can see the demons, I can see the ghosts. But you cannot, and few mortals can..." He pointed at the Seer. "You! Can you not see?" he demanded of the crazed man. "I can! I can!" "Yes, but you see too much, and cannot make sense of it! Your will is broken. You see too much! too much!" "Yes! Too much!" replied the Seer, tugging at his scalp furiously, and weeping. "How then, do we find the ice and stillness that cannot be seen?" asked Ember of Dreadnought.

A hero point for acting heroically! Dreadnought - 2 HP

Starshot "Thirty seconds. That's not much time to cover a thousand feet" muttered Starshot. "Especially in sand". "At least the robot gives us a bigger window" he acknowledged. Starshot was fast, but thirty seconds for 300 metres was a stretch in sand. He could maybe just make it, if he put everything in. But it would be close. On open plains, he could make it. On sand.... But... He looked at his hand. However, his hand could make it, with time to spare. Powered by its micro jets, still full of energy, it could cover the ground easily. And his hand could hold a grenade. "I have a plan. Get a few grenades there, set them off inside the complex. That will disorientate them. Then, we go in, from two angles, hard and fast...."

GM The Fire spat, choked, and grumbled. "What have you done!" screamed Morgen, as the fire died. And then, but a moment later, it arose. The fire was ten, maybe twelve feet bone, spitting embers, its form that of a thin and tall skeleton, with whips of fire and smoke and ash curling from its body. It was bones, many many bones, and from its body came heat and dull red light. "You are not from this tribe, giant...." it croaked, as the tribe itself cowered and gave praise to the god of fire and sight. The giver of life. "I am Ember...the fire of this tribe. I kept them warm and alive through the ice, and further beyond. Countless generations past have burned in my flames, and I am their bones and will...." "Who are you?" it asked.

GM "Electronic letters? Mobile phones? I may be a touch on the old side but I can use such things" said Armitage, a little indignant, but a smile on his face. "There may be other ways, however. The eye of Amrun-Ket, for instance" he suggested. He reached into his desk and pulled out a tiny stone on a tiny necklace. "With enchantment, I can see through the stone, and hear too. It is a one way thing, but you can easily let me know what is happening" he suggested. "And the eye see's many things..." he added more softly, shuddering slightly. He shook himself too. "It can see more than the mundane, you see. Too much, arguably. It is something of a strain to see through it, but if it would aid us, I would endure it...!"

Starshot Cheap...that's good. He was not surprised. Cost cutting would be reasonable practice for the Pirates. It was a business, and they would only pay for what they needed - and could not steal. The electric fence was not, he judged, a major problem but it would be an obstacle. Easy enough to cut or blast through. But it would eat valuable seconds. The remote camera's however... "Camera's scanning the place. Sweeping. If we time it right we can cover some ground out of their sweep, but it's not going to be easy" he explained. "And they have a combat droid patrolling. If we time it right, we can avoid him for a bit" If only his plasma rifle was charged, he could have used it to good advantage. Sniping from a distance. Phalen's blaster rifle was functional, but not up to the task. "Its going to be tight. But if we time it right, we have a chance..." he explained.

GM "Last month, I saw her face to face" conceded Armitage. "And aside from my previous observations I have little to add. Other than we enjoyed a rather fine Pinot Noir at the High Steaks Restaurant" "But of course I have kept in contact via electronic letters" he said, full of antiquity in his terminology. "She knew about the mask. And all of my finds. Perhaps not the details, but the essence. As to the true power of the mask, well, if I did not understand it, I doubt she did. She is an intelligent woman, it is true, but of the cunning type, not the academic. She is no scholar!" he added, proudly. "As for your associates...ah...I would prefer not to meet them. Apart from the odious aura of Ztye Guyst, my work requires as much anonymity as possible. I would not discard it lightly".

Starshot Oskar lay down in the sand, quite still, studying the building - which he presumed was the camp. "This does not look good" he muttered for all to hear. "Flat terrain. Not good to approach". He commented, switching his focus to the ravine mouth. Plenty of cover here, but little further ahead. "Three hundred and six point twelve metres" he read out, the HUD of his helmet calculating the precise distances to the camp. "This won't be easy..." In fact...it will be hard.... "We will get picked off quickly covering that distance. We really do need that distraction" was his conclusion, before once again studying the camp itself. Even if they got there - how would they approach? What defences were there? What sensors, come to that?

GM "There lies the problem" said Armitage, stroking his beard. "I have no idea at all how the mask ended up in that thug's hand. Maybe it wants to be lost. That is a worrisome prospect. I hope instead it is a more mundane matter, namely that someone on this ship got greedy and stole it. Perhaps, it is both" He sat down, spreading his hands on his table and pressing them into the wood lightly, trying to focus, trying to calm. "As for Elizabeth, I imagine she could acquire the mask if she wished. I do not know her mind on this matter. I do not exactly trust her, but neither do I distrust her. My dealings with her have not been frequent, but they have been fair. On the other hand, she is somewhat desperate. She enjoys wealth and the life that goes with it. And she has turned to Eldritch forces to extend her life. If she feels the Mask can give her youthful vigour, I would think she is capable of much..."

GM "My business is not quite smuggling, for I keep on the right side of the law. But it is not far from it either" conceded Armitage. "I am essentially an antiquities dealer, except my antiquities are Eldritch. It is, ah, a family business, stretching back over a hundred years" he said, with some pride. "My own study is Egypt, but I do not confine my business there. Much interesting and serpentine treasure circles in South America, for instance" he explained. "But I digress. My current partner, if you can call her that, is Elizabeth Drake, a woman of significant wealth and significant years. Lives here in Freedom City, atop a heap of gold and as a virtual recluse. I suspect, frankly, that she wishes immortality" he said, blunt and grim. "I doubt she will get it, but she pays exceptionally well, and is not tedious company. Quite clever, actually. And she does appear to have a fondness for art, which I confess softens my heart. It is easier to part with the goods I acquire if I know the buyer will actually be interested and appreciate them" he added. "I would have sold the mask to her. I would not do so now".

GM Morgen stared at Dreadnought carefully and precisely, as if looking at more than his flesh and face, but deeper still, to his bones and brains. "Do you not trust in the Gods? Do you not trust in me? I speak the tongues, I know the fire" she said, softly, but hard. There was no doubt of this woman's will. "The ever burning fire is alive, you see it? Ever changing, giving warmth. It is Ice that is death, for it never changes, it is just still. It is in Fire that we seem we act, and in Ice that we sleep" she said, almost singing the words. "I make no sacrifice, I only transform. I lose an eye of flesh, I gain an eye of fire, that can see the worlds and skies beyond" she explained, quite convinced. "I trust your strength, Giant. I trust your heart. But you cannot fight what you cannot see!"

I think it will be a take 20 on notice rolls. I could see Knowledge (Tactics) or Stealth come into play, feel free to roll these as you wish? (or not!)

GM "The storm will never end. We cannot see" explained Morgen, restless. "When you fought the Ice Demon, did you see it? Properly? It is hard to see, is it not?" she explained. "And that is when it was here, up close, next to the fire that shines light on all things" she added. "I am sure you can fight another. And win. And another. And another still. Maybe a dozen, maybe more. But they will come and come again. Can you fight forever?" she asked. "Will you stay forever?" "Unless we stop them coming even the Gods will grow weary. We can hope that they will stop coming, and the Gods have answered our prayers, but we mortal souls must see..." She gazed at the fire. "I must see. Will you help me?" she asked. She drew out a knife. It was a rather good knife, made of bronze and with some style. "I will cut out my eye, and burn it with fire. Then, I will have the fire-sight, and see as the Gods do..."

GM "Ah! The cloud maidens! Mighty is their breath! Mighty is there bosom! Haha!" said the Chief, cheerfully. He translated to his tribe who all cheered. The feast was most sating, and the Cloud Maidens puffed away until the sun had set for the day. The air was cool but not cold, and the fire still burned. The tribe started to sleep, although some stayed up - for the danger was not past. Many touched and stared at Dreadnought, but as the moon moved, sleep fell upon one, then another. Except the Chieftans daughter. Morgen, her name, and her eyes dark. Her freckled face showed no fear, and her countenance was curious and determined. "Are you really from the Sky?" she asked, boldly. "I have the sight, but I do not see clear..."

Something is coming up soon, but I am running the prologue with Exaccus (Vision of Fire). Something a bit Welsh, a bit Dutch, and a Bit Hong Kong. there will be some globe trotting around. Partly via the Portals of the Club immortus, partly via your wallets and private jets and so on. Mr. Murk will only be a cameo.

Bloody Mess "Toad!" called back the Mess. "Anyone jumping around like that is a toad!" he said, pleased with his insult. He jumped down after Malcolm in exactly the same manner. "You don't go hittin' the dames, either, ya damn hobo!" he said, angry now that both of them were trying to punch Synapse. "That's just wrong!" he said, cheeks flustered with his blood. And this was pretty super charged super blood, so that was pretty darn super red. He pulled back his fist and let loose a lightning fast punch, fuelled by righteous indignation and the horror of dame-punching, and made darn sure that said lightning fast punch landed squarely on Malcolms face...

Mess will leap down after Malcolm and do a straightforward punch! Punch Maloclm: 1d20+10 27 I imagine that hits, so DC 25 Tough Save.