Supercape

Lord Steam "The old and the new" commented Lucien, studying the door which was certainly new compared to the decay around them. He tried not to think about a collapse, and the ocean streaming in condemning him to a watery grave. "What say you to this?" he asked the Speaker, trying to make sense of the glyph. "I daresay it is the way to open the door. Or disintegrate people trying to open the door. One of the two. Possibly both" he speculated, thinking carefully. "Unless you have some clever trick to hand, which I sincerely hope you do, but doubt its likelihood, I suppose we mush push or pull something. Or twist. I can't say I can determine if any course of action is wiser than the other. But doing nothing is surely the worst of all...so perhaps a simple twist first?"

GM "Payment?" replied Zyte, offended. "Why, what use has someone of your incandescent nature for mere money?" he asked, honestly indignant. "It is image, sir! This is the only currency! The only coin! And image is what Zyte can provide!" "A rebrand, perhaps? A nickname! He goes forth, breaking the boundaries of what it means to be a hero! Behold the TRAIL BLAZER? No? Hmmm....He lights up the city with a new, sexy, kind of justice! He is HOT STUFF! Hmmm, still no?" "Suit yourself. I would avoid fire in a name though. Makes people think of facial burns. Not good" he explained. "But forget the name. I can put you up around the world! Internet fame and fortune! A multi-layered laminar media assault! Your name will be on all lips, your image in every head! Can you ask for more?"

GM Whats that? answered Vic. You are the most beautiful woman in the world and everybody should worship you? And you wanted to kill some hell hounds because you are so awesome and can do anything? Did I hear that right? I mean...it's a bit of an ego you got there.... But OK....Vic said, in her head to the spirit, her confidence in the sanity of Jessica rather crumbled. "If you get rid of Hector and his dogs...and I mean get rid of..." said Morgan, smiling broadly, drooling slightly. He stroked his cleaver to emphasise exactly what get rid of meant "then you can have whatever meat you want. And I do mean any. Lemurian sorcerer flesh. The best!" he explained, eyes darkening. He wrote, in rather bad, grubby handwriting, the address of Hector. "Here you go, he runs a car scrapyard thing. Nobody likes him. Nobody will miss him..." he added, by way of encouragement.

Rev "What's going on? Apart from a lot of stuff all around me! Wow! Its like an action movie!" said Rev, turning her head this way and that. "Except we are in it!" she concluded. She shuffled her feet a little, then, with a few hops, jumped into the air on a burst of fuel. "Wheeee!" she screamed in excitement as she hurtled through the air. Some serious Gs! She opened up one hand and ignited a burst of white hot plasma, like a sabre, from it. As she landed, she swung up her long arm and the plasma stream boiling from the tip at one of the mysterious figures. He was good looking. That meant he needed to be punched hard....

Move Action: Jump Standard Action: UNshifted Plasma Jet Attack on #12 Plasma Jet Attack: 1d20+14 24 I guess that hits, and if so Drain 6 Toughness and Damage 6 (Fort 16 / Tough 21) effect.

It would be a squeeze! HOw would mannequin fit through the vent?

GM "Trapped? No, I am no fool" said Imprint, getting to her feet, the sparks fizzing out. She wobbled, but was getting her nerves back into shape, fighting off the jolt. "Between the two of you, I can't fight. Not directly, anyway. But I have more subtle means to fight. More insidious means to trap. Mark my words, this isn't over!" she declared. With a little hop, she was in the air, and speeding through it. Flying like a little blue dart...she did a quick figure of eight and then was off, straight through an air vent grill. The grill was fine enough to prevent even a one inch woman from passing through the gaps, but she smashed through the grill like it was butter, carving a small hole in the grill an inch or two wide...

Recover from Daze: 1d20+6 20 Imprint recovers from daze. And flies through an air vent grill! Combat over, for now, although Block Head is still unsettled and you may of course want to try a trick to chase Imprint!

GM And so... ...tomorrow...early! Zyte was early. Full of energy. Full of caffeine. Typing on his computer, surfing the intermaweb, redesigning several websites, and filming the streets all at the same time. Right where Bonfire had found him, waiting for the fiery superhero to show. Chill Pill, looking pale and cold, looked half asleep, waiting for the show. Another man, Zyte's bodyguard and driver, dressed like a surfer dude, stood by the car, flipping a coin to keep himself occupied. He looked pretty relaxed and calm. He was called Zane!, and ex-stunt man and all round aide to Zyte. He had one of the most important qualities for an employee of Zyte. He could stand Zyte.

GM "Right! It's all about branding!" said Zyte snapping his fingers "See?" he admonished Chill "This guy gets it. A guy I can work with!" "Yeah and don't worry about the law. Such a pain in the ass, the law" he said, whipping out a pen. "I mean, we have to work with, I guess. But my, how it stifles the artistic endeavour. Such a drag!" he complained. He opened up his laptop and pulled out some documents and printed them. For all his complaining about the law, he knew it pretty well. "Chill here has signed everything already. Own risk, risk is own, etcetera etcetera. Here's my life..." he winked at Bonfire, signing a document that looked very much like the article Bonfire had asked for. Plus a few additional clauses like all rights belonging to Zyte and Bonfire was free to use all media for his own purposes. He presented the document to Bonfire for him to sign...

Tough Save: 1d20+9 19 Another Bruise Fort Save: 1d20+6 19 Dazed, but dazed already so no effect (its a non cumulative status power)

GM Chill Pill had strolled up to Zyte and Bonfire and interjected. "Whoa...hold on. I don't want my drug use part of my image! What's this?" "Medical drug use, my cool friend! Medical! You have to use your head, here. This is about image!" smiled Zyte, cleared annoyed at dealing with Chill Pill. "He has some kind of condition. Using experimental transmetabolic medication. Gave some side effects...some of them useful" he explained to Bonfire, pointing at Chill Pill. "Thats right. I need my drugs!" said Chill Pill, proudly. Zyte slapped his forehead. "IM-AGE! IM-AGE! " he yelled at Chill Pill. "Gods the treatment has slowed down your brain to the speed of a Glacier!" he screamed. Chill Pill reddened and looked pitifully ashamed of himself. "Oh dear gods" sighed Zyte. "Anyway, if I can handle the image, this could be something awesome! And you guys have a mystery of the skull of ultimate evil to solve!"

GM "A toy? To play with?" said Block Head, prodding the materialised object. He did not seem to understand its meaning or purpose, but he seemed at least interested. And not smashing anything. For now. "What is its purpose? It is a cube? One can rotate each side? Clockwise...and...anticlockwise!" he commented, doing just that. "I do not, however, see its purpose? It merely is? Decorative? It is not something that one can build with, is it? Perhaps a new form of brick? Is that it? hmmm....." His five faces showed puzzlement, but engaged puzzlement.

OK lets have Block Head engaged with the cube this round and play it by ear thereafter/ Round 4 16 - Dr D, Unharmed, 0 HP 8 - Block Head, Unharmed 3 - Mannequin, Bruised, 2 HP 1- Imprint (Micro Woman), Bruised, Dazed Mannequin is up.

Starshot "Then that is where we must go" But how...? Amphibious? It was high risk, for the pirates would not expect them to come from that direction. But if caught... "Can we approach by the black water?" he asked Ermorda. "The tribe is of the trees, not the water. I would not place you in dangerous terrain, which you do not know" "But perhaps I could come from that direction...underwater, unseen...." he offered, aware that whilst he preferred land, he was quite able to swim and his helmet could provide oxygen for two hours. More than enough for an approach.

GM "Surrender? Why, I was going to...uhhrrr... offer you that same proposition" replied the woman, still fizzing and sparking. "I have the whole facility infiltrated. Eyes in the sky, watching every move. And Block Head himself will be my champion. You haven't seen my power but for its most crude and unsophisticated fist!" she replied defiantly. "I can bring you all to your knees! But I have no desire to. I just want Block Head back. So if you would be so good as to deliver him. And...uhhh...if not, just wait until I catch my breath...uhhh....."

GM "Lined up? Why, of course not. True art is not planned, no! It merely is, in all its glory!" replied Zyte, giving some serious jazz hands to his expression. "One must seize opportunity! And opportunity is everywhere, as long as one seizes it! All you need is a seizure!" he added, flicking jazz hands around so much that it did look very much like he was in fact having a seizure. "I see a reality TV show! Why, let me follow you mentoring Chill Pill as you track down the horror of...The Skull Mask of Ultimate Evil!" he said dramatically, giving a faux horrified face and pointing to the Skull mask now removed from the Thug and looking at them on the bonnet of the patrol car. "Well it does need looking into" conceded the cop bundling the thug into his car. "Hmmm...well we could do with a better name, too" conceded Zyte, muted but not deflated.

GM "More than merely professional!" replied Zyte, hand on his chest indignant. "I am ZYTE GUYST! Multi media art - eest!" he declared to infinity and beyond. "Chill Pill, here. He is new on the scene" he explained to Bonfire "and his head moves as fast as a glacier" he explained in hushed tones. "He needed a proper entrance. You know, something to set him on the road to the stars. And Zyte, well Zyte is the rocket ship to the stars, my friend!" "Say, I do know you! Bonfire, right? You run some blog? Blew up some nuclear power stations? Thats slightly not cool, man. You could do with my services!" he said, spotting an opportunity. "Along with Ice and Fire!" he said, framing the event in the ethereal with a wave of his hand. "The adventures of Bonfire and Chill Pill! Down on the streets of Freedom City! A reality show! What do you say?"

Chill Pill, no! You recall Zyte is a rising multi media star of considerable fame and/or ability (not sure of the proportion of those however!)

GM The tiny armoued woman spun to the floor, an inch high in tumbling rotation. One could see sparks flying around her armour, zapping her nervous system. "Uuuugh! Shocking behaviour!" she grunted, on her tiny hands and knees on the floor, shaking her red hair. "I tried to do this politely, you know, after you stole my creation. Well, your creation that I added to" she explained. "You created the materials, but it was I who, like a God of old, breathed life into the clay..." She groaned again. "Gosh that really hurt. Zapped me good, you did! Ill have to resort to more drastic, and subtle, means!"

Yes

Synth As told by Officer Karin Brown, Blackstone Security Captain Synth. Short for Synthetic. She was a strange one. I say she, well, for convenience sake really. She wasn’t always a she. I’m not a scientist, but in my job you have to know a bit of science, goes with the job. You know the job I do, right? Blackstone. It’s where we lock up all the super powered scum. Ah..I mean the super powered convicts. Sorry, the job gets to me sometimes. The stress of it. You think your job is stressful? Try being security guard for a bunch of psychopaths who could freeze your eyeballs with a look, or tear out your heart with one finger. Then you can talk to me about stress. So we have to know our prisoners well. Background, psychology, abilities. And that includes understanding the science behind their abilities. Mutation, cybernetics, all of that. Some have specific medical needs to, and we have to be aware of those. There is a debate about how much the scientists can poke and prod our prisoners. Human liberties on the one hand, public safety on the other. Huh, for my part I’d put them on a table and dissect them. Liberty is all well and good but these are prisoners. And some of these prisoners can level a city block with a flick of the wrist. Hell, some of them could level a city. Goes without saying I checked out Synth as soon as she came in. Full medical, blood works, scan. Got some of our best biomedical scientists on it. As far as I can tell, she is cellular. Biological even. But those cells are pretty different to ours. Something about duplicating mitochondria, and polychromatic cell walls. Anyway, turns out Synth is tough as nails. That’s what it boils down to. Now, Synth point blank refused to have any tests done on her. Said that she was concerned that SHADOW would get hold of the results. Concerned, she said. She looked terrified. Anyway, we got some done, we got the legal power to do so. We can’t have a plague breaking out here, and we got to protect the brave officers who work here. And the prisoners, I suppose. When we explained that, Synth…well, she didn’t just allow those tests. She helped us understand them. We got some smart people working here. We called in some even smarter ones. And they said the same thing. Synth knew more about biochemistry and physiology and medicine that any of them. Some said she was very careful about what tests were done, or, more precisely, what tests weren’t. With her direction, they understood just enough to satisfy the law, and not one bit of data more. Credit where credit was due, it was all polite, calm. Can’t say Synth got angry, or threatening, or violent. She just knew how to handle us. Funny thing, really, normally it’s the other way round in Blackstone. I have to admit, that stings a bit. Any prison has violence. Part of a prison, much as anybody would like to say otherwise. Can no more stop that than we can stop the sun rising in the morning. Blackstone is equipped to deal with violence, but we can’t stop it. Fights break out, even if we can end them pretty quick. Never saw Synth start a fight once. Never even saw Synth try to start one. Never shouted, never goaded. Never even responded. Someone pushed her, shoved her, stuck an elbow in her ribs, never seen her explode. Almost subdued, you might say. Felt kind of odd. Like she was on drugs or something. Model prisoner, in that regards. It felt a bit spooky to be honest. Not that the guards complained, sure made our life a lot easier. But that passivity, it was unnatural, to be honest. Like a gift that felt wrong. One, maybe two fights. That was it. When she really had to defend herself. Big Baby went on a rampage in her wing. Synth took a hit, took two even, but Big Baby is strong, and its hard to neutralise him when he goes. Something snaps in his brain. But Synth dodged most of the slaps and kicks, and ended up actually pinning Big Baby to the ground, restraining him until we could mobilise some proper response. You heard that right. Restrained. Most, actually all, of the prisoners here, if they get attacked, they go to town on their attacker. Justifiable self defence and all that. Synth could have fought back, and fought back hard, and nobody would have blamed her. Instead, she just restrained Big Baby. And I don’t mean the kind of restraint where you might twist a limb a bit too far, or put your boot into a rib a bit harder than necessary…uhhh…not that I would no about that, of course. Synth certainly would, she knew more about human anatomy than anybody should. But even with every opportunity for a bit of payback, there was none. Like I said, model prisoner. A gift. But it still freaked us out a little. The shrinks…ahh…I mean the psychologists, they went to town on her. Some soft, some hard. She responded to the former, and clammed up the latter. I don’t mean she didn’t speak to the hard ones, oh she spoke, sure. Not much, but just as hard back. I guess it’s hard to psychologise someone when they no more about psychology than you do. She knew every trick they did and more. I guess we got a few bruised ego’s amongst the criminologists here. Heh, I give credit for that. Some of the psychologists wanted to help, sure. Said she was depressed, needed therapy, that kind of thing. Never held that kind of talky stuff in high regard myself. Prozac does me just fine. Still, whatever they did, it seemed to work, in a fashion. She at least talked to them. Turns out her head is pretty messed up. I don’t understand it really, but as I figure it, she had several imprinted memories in that skull of hers. I guess it figures, now and again one personality would bubble up and manifest. Nyberg, the main one, some kind of old scientist guy. Norwegian, or something like that. It was pretty freaky when she started speaking like him, and looking like him. Hell, it was even freakier when she spoke like him but kept in her regular body… He seemed to come when she was really down, or after a fight, or just when she got stressed out. All our prisoners do, from time to time. It’s a stressful enough environment for the guards, let alone the prisoners. Psychologists seem to think he was a backup personality or something. Hmmm, maybe they were onto something. He seemed nice enough, although he was a bit shocked that he was in prison. He seemed a little more animated, perhaps, keen to talk and explain things. He also interacted with the other prisoners more, and seemed to try and help them. Maybe he did. The prisoners knew when he was around they would at least get a sympathetic ear. I think they liked him more than the regular old Synth. Of course, Synth got busted out a few months back. Freaky as she was, I guess we kind of miss her. We never had a better prisoner, and I don’t think we will again. Sometimes catch myself wondering where she is. Sometimes catch myself caring...

Fort Save: 1d20+6 16 dazed Tough Save: 1d20+10 30 no damage Dr Deoxy is up again! Round 4 16 - Dr D, Unharmed, 0 HP 8 - Block Head, Unharmed 3 - Mannequin, Bruised, Dazed, 2 HP 1- Imprint (Micro Woman), Bruised, Dazed

The Fantastic Frogman Power Level: 10 (150/150) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: -2 Attack / +2 Damage, -2 Defense / +2 Toughness In Brief: Sewer cleaner turned Fungoid Amphibian. Theme: Deeper Underground Alternate Identity: Salvador “Santa” Sanchez Birthplace: Freedom City Residence: Freedom City Base of Operations: Sewers and Subways of Freedom City Occupation: Sewer Cleaner Affiliations: None Family: Anlella Sanchez (Sister, Subway Police Force), Victor Sanchez (Brother, Dock Worker), Alberto Sanchez (Father, Retired Nurse) Description Age: 28 Apparent Age: 28 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Hispanic Height: 5’9” Weight: 75 Kgs Eyes: Brown Hair: Black, Short Santa looks like a pretty average guy, fairly in shape, with a square face and big smile. When he transforms into his fungus form, he looks visibly more muscular and has a dull green gloopy look to his shin. His eyes become huge and black. He looks like a humanoid frog. History: Santa is a sewer man. Not a popular job. He has had a string of low paid jobs, and his hot head with managers has got him fired from them all. So, sewer man it is. Aside from a side line in stand-up comedy that he is pretty good at (although his intolerance of hecklers has limited his career), he was essentially going nowhere. Until one day, he was infected with a mutant fungus on the subway. It is believed this was caused by a Darwin-X viral outbreak. He is not actually infected with the virus, but did get infected indirectly by the mutated virus. After several weeks of feeling extremely ill, Santa eventually recovered and found he was incredibly strong, having formed a symbiosis with the fungus. In addition to his strength, he could transform into a strange hybrid fungal creature that looked remarkably like a giant toad. Nobody would push Santa around now! Taking the name “Frogman”, Santa is now the superhero of the streets and subways of Freedom City, out to protect the-hard working commuters and cleaners, tramps and buskers, and all manner of people who populate the sunless underground of Freedom City. Which is not to say he won’t pop up from a manhole to help the surface! Personality & Motivation: The Frogman is a bit of a hot head. This does not mean reckless, however. He gets angry with authority and being told what to do, and will start shouting, or – in extreme case, start throwing things around in a fury. Other than his temper, the Frogman is a helpful do-gooder. He has grown up on some rough places, and hates the way crime and corruption can ruin a community. And he is a community minded soul – particularly fond of his own neighbourhood and the sub-culture of the sewers and subways. Powers & Tactics: Santa is always extremely strong, but he keeps this hidden. He can go “Full Fungus”, which conceals his appearance and gives him additional fungoid senses (various super senses and resilience), and it is in this form that he serves the city as “Frogman”. Tactically, he relies on his strength and, to a lesser extent, his ability to sneak around the sewers. He will usually try to close the distance and pummel his opponents in combat. Complications: His Full Fungal Form will give rise to a few complications when active: He is Colour blind in this form, and will have a characteristic smell of Damp Mushrooms. He may be vulnerable to certain anti-fungal chemicals and regular medicines may be ineffective or even dangerous to him. Whilst in this form his entire skin acts as olfactory senses, making it impossible for him to hold his nose (i.e. He will automatically lose olfactory sense dependent effects unless he can do something clever like take a swim in a perfume factory beforehand) Fun Guy: Yeah… Fun Guy….Fungi…geddit? The Frogman often pauses or monologues to get quips and jokes and puns in. Struggling: Being a sewer cleaner doesn’t give much in the way of money. Santa has no car and lives in a run down flat. Hot Head: As described above, Santa is prone to getting angry, particularly against managers or authority figures telling him what to do. He could be distracted by such issues, or might walk out of the shadows, breaking stealth, to scream and shout at such an individual. Sun Scream: In any form, Santa easily gets sunstroke and sunburn, which might make him ill, light headed, or irritable. Abilities: 25 + 4 + 25 + 2 + 2 + 4 = 62 Strength: 35 (+12) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 35 (+12) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 16 + 16 = 32 Initiative: +6 Attack: +8 Defense: +8 (+4 Flat Footed) Grapple: +21 Knockback: -6 Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 5 = 12 Toughness: +12 (+12 Con) Fortitude: +15 (+12 Con, +3) Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, +4) Will: +6 (+2 Wis, +4) Skills: 64 Ranks = 16 PP Bluff 4 (+6) Intimidate 4 (+6) Know [Pop Culture] 4 (+5) Know [Streetwise] 4 (+5) Language 1 (English [Native], Spanish) Notice 4 (+5) Perform [Comedy] 8 (+10) Search 4 (+5) Sense Motive 8 (+9) Stealth 8 (+10) Swim 3 (+15) Feats: 3 PP Favoured Environment [Sewers] Improved Initiative 1 Takedown Attack 1 Powers: 19 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 3 = 29 All powers have the fungus descriptor. Alternate Form 4 (Extras: Continuous, Drawbacks: Full Round to transform [3], Cannot transform under significant UV light [1]*, One Way Transformation [Hours to revert, 1]) 19 PP “Full Fungus Form” Immunity 3 (Critical Hits, Suffocation [Drowning]) [3 PP] Morph 4 (Single Frog Appearance, +20 Disguise, Flaws: Permanent) [4 PP] Super-Movement 3 (Slithering, Wall Crawling 2) [6 PP] Super Senses 7 (Accurate [Olfactory], Acute [Olfactory], Low Light Vision, Tracking [Olfactory], Tremorsense) [7 PP] *The Frogman cannot activate his alternate form under significant UV light (e.g. Sunlight). However, it is not lost under UV light once activated (and in fact it takes him a few hours to revert back to normal irrespective of the level of UV radiation) Immunity 1 (Disease) [1 PP] Leaping 3 (x10; Running Jump 220’, Standing Jump 110’, High Jump 55’) [3 PP] Speed 2 (25mph) [2 PP] Super Strength 1 (+5 STR) [2 PP] Swimming 3 (10mph) [3 PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 27 Tough Damage Totals: Abilities 62 + Combat 32 + Saving Throws 12 + Skills 12 + Feats 3 + Powers 29 = 150/150 Power Points

Rev "Scent, yeah! that sounds good. I mean...eau de thug! I can see it now. There might even be a market for it? Ever thought of being a perfumer? asked Rev casually, looking this way and that". She ignored the beautiful comment. No matter how many times she was told, it didn't ring true. She didn't feel ugly, either. She just felt...like she stood out. Which nine times out of ten didn't bother her. But that tenth time really stung. "In any case, keep your eyes peeled as well as your nose....this is going to be more difficult than I thought..."