Supercape

Starshot Starshot gritted his teeth and snarled back at the Bortha. "Grrrr Grrrr!" He never knew a Bortha back down. But this creature, he wanted to understand it. Somehow, he felt he had to take it alive. "Grrr! GRRR!" he shouted, taking a few steps forward. He was slow but purposeful. Showing no fear. I'm the boss here, you shagpile! Whilst he advanced, holding his rifle in his cybernetic left hand, full of iron grip, he pulled out the small sedative injector by his hip. Perhaps he could take this thing alive after all...

Ok: For a standard action, use Intimidate: Intimidate Bortha: 1d20+10 12 Pretty awful. For move action, pull out his Sedative Gun.

Another unmodified attack; a snare this time: Snare Bortha: 1d20+12 31 Thats a Snare 8 Effect (DC 18 Reflex initially) Using Move action to back off a dozen or more feet.

Star Shot Dead or alive? Dead would be easier... Some instinct made him...what? Feel sorry for the creature? Feel something strange about the whole situation? What was it? Empathy? Respect? Introspection was for moments of dark brooding, not for the blood of battle. But the will to act might bend, if not cease. Backing off, he pumped the under carriage of his plasma rifle, loading a web-shell. Without pausing for aim, but relying on guts and experience, he fired. The plasma flowed into the expanding net, that glistened and fizzed like an orange web as it flowered, opening up and ready to take the Bortha into it's caress...

Starshot A Bortha! But wait...the Bortha had laid a trap, it seemed. Hiding above the cave. Were they really that smart? He couldn't recall...it was hard to recall such intricacies when faced with endless rows of teeth. He even felt his scar tingle. But he had faced teeth, and claws, and all sorts of other hunters over the years. And they had been many years. He was not one to falter in the face of fear, for Instinct had taken over. He rolled to one knee, and brought his rifle to bear. At this range...I can't miss.... He fired a blast at the creature without thinking. And, at the back of his mind, he felt disturbed - he should be thinking. Something was eluding him. This is not what it seems?

Initiative vs Cave Thing: 1d20+10 22 for Initiative. Using that Action to Fire off a Plasma Blast: FIres Plasma Blast at Bortha: 1d20+12 22 If that hits, the usual DC 23 Toughness Save!

Firing the Flare Gun for Bright Light - at least for a few minutes, then creeping in. May have lost the element of surprise, but if Stealth matters, then ill make that roll: Stealth roll creeping into cave: 1d20+14 30

Starshot This was pause for thought; a Bortha? The tracks were that of a Bortha, but that didn't mean it was a Bortha. Either it was a mutated runt, there was another entrance, or someone has taking him for a fool. Wouldn't be the first time. Still, he had come this far, over ice and snow and rocks. He could hardly turn around now. He didn't, however, trust his IR sensors down there. They would show only a red blob of heat, not the detail...and something was amiss here. He needed to see what it was. He pulled out the Flare Gun strapped to his belt around the back. A quick check to see it was properly loaded... Fzzzttt....a bright purple light flew into the cave, providing a rather pretty illumination. Gripping his gun tightly, he crept inwards...

So 26 for tracking. If any survival rolls needed using skill mastery for a 26 result, which should be enough to keep him orientated and unexposed etc if possible. Given the situation, being on foot, and having to carry the detonators, I would suggest Starshot is divesting himself of some of his equipment, thus carrying: Plasma Rifle and Helmet, obviously. Reinforced Military Jacket Basic Survival Gear (Water flask, Tarpaulin) Ultrasonic Whistle (as its so light) Masterwork Rope (as its so light) His utility belt without the grenades (Dropping the grenades from his utility belt, Whip, and Medical Kit) I'm not much of an "equipment list" guy, but on the other hand I want to give a feel that he is running light.

Starshot Starshot felt the heat generators in his bones fire up, warming his body. Still, no used in giving them a hard time. He was wrapped up warm under his Jacket. The snow could be a blessing if it wasn't snowing. Anybody could track anybody. Then again, that mean that anybody could track him. Which might not be a blessing. He wondered how smart the Bortha was. He shouldered his rifle over his shoulder and flipped down his helmet. The HUD popped up a display over the tinted monocrystal lens; a graphical relay of the surrounding area, ready to map. The cold would make heat signatures easy to read; an IR scan was next....

Starshot Teeth and claws as usual. "Easy enough to find a Bortha. It gets harder when you find it. Still harder to capture one alive" he answered. He still had a scar from the last time he tried that. And the offending Bortha tooth dangled on a chain above the Pilot's chair of the Xeno. Reminded him to never get cocky. The meaning of his words hung in the air. "So we best be clear. Do you want that Bortha alive?" he asked. "I can try to do that. But I need to know where your priorities are. And if you need to stop it, then I'd tell you to bring it in dead" he explained. He checked his plasma rifle. Fully charged. Locked and Loaded. Good, he would need it. And explosives too? This would be a heavy load...perhaps he should travel lighter.

Starshot Working with the Lor. As good a customer as anybody in the Galaxy. It made a change from dealing with scum and villains. The worst he had from the Lor was a certain ignorant air of superiority. Doing the right thing was easy when affluent and safe. Less so in the mud and ditches of life. The Xeno was on Thetron, in the unsafe hands of Gunmonkey. He had taken what he needed, or thought he might need. His old Jacket, stitched together, his helmet, his bandolier of grenades and devices, some survival gear. And most importantly, his gun. With an extra few clips of ultra-fibre shells. Who knew what he might be catching. It was a heavy load, but his cybernetic augmentation was up to the task. "You can fill me on the way" he answered. He was not exactly curt or brusque, but had a succinct way of speaking. "It will be teeth and claws if you called me in, I wager..."

The Red Rat Louis did deserve payment. And with money, rather than imaginary balloons. And yet, lamentably, the former was in rather short supply (compared to the the latter, at least). The Rat cleaned herself out paying him. She hoped she could find some tinned spam somewhere. If she didn't eat, she noticed than she tended to get hungry. "Thanks Louis. Stay frosty" Thanks were free, of course. She didn't like the zombie scenery. But looks were deceiving. She flipped her cybernetic eyes over the horizon and gave the prof a radiowave ping. "Isn't it beautiful? Anything I should be looking for...?"

The Red Rat "Or possibly both. Which is a fearsome combination" added the Red Rat, fingering her guns. People who were out of their depth were unpredictable. And people who were prepared were effective. Unpredictable and effective. Not somebody you would want to meet. She looked out the back of the van, scanning to see if they had been followed, or spotted. The coast seemed clear. But then again, she was a spy. Things were not always as they seemed. She slumped back down. "Well, no use fretting over what might be at this point. May as well grab a coke and an iced lolly for the ride..."

GM "Well, by the time we are out of this mess, I don't think I'll be eating peanuts for a while" she said, still grateful that they had goodly supplies of water and food. Even if nuts was the mainstay of the menu. She remained positive, but was thinking. "Still, we must be miles from the nearest settlement. Even if we do know where we are. Which, incidentally, we don't" she explained. "Plus, we have one pilot with a smashed ankle and another out cold" "I doubt we can stay here forever. Even with supplies and the shelter. In essence, we are in a sorry jam" she explained. "Normally, I would say we should wait for air rescue. But I don't think that's coming. Do you? I'm not sure where that portal took us..." She looked to her boyfriend for some enlightenment. "Which means we take a gamble what ever we do. Wait, and hope wherever we are knows we are out here. Or trek though the ice of Greenland, or wherever this is..."

For reference: Salvaged Equipment Radio distress beacon High powered torch Flare Gun Multi Tool Space Blanket (Plus salted peanuts) Ill throw in a first aid kit, a compass, and a map of Greenland too. (Plus some dry roasted peanuts)

By the way, Ill post up my draft for Arnaq. Its a 30PP build if you ever bring back Black Knight and want a minion! Plus, for reference in this thread as she may be a source of complications or even help!

I think that is all reasonable. You may want to make a Survival roll but its not a tricky situation; you have shelter in the wreckage. Lets say a simple DC 5 Survival roll for that? If you want to search the wreckage for useful stuff, lets call that a DC10 Search Roll. If you make that, and every 4 points above whats needed, you can narrate something mildly useful you find in the luggage and wreckage (Up to 5 EP, or similar utility).

GM The same idea had apparently struck Arnaq; and not surprisingly. She was a native Greenlander. Ice, cold, and snow were second nature to her. For now, it was just her, the Black Knight, and the two injured Pilots. And the now silent pepper bot robot, black and steaming. And the chasis of the Plane, of course. For that, they had shelter. True it was rent asunder in many places, and nothing bar divine intervention would make it fly again. But it kept out the cold to some extent; the wind out side was soft, but even if it picked up, the plane would provide shelter in that regard. And one more boon; luggage! Strewn everywhere (Lamentably, much of it strewn out a half mile out on the ice). And plenty of food. Now, that food was microwavable (with no microwave) ready meals to be served in flight, and an endless supply of salted nuts (it seemed), but it was plenty of food. And water too, bottled, still, sparkling. Fruit juices for those who wanted a change of palate. And even a goodly stock of alcohol. Plus of course lots of souvenier tat; teddy bears, baseball caps, and the like.

GM Fiat time; the portal power is disabled for now due to geo-thaumatological dimensional lensing. Yes, that makes sense to me. Black Knight - Bruised, Injured - 2 HP

GM The seizing man was convulsing badly, eyes turned upwards, teeth gritted. "Help him" shouted Arnsaq - uncharacteristic of her. It was a redundant statement, and she was usually level headed enough to avoid those. Still, it was the most strange of times. And about to get stranger still; for the buzzing portal buzzed still harder. The view shifted wildly, as if spinning over many miles, this way, then that. It was dizzying to peer into. Lightning fast pitches over horizons of ice and mountain. But then, one could peer no longer. For the portal exploded. That is to say it expanded in an instant, enveloping the entire plane and its inhabitants. They were all left alone, on strange Greenlander Ice. And not of Earth Prime...came the instinct. The Black Knight could feel the distortion. Fortunately, the rift through dimensions had seemed to knock the pilot out of his seizure and into a comatose slumber. And all the while the black pepper bot robot whistle steam...

The Red Rat "Good to have you back, my friends!" said the Rat, giving each gun a kiss. And giving the driver one too. "Nice work, hot wheels!" IR and X-Ray analysis swept over the Superior Soviet Weapons. All seemed fine. Superior Soviet Technology Never Fails! proclaimed SLAVE with total confidence. Well, these babies always seem to do the job! conceded the Rat. Slotting the guns back in holsters, she turned to the Professor. "And Shenanandoah? What lies there?" she asked. Not for the first time, she wondered how much the strange man (or sort of man) was telling her. Or, more accurately, how much he was not telling her.

Notes: The Gas Man has popped up in several threads, either directly or by reference, and has proved an interesting and popular character. He is generally a protagonist but just "does his job" - he is obviously more dangerous than a thug but would not be a challenge for most super heroes. He is there to slow them down or take the edge of them at most. He has been used, to date (And I would advise in the future) as an employee of more nefarious agencies. His true super power is always managing to stay out of legal trouble. He might bend or even slightly break the law, but he won't do anything he think might send him to jail.

The Gas Man (Tier 1 NPC) Character Name: The Gas Man (Brad Bilker) Power Level: 7 Power Points: 105/105 Trade-Offs: +1 Attack/-1 DC, +1 Defence/-1 DC Unspent Power Points: 0 In Brief: Bounty Hunter who stays just inside the law. Ish. Description: Age: 45 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Male Height: 5’11” Weight: 95Kgs Eyes: Brown Hair: Grizzly White - Brown Brad is getting on a bit, but still in excellent shape, with a grizzly, battle-weary kind of appearance. He has a couple of scars and a slightly broken nose that are testament to his profession and history. He usually wears paramilitary type gear, although is not opposed to a more casual look if the job requires it. History: The Gas Man was a marine, and a good one. Very good. Served his country, did his job, saw plenty of action. Liked the action, didn’t like the pay. He was one of the many soldiers given vaccines against chemical and biological agents (ill researched and the subject of many litigations thereafter). He was fortunate, however, as he was the only soldier to develop complete and absolute immunity to such hazards thereafter. Jacking in his career, the Gas Man uses his newfound immunity and military skills as a bounty hunter and mercenary for hire. He has plenty of contacts, and is well equipped, but not smart enough to capitalise on his fortune. His one natural talent is the ability to somehow slide into just the right side of the law, even though his methods, whilst not lethal, are pretty questionable. Powers & Tactics: The Gas Man has developed complete immunity to chemical and biological agents. Combined with his military training and gathered equipment, he will drop gas grenades onto his bounty targets, being completely immune himself. Personality and Motivation The Gas Man is a somewhat burnt out figure. He thinks he has been hard done by, and should get his just rewards. His is basically amoral; meaning that he has no real desire to commit crime or hurt people, he just doesn’t really care much – or at all – about others. He does however have some loyalty or at least respect to those with military backgrounds. Whilst not particularly intelligent, the Gas Man does have a knack for staying inside the law – or at least largely sliding free from legal consequences of his actions. For instance “I didn’t deliberately gas Mrs Smith, I just happened to drop one of my grenades by accident…” He does get in trouble of course, and he is constantly fighting to maintain a reputation and his business, but somehow the Gas Man keeps on gassing… Abilities:6 + 2 + 6 + 0 + 0 + 2 = 16 Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10 Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 16 + 16 = 32 Initiative: +5 Attack: +8 Grapple: +11 Defense: +8 (+4 Flat Footed) Knockback: -3 Saving Throws: 3 + 5 + 4 = 12 Toughness: +3/+6 (With Vest) Fortitude: +6 (+3 Con, +3) Reflex: +6(+1 Dex, +5) Will: +4 (+4) Skills: 52R = 13 PP Climb 4 (+7) Craft (Chemical) 2 (+2) Craft (Mechanical) 4 (+4) Drive 4 (+4) Intimidate 8 (+9) Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Tactics) 4 (+4) Medicine 2 (+2) Notice 4 (+4) Sense Motive 4 (+4) Stealth 4 (+5) Survival 4 (+4) Swim 4 (+7) Feats: 20 Connected Equipment 18* Improved Initiative 1 NB: Equipment given is as an example or standard. The Gas Man has a lot of military and industrial contacts and other equipment or weapons might be suitable. Equipment: Multi-Tool [1 EP] Night Vision Goggles [1 EP] Stun Ammo [1 EP] Undercover Vest [4 EP] (Protection 3, Feats: Subtle) Submachine Gun [12 EP] (Blast 4, Extras: Autofire) Back up Light Pistol [6 EP] (Blast 3) Boot Knife [4 EP] (Strike 1, Feats: Mighty, Thrown, Improved Critical 1) Vehicle: The Gas Van STR 35 [1 EP], Toughness 10 [1 EP], Size: Huge [2 EP], Features: Alarm 1, Hidden Compartments 2, Oil Slick, Smoke Screen [5 EP], Powers: Roof Turret Net Gun (Snare 5) [10 EP], Speed 5 [5 EP], Total Cost [24 EP] Gas Grenade Bandolier 35 EP Array, Feats: Alt Power 2 [37 EP] BP: Dazzle 5 (Visual Senses, Extras: Alt Save [Fort, +0], Area [Cloud]) linked with Nauseate 5 (Extras: Area Cloud, Ranged) [15 + 20 = 35 PP] “Tear Gas” AP: Fatigue 5 (Extras: Area Cloud, Poison, Sleep [+0]) [20 PP] “Sleeping Gas” AP: Obscure 5 (Visual Senses, Feats: Slow Fade 1) [11 P] “Smoke Grenade” Powers: 12 PP Immunity 12 (Chemical descriptor, Disease, Poison) [12 PP] Totals: Abilities 16 + Skills 13 + Feat 20 + Powers 12 + Combat 32 + Saves 12 = 105

The Red Rat "Down with the Capitalist Scum etcetera etcetera" mumbled the Rat through the ear piece. "Debates on communist philosophy are great, of course. But right now, a dog is barking and trouble is coming" she explained. Although, she realised with a grin... "Trouble might also give us answers" she concluded, drawing one of the guns. Autoweaponlink active: Load Sedative Dart...bzzzt! The guns had a nice little link to the computer in her head, rapidly changing the ammunition fired. "Have a nice sleep!" she whispered to the Dog, taking careful aim and firing a dart which duly whizzed through the air into Canine mouth. With that, she turned heel and started to run...