Supercape

Synth AEGIS probably is paranoid. AEGIS probably should be paranoid. But I wish their eye was not on me... Synth strolled to the computer, wishing the imprinted memories in her head knew proper computer skills. Sure, she could handle the basic programming and data stores. Any scientist could. But anything encrypted would be near impossible to crack. Nevertheless, she must think positive. And not think about the ticking clock. The files would be the back up, but right now, she turned on the computer and started looking. Files on genetic enhancement, research...anything that tied up with the previous data she had unearthed. Any correlation at all. Fortunately her memories were focussed and alert - and Synth was a world class bioscientist as a consequence. She understood pretty much anything biological, and could quickly understand and correlate any data...

GM The fire was not spreading as fast as John dreaded, not as fast as the suicidal Amber wished. But smoke, now that was proliferating. Even as John came the front entrance of the Bad Beat, smoking was pouring out. As where the first people - coughing and spluttering, and bruised. These were the strongest and largest, who had basically beaten a way through the crush. And Blowfish was amongst them. Never one to miss an important moment, he spotted John and gave him a look. "Hmphhh...I saw you go backstage. You have earned a very special place in my books...." he said, steel of voice. Screams and smoke continued to emit from the Bad Beat. And whilst people were getting out, it was a mad scrambling chaos. Several people were phoning for the fire brigade, but it would be a few minutes before they arrived...

Ok feel to kick down the door in one kick. You have some rusted fire escape stairs to climb up, carrying two gents under each arm. Feel free to narrate something about that like putting your fut through a hole, or the stairway creaking / collapsing, but John is strong enough to basically leap up out to street level accompanied by a theatrical bloom of smoke if you so wish!

GM And so there was a slow, wet journey back to Freedom City. Captain Hammer looked angry, itching to extract revenge on the Slaughterhouse boys. Billy Bob taunted him. Duke just looked confused. "Why you so strong?" he complained, angry that anyone was stronger than he was. Rosa was quiet the whole way back. Her mind was elsewhere, back in the ashes of the Lemurian temple. Back beneath the algae scum lined waters of a swamp that did not feel entirely of this world. Somewhere where it was stinking and hot, but the air set on your skin with a chilling damp at the same time. Where mosquitos drained your blood and flowers drained your soul. Her mind was on her brother, alive but lost. A coward and now brave beyond human endurance. She cried until she had no more tears. And the creature from the swamp? No power could contain the ancient serpentine sickness for ever. Not even the Gods themselves. But for now, a man who was no longer a man lurked. Ensuring that sickly sweet smell would no longer plague the wetlands in that ever enduring cycle of death and life... ~ Fin ~

Right I shall wrap it up the next IC post. Let me know if you want further threads (if you can tolerate my GMing)

Starshot So now comes the truth behind the truth...layers and layers, like an onion... He shook his head, slightly disappointed. "You could have told me you know. Should have, even. Although I understand why you didn't" he said, scratching his scar. "Everyone's got a history" The scar reminded him of that. "And everyone's history is in their past. Even if the echoes are in our future". With pulled out an injector gun from his belt and stabbed Cain with the needle. "Relax, scum. Just something to keep you quiet..." A little knockout drug, just to keep him sleepy for now. The ATV had hunting cells which could keep him locked up. With that, he hauled Cain over his shoulder. "Back to the ATV. We can hold him there, figure out our next move....I'm not liking the Rel...."

GM In the Main Stage the panic was at the midway point between zero and infinity, and rising fast. People stood from their seats. Some confused, some disbelieving, and some smart - the latter of whom were already heading towards the doorway. Blowfish was smart, and was bustling out with his two large bodyguards. "Leaving so soon, honey?" screamed Amber through the mic. She pulled out a tiny gun from her dress and fired it into the air. At this point, the panic hit full swing. Tables overturned, people stood up, many pulling guns. "Outa my way!" was a frequent refrain as elbows and knees became battering rams, and by osmosis, people flowed to the main entrance where the brutality increased into a horrible crush. Amber laughed hysterically through the mic. "This is for Vanity!" Jane had not yet moved, and spied John. She was smart too, and looked at the "Fire Exit" door which said "Out of Order" and had two rotten pieces of wood nailed to it.

Thats all fine by me, feel free to narrate as you see fit. He is strong enough for most feats of strength.

Starshot "Erasing you from the time line would be good" said Starshot, bluntly. But would it? These Aliens seem dangerous. Meddling with time itself....who knows what that could lead too... And Gear seemed to know them. Know them as crooks. "We all must die. But at least we will have been" But not even that if the Rel had they way. "What do you know of these Rel? How do you know them?" he asked Gear, shifting to slight suspicion. The alien had been beyond reproach so far, and he was inclined to trust him. But suddenly a chasm had opened before his feet.

Ok so its about wrap time. 1. Do you want anything more out of this thread? 2. Do you want any follows up etc in the future? 3. Do you want anything from any of your PCs?

You are up now. Just posted IC!

GM The Burner croaked. A kind of scream, a kind of rage, but through his damaged throat. It was a horrible crackling sound. His heard turned to watch the flamethrower sail out the window. His head turned back. Impassive, unseen, behind that steel mask and black glass. He did not speak, but instead threw a heavy fist in a heavy glove. A telegraphed, wild swing, not calculated, not aimed, and not effective. But it surely felt like a wild primordial fist. He was not holding back. And neither was the smoke, that now wafted through the Backstage area and engulfed the two engineers lying unconscious on the floor. They would surely get the worst of it, and even John felt the smoke in his nostrils. And from the stage area, Amber could no longer hide the blaze. A scream sounded out. "Fire!"

Ok so the Burner will activate rage and smash your face in. Or at least, try. Smashes JS: 1d20+6 9 Misses. Round 3 John Smith - Unharmed - 2 HP The Burner - Unharmed, Rage activated (1 Rnd) You shall start of facing the spectre of a Suffocation 0 attack (Fort DC 10 Save) from the smoke.

Thats a hit, so its an opposed STR vs STR check. The Burner isnt that strong, so opposed STR disarm: 1d20+2 5 With Johns Strength and +4 from improved disarm, you can disarm him. And grab the Flamethrower yourself (you cant really fail the opposed roll!)

Round 2 John Smith - Unharmed - 2 HP The Burner - Unharmed The Blazing room is now officially a very hot environment which is unlikely to be a major problem. However, it will soon escalate into suffocation problems (smoke) as well as eventually, just damage from being in it. Also, smoke heat and sound are enough to make the main stage and whole of the Bad Beat aware of the problem imminently.

GM "You got heart. Just the wrong type. Soft and warm. That's the kind of heart that will bleed. That's the kind of heart that will hurt" He took a few more steps back, till his back was slam against the wall, with the broken window above. "I had a heart like that. It's the kind of heart that will burn" he said, cold, angry, in pain. Without another pained, croaked word, he fired up the Flame thrower. A jet of blazing heat shot forward, like a stream of liquid orange light. Except it was hot, hot, hot. And now, the backstage was well and truly ablaze. The mumblings of concern from the stage started to escalate, although Amber sang louder and louder through the mic to try and obscure the chaos behind her.

15 will unfortunately just miss. Post that IC! In repsonse, the Burner will back off ten feet, and, well, burn... Its an area attack (using the standard Flamethrower attack thing). Reflex DC 16 Save. If you make it, a Toughness 18 Save, if you dont make it a Toughness 21 Save.

Initiative: 1d20+4 21 Round 1: John Smith - Unharmed - 3 HP The Burner - Unharmed

GM "Pissed? Let me tell you about pissed" said the Burner. "I was going to take Amber and leave Bedlam. New life. Maybe Spain. Somewhere that fat sadist can't reach. He finds out, ties me up, then sets me alight. Walks away. Lets me run ablaze down the streets of Bedlam, like a goddamn firework..." he croaked. "I don't know how I survived. Spite, I think. And a year in hospital. That man destroyed me. And I'm going to destroy him. Amber let me in here. And now, she and I are going to set the world on fire..." he croaked, in time with Amber singing the line. There were mumblings of worry from the stage...can you smell something? "I'll save more lives by burning this place than I'll kill. And good lives too, not the rats that scuttle around here..." He flicked on his flamethrower....

GM A fat man in a tight fitting suit was sitting down, smoking, drinking, and drunk. He was blocking the backstage and was meant to stop people going backstage. "Hey, bozo...ya..." He was about as much use as a chocolate teapot. John barged past him without breaking a sweat. The backstage seemed to have some windows high up, to the street level. There were various instruments and electronics, dealing with lighting and sound. The respective engineers dealing with light and sound were out cold. Over the unconscious men was a large man, dressed in flame - retardant overalls and steel armour, with a giant welding helmet over his face and a flame thrower in his hands. At his feet, a small fire was growing by the second, and around his belt, all the tools of a skilled arsonist. "Who are you?" he demanded, a deep, croaky, and wounded voice, full of angry determination. "It doesn't matter. This place is going down. Your bad luck to be in the way of the Burner...."

Synth (as Marie Shane) Could be nothing...could be something...could be everything.... She walked as confidently as she could, flavoured with indifference. "Hi" she said, with a little, but not too much, warmth. "Everything ok?" she asked, trying to peer at what the secretary was typing. "I need access to the archives. You...ah...know why" she said, letting nervousness kept in. Presumably several members of the organisation had been told about AEGIS investigation. Had this woman? "We need to ensure optimal transparency in case of any...audits...." she explained. "Anyone else down here? Clock is ticking..."

GM Jane did not look calm, but a resolve hit her face. She looked around, spying the dusty, unused and jammed Fire Exit. "At least half of these people deserve to burn" she said. "And Blowfish...I would love for that sadist to go up in flames...but the other half don't" she said, with regret. "In any case, if we don't get out of here in the next minute, its going to be panic and burnt flesh for the lot of us. And any second now somebody is going to smell the smoke and there will be a panic..." she said, tugging John by the sleeve. She spared a glance at Amber. "She knows, dosen't she?" she said, realising. "And she doesn't care if she burns, as long as she takes Blowfish with her and gets her revenge..."

Red Rat Mortimer Snelling.... "Well I try to keep out of AEGIS way. Completely out of their way" she explained. "I doubt they have a favourable view of my either, what with thirty years of espionaige against America to my name. So we have that in common" she said, trying to broker trust. With an atomic bear and a brain in a jar. Then again, not much shocked her. "Well, time to go investigate. I'd rather do it by night - not too many people...." she explained, picking out her Red Rat costume. Grey skin tight clothes and her signature short Red Jacket, complete with Motif on the back. SHe undid her hair bun, letting her chopped blonde hair fall to her neck. The look was complete. And plenty of side streets to creep down, in the semi light of Bedlam...

Synth (as Marie Shane) The contracting of stature always made Synth feel a bit ungainly. She flexed her muscles and sinews, feeling the new angles and shapes. This one felt awkward. Still, it would serve purpose. Some ID, a heart-biting family photograph - curse the road she was on - some keys, but who knew what for. And interestingly, an AEGIS investigation. This would be useful evidence for AEGIS, who seemed like they were not quite in oppositio to Synth, but neither were they in parallel either. A tightrope was being walked. One breath, deep. Calming her autonomic nervous system. And then out she strode. Right now, time really did count. The real Marie might be asleep for an hour or more, but someone might find her. Or miss her. Nobody was likely to kick the door of the rest room down, but it was not certain. Straight away, noting the architecture Sarah had pointed out, Synth made her way to the research part of the building...

GM Jane sniffed the air. "What...? I smell corruption and bile and...wait..." she sniffed again, nose wrinkled, eyebrow raised. "Smoke? Somethings burning?" she said, aloud. The music blared out to drown out her words. I...want to set the world on Fi...ire! sang Amber, missing the "don't" rather pointedly. "We gotta get out of here!" said Jane to John, starting to panic. "This place is a death trap! Blowfish paid off all the Health and Safety people...any second now there will be a stampede!" she blurted, looking for the exit. There was a fire exit. It looked a dubious proposition, creaky and dusty and possibly even jammed shut. "Wait...Amber!" she said, smacking her head. "Hey boyfriend was a fireman. Blowfish didn't like Amber or Vanity having boyfriends. Particularly boyfriends that wanted to run away with his prized possessions. He has in his thugs did a number on him...set him on fire, burned him alive!"