Supercape

Synth Synth could probably run faster than the busses, but someone powering at that speed, on foot, down a street of Freedom City was asking for trouble. If time was permitting, she would have just walked. But something in the back of her neck impressed upon her: Time may not be critical, but it is short supply... The Bus it would be. A stunning woman in a business suit might look out of place, but she would do her best to wear a icy aura. In fact, it would be a good aura to practice wearing; a suitable flavour for a high powered business woman or lawyer. She hadn't quite worked out the details yet... Consultant in workplace psychology? Ergonomic management? Health and Safety? might be the best bet. But it would boil down to sharp eyes, sharp ears, and thinking on the spot. With that mulling in her mind, she stepped on the Bus and paid the money she had. Frankly, she now wished she had kept a few of "Knuckles" winnings...

Just a few notes: as taking time over shape shifting (hurts less!) taking 20 on digsuise roll for a 44 result. You may, or may not, wish to activate the Struggling complication. Synth's finest clothes are still not very fine, and the astute may question the second hand cheap quality of the business suit.

Starshot Starshot nodded, keeping his helmet down and his senses peeled. "Be careful, this world bites". He half-shouldered his rifle over his shoulder. Even if the safety was on, the power clip remained active. "And so might that drone. Down doesn't mean out" he added. It was a tricky business, he decided, hunting robots. Give him blood, teeth, and claws any day. Dead or alive. With a drone, it was complex penumbra that they were aiming for. He circled after Gear, watching his six, as they said in his army days. "What have you got? Anything helpful?" he asked Gear, as they reached the fallen drone.

For now, yes! I'm adding a few ranks of Slow Fade to the drain to make it meaningful: Recover 1 point every hour. As far as I know the only way to recover from a drain effect is a boost effect. So with extra effort / HP expenditure we could hand waive a recovery as a stunt? As I understand it the healing power does have these limitations by design so that it is not a "ping back from anything" kind of power (which, in array costing 1 PP would be pretty cheesy!)

Not quite: as per Ultimate Power, Healing allows you to recover damage conditions, which does not include ability damage (or status effects), so you still have CON 3 drain. On the positive side, HEaling gives you a bonus to the Poison effect which would kick in after a minute (another Drain 4 effect) - after which no further saves needed. With a Fort save of +3 and the Healing 10 power giving another +10, a total of +13, means you cannot fail the poison save! Feel free to narrate that as you wish (e.g. the poison pouring out of the bite marks).

GM As Vesper sank into unconsciousness, the snake let out a hisss, like it was deflating. Its black eyes became a little less black. It now appeared, if not benign, at least less determined to sink its teeth into either Rosa or Kimo. Instead, it slunk to the ground, and slithered off. Rosa was whiter than ever, despite her Colombian skin. "What...what happened?" she said, hardly believing her own eyes. "What was she? What are you?" Medical instincts kicked in as she saw the wound on Kimo's calf. "Oh my God! you are bitten! Let me see? are you alright?" she asked, as she moved over to examine the bite.

Not in the same round, but if you post IC first, lets see what happens!

That will hit! Toughness Save vs KK: 1d20+0 1 and she is out like a light. No need to roll for a grapple of an unconscous body. Your CON is now 7, meaning a Toughness of +7, Fort of +3.

In accordance with Gears advice, taking an aimed (+4) shot, shifted +2 accuracy, -2 damage. Possibly its flat footed or suprised too but not including that. Fires at drone: 1d20+16 27 I guess that hits (if not, its scary!) so a DC 21 Toughness save. in case its needed Ill throw out an initiative roll too: initiative vs Drone: 1d20+10 22

Starshot I guess I am, but those four blasters look pretty handy....he thought to himself. He didn't recognise them, but he was glad Gear had his back. Try not vapourise it....well, easier said than done.... He kept quite still, holding his breath, and took a bead on the drone. Not the hardest thing to hit, but not the easiest either. He took aim, neither too fast, nor too slow, crouched with one knee supporting his elbow. And then, a squeeze on the trigger...

GM The smoke swarmed away, and the wood splintered. If any serpentine God was watching, it would be displeased. Shards of half rotten wood fell down on them all, and for a groaning second, one could imagine the whole shrine would collapse. Vesper rolled away, laughing. "I knew you were sometin'" she cackled as the impact hit her and she tumbled out of the shrine, through the splintered hole, and landed face down in some shallow mucky water. Now the smoke had gone, Kimo could see an asp, or viper, or some such snake, coiled around his boot and poised. It did not delay further, but sank his teeth into his calf...

ok we can basically waive the Bluff check. The intimidate check is vs: Sense Motive vs Intimidate: 1d20+13 17 so won't work. However, Vesper is fragile. Also, sitting down, Ill give her a -2 penalty to her reflex. Reflex Save vs Shockwave: 1d20+0 20 which she actually makes for a DC 19 Toughness save. Save vs Toughness: 1d20+1 12 Its still enough to stun and bruise her (I am assuming its non lethal damage) In response the viper snake at your feet will sink his fangs into Kimo. We are using a modified Snake (Viper) statistics, and assuming that Kimo is flat footed and its an "Aimed" attack due to the thing being only felt not seen and having snuck up on him. Attacks Kimo: 1d20+7 12 with +2 for aim makes 14, which just hits him. You can choose to narrate that as kicking the thing of your foot just after it sinks its teeth in. No real damage effect (a little blood but nothing to cause a bruise or injury). But its a Drain Constitution 4 effect for you to roll!

Synth A grumbling sense of frustration, perhaps even despair, hit Synth, watching the building. She was still dressed as a depressingly filthy tramp. It seemed even the tramps avoided her. She muttered a bit about the CIA microchip in her head just to add to the facade. Paranoid delusions with thought insertion! came the memories. But AEGIS had the place locked down tight. And it had no become a less fruitful target. Firstly, she had seen what was inside, at least to some degree. Secondly, whatever there was in there that could help would be locked down even tighter, or, probably, the scientist had either destroyed or removed. It was worthy of a sigh, and a sigh she gave it. Instead, the prospect of investigating Williams and Knight reared its ugly head. But perhaps not like this... Instead, a trip back to her flat. Grab the spare key in the flower pot. A shower, a change of clothes, and an attractive young blonde woman with cropped hair, the best clothes she could get, and that "power lawyer" look...

GM "Stand then" said Vesper, vexed. "The snake people, Oui" she said, her voice taking an a droning song like texture. "They were here before Atlantis. The mighty empire of Lemuria, stretching from Leng to the Savage Lands. Come the war with Atlantis, when earth and sea shook and trembled, they were driven below ground..." She took up two handfuls of black earth, muddy and dense, and showed Rosa and Kimo, also as an offering. The smoke on the ground was now thick and impenetrable for at least six inches. "You have heard of Set? You have heard of lizard cults around the world? They were born from Lemuria. Their blood even runs in some strange folk. Maybe you have even heard of the Cult of the Yellow Sign and their dread unspeakable god. Haha...it would drive you mad if you knew it all....HAHAHAHAHA!" she screamed. "Sorcerers they were. And, if you look careful, the remnants of their sorcery remain. Like this shrine...." she said, pleased with herself. Kimo felt something slithering over one of his boots.....

Synth (as Hobo Woman) Synth paused a moment to turn her clothes inside out and smear them with the residue of subway stations; black soot. It was not ideal, but a casual glance might be fooled. She had endured quite the trek in the last few hours, but Synthetic flesh was resilient. Still, it did not take much acting to bend over and start walking with a slow shuffling gait. A touch of Parkinson's disease! came the memory. It was a fair suggestion for a hard living woman in her fifties with no medical care. Barbarians! spat Synth inside her head, wondering at the state of medical care and inequity of wealth. She shuffled onto the platform of the subway, pondering next move. She would draw the kind of attention that was not attention - people would avoid her furiously, both physically and with their gaze. A well trained agent would look twice, she was sure. As much as it sat uncomfortably, she would have to steal again - clothes. Perhaps a shopping bag left unattended, if there was one. The other option was to sidle off to the subway "Staff only" section, maybe grab some uniforms and change shape again - although she did not relish the thought of another rapid transformation.

Given Endurance 5, thats a +20 bonus on top of Con, or +30 total!

GM The woman gazed up at Kimo from her crouch, meeting his gaze with her yellow eyes. "What is that, Jaundice?" asked Dr Sanchez, coughing a little and waving the fumes from her mouth. "Are you sick?" she asked, sniffing. "Self-medicating for pain?" The woman laughed gently at them both. "Non. I am as sick as anybody hehe..." it was almost a cackle. "This place is rich, in power. You can feel, it can't you?" she asked Kimo. "There is something about you. Bold, maybe....well, my name is Vesper at least that's what I say my name is, and that's what they call me haha!" She beckoned them to sit by her, where the fumes were strongest. "Mad old swamp lady will do, if you want" she said a bit more softly, gazing at the flames. "And this shrine is for me haha. At least, I sit in it. But its as old as hills, I reckon, don't know how old. Older than you or me. I reckon these trees all bent themselves this way by witchcraft before man was born. When the snake people owned the earth..."

Sense Motive: 1d20+13 15 You call her bluff, ill post accordingly. Will Save vs Mind Reading: 1d20+12 17 She just makes the mind reading. Could I trouble you for a) another notice roll? b) a DC 10 Fort save from inhaling the drugged fumes. For save vs fumes: 1d20+2 12 which Rosa makes.

Not sure if you need a Climb Roll or the DC. Id guess there are at least some handholds, but taking 10 on the Climb Roll for an 18.

Synth Finally! Fortune was swinging her way at last. The only difficulty was the subway shaft itself. A hundred feet would be a terrible drop even for her. At least there was some small amount of light. Still, a climb down in almost darkness whilst trying to be quiet would be a challenge, and one to take slowly. SHe felt rather than saw her way to the nearest handhold, and followed suit with her other limbs, edging carefully. By her judgement the worst of the chase was over in that the immediate trail had gone cold, but AEGIS had not given up the hunt yet. It depended upon their resources and speed of mobilisation. At worst, they would shut down the subway systems but even at this hour, that would not be politically wise unless a robust justification could be produced. Too many variables to consider. Right now, climbing down to the subway without falling was the priority...

GM "Ah Oui" said the woman, mangling English, French, and Creole. She smiled an empty smile. "La Lemurian Orchid. It grows here, but as rare as golden eggs" she explained, gazing into the fire. "Very difficult to find, very difficult. I have only seen it once, and I live here, haha" she chuckled. "I am surprised you have even heard of it. Few have, and they think it legend. Tell me, how did you hear of it, and what do you want with it?" she said, leaning forward almost through the smoke and fire and gazing at them with hypnotic yellow eyes. "It is dangerous!" she added. The smoke curdled around her face as she breathed it in, but the fumes and odours did not seem to rise but congeal around the soft black earth beneath their feet. Kimo could vaguely recognise the scent of opium in the fumes. Dr Sanchez gripped Kimo'as arm in a reflexive discomfort, her other hand handling the flare gun with sweaty agitated fingers.

Starshot The reptile looked dangerous, but he had hunted worse. It would be a good distraction for the Drone, but... But...it rankled. Hunting creatures with a plasma rifle was unbalanced enough as it was, but at least you were facing the quarry on its own. How ignoble! to kill via remote. If you were going to do it, look at its eyes. He turned his attention from the reptile. Damned if I let that drone do its work! "Forger the beast" he hissed too Gear and pointing to the creature. He hoped the drone did not have auditory pick up (or at least, if it did, those sensors were not so acute). "What do we do about the drone?"

Duly noted. Swamp woman Bluff: Bluff vs Sense Motive: 1d20+8 27 so no clue! I'm not sure what array you have active right now, could you let me know, and throw in a notice roll whilst you are about it? You can make both a theology/philosophy roll and an arcane roll too.

Synth Synth paused for a moment in the darkness, to catch his breath. He had at least a few moments to think about his next course of action. He hoped he had an at least vague idea of where he was, but he could not be sure. The important thing was not to run in circles - keep heading broadly the same direction. Despite the pain, he spent an agonising half minute changing his appearance once more. Same clothes, but now the face of a homeless woman in her fifties or more, with life-weathered skin and a nest of grey straggly hair. The smell, when, after chasing along the sewers, it was a perfect fit. She waited for the fire to down down from her bones. Oh, how it hurt - it was only the knowledge that it was transient that made it bearable at all. She felt her teeth grinding together, trying to bite down the scream. It would echo like a trumpet down here. Now, to find the subway. Most refuge collectors were at least vaguely familiar with the subway and sewers of freedom city. Different departments, but they were close enough to be on speaking terms. There were plenty of maintenance hatches and the like leading from one to the other, some so old that nobody even knew about them. It was home to a dozen and more urban myths of insect men and giant mutant alligators. Whilst Synth didn't pay any of them credence, she could not help a sardonic thought about how she didn't want to make any more enemies right now...

GM The sun was a little low in the sky by this time, and just beginning to turn ember. It flickered in a eerie but beautiful way through the thatched twisted trees that formed the serpent. It was hard to be sure; was this a man made structure or had the trees just grown this way? If one was to guess, the latter seemed more likely, even if less comfortable. There was a small fire in the middle, and a few cooking utensils. Various herbs, dead animals, teeth, and skins littered the place on hooks and makeshift furniture. The skin and teeth of snakes seemed the most populous. There was a hazy, sickly sweet smoke coming from the fire. "Welcome" She was young, or appeared young. In her twenties, with deep brown skin, and black hair tied into a singular long braid that reached halfway down her chest. She wore bangles and necklaces and an assortment of jewellery that bordered on the gauche. Her bandana and clothes felt like a mixture of Southern American styles and Native American. Most striking where her eyes; a slight slant and a clear almost sickly yellow iris. She had the taint of mysterious allure but it would be a bold man who fell for her. "What you come for?" she asked, as she turned some meat over on the small fire. It was crackling already. She tossed some more herbs onto the fire itself, which seemed to create another burst of pungent grey smoke.