Supercape

GM Cord examined the wreck with a forensic eye. He looked pleased that he could help, investigation was more like home territory for him. The car wasn't badly damaged, the engine even started, but gave a jarring whirring noise indicating trauma rather than function. There were all the signs of Goldman being in the car, and taking a least some supplies and equipment. Jay even found traces of what was presumably his hair. "We'll we should press on" said Cord, hugging himself in the cold. "I don't know of any one else after our man, but from what you say this may be turning into a chase rather than a hunt. Perhaps we should have brought more men, but it looks like we are on the clock, and it's falling on all us..."

Of course! Four men, tending towards the slightly heavy / big side, and whilst they are not matching your speed, they are progressing at a reasonable speed - they are booted up. Basically it looks like four fairly capably hunters / trackers.

Ok with that, Jay can pick up the trail (as predicted!) For reference, the DC to pick up the trail is 10. The terrain is actually pretty good to pick up a trail - lots of foilage, a little snow, so Ill give that a +2 Situational bonus. On the flip side, you are two days behind the target - Ill say in these situations its -1 to DC every 8 hours old This means a total of -4 penalty. Still enough to start tracking him! Post away for the trail... 2 Hours in (and that's two Fort Saves vs Cold at +5 situational bonus, DC 10 and 11), you find another set of trails, a group of four men also hunting the target!

Predictably - Survival roll please! Also, if you are being stealthy, a stealth roll And finally, a notice roll for prosperity! Remember the Favoured Environment Bonus to stealth and survival!

GM The "Town" barely amounted to few dozen buildings. A store, a tiny police station, a bed and breakfast, and some residences. The tiny settlements only real industry was hunting and climbing - a base for the infrequent visitors. It certainly didn't take long to drive out, and it didn't take long to hit rough terrain where the four wheel drive came in handy. "There was?" answered Cane, frowning. "I didn't notice it myself..." he said, irritated at his own performance. "It pays to be alert. Good work" he said to the youngster. "Although I don't know if we should act on it. Keep your eyes peeled..." Cord was a good driver but the track was getting rougher and rougher, leading up to the mountains. "So, I guess we are going to run out of road..." he said, killing the engine. He was dressed up in arctic clothing himself, although he kept his pistol and taser in easy reach. "This is where you come in, kid. Time to show off those skills..."

Pitch seethed inside, a very visceral feeling, her rage connecting her to the plane of the infernal forge. She could almost smell the sulphur of that horrible domain. "Well, I ain't no good two shoes" she said, prodding the demon with Cantos cane, and twisting it, simmering smoke coming from the end. "But I don't buy your good and evil. I don't buy your sin, I don't buy your virtue. All I know is that you don't belong in this world. And you should keep the hell out!" she shouted, furiously. "If you are going to take this soul. If I can't stop you. Then I'm going to make you pay for it. I'm going to make it hurt. And I'm going to make sure I come for you" she screamed, smoke and tar and fire over her body. And with that, she brought the Cantos Cane down, with furious strength, on the chain that bound the demon and the pianist.

For Reference: Blue Jay - 2 HP - Unharmed Also, much of the environment here will be tundra forests, meaning Jay's Favoured Environment Feat comes into play (+2 to defence or attack, +2 to stealth and survival rolls). However, the rocky mountains nearby (if we end up there) will be a different matter!

GM "I guess not" said Captain Torson, frowning slowly. To Jay, his eyes seemed slightly unfocussed, his words a little slow and ponderous. It was a subtle effect, but disconcerting once perceived. "Still, the offer is there. Whatever we can do to help..." His companion, the elderly hunter Oxbane, merely frowned and looked away. Agent Cord stepped in, cool and diplomatic. "We appreciate your help...any help. I guess my office rang you, Captain Torson? We are trying to find a Mr. Matt Golding...we know he was heading into this town a few days ago..." Captain Torson, again slowly, scratched behind his ear. "Yeah, I asked around. The whole town pretty much knows everything that goes on round here. Your Man arrived two days ago. Only one who did. We are too darn cold for many visitors, you know, bar some hunters and climbers. And your man didn't look like either. Checked into our local bed and breakfast for one night, and one night only. Then he bought up a load of food, camping gear, the like, from our store and headed off in a rented car. Just like your one over there..." he said, indicating the 4x4 pick up that Cord held the keys too. "Thanks Captain, we will take it from here. Hopefully it wont be long before we can catch this man. I emphasise that he is dangerous. Please do not approach him, and I must ask you refrain from using any force on him if he is seen, lethal or otherwise. We want to avoid a tragedy here..." Oxbane and Captain Torston shook hands with Cord and offered their hands to Jay. "Well, your the tracker...where do we go from here?" asked Cord to Jay.

Ok, First off you suspect that the Police Captain is under some kind of mental influence (choose your method - some slight pausing of his words, lack of facial expression, glazed eyes, whatever) ANd thats cool you can have Arctic Type clothing...which will give you a +5 SItuational Bonus vs the Cold. Plus anything like a tent, rucksack, food, water, etc, you wish to carry. No need to go on detail, we will just assume Jay is clever and experienced enough to pack whatever would be reasonable.

A few things! Firstly, could I have a sense motive roll from Jay Secondly, the environment here will be a cold one unless indoors. Which means hourly fort saves. Heavy clothing gives +2 Lastly, the pair you meet are willing to give Jay any reasonable basic equipment she wishes...like a tent, compass, flashlight, heavy clothing. If you want better equipment its. DC 10 diplomacy roll, raised by 2 for every item above one. Examples would be things costing 1EP and suitable, such as a multi tool, knife weapon, arctic clothing (+5 on cold saves) camo clothing, night vision goggles, etc. broadly speaking any "survival" equipment

"Well ain't this cosy!" smiled the Hound to disguise his rising adrenaline. Run...run...run...run...his adrenal glands screamed at him. He patted down his sweaty palms on his trousers. Nervously, he pulled out a cigar, only for it to drop as he climbed into the Van. "Screw it..." he said to Carl, himself, and the world, and climbed into the Van full of tension. "Hey, I'm the one doin' da fighting!" rumbled the Mess as the lump of muscle pulled himself in after his partner. "You just let me do the worryin'...cos believe you me, with lefty and righty, we ain't got a thing to worry about, eh?" he said, cracking the knuckles of his left and right fist respectively.

"Oui, yes he is!" answered Rene, slapping his thing. "But here lies the rub...perhaps he should!" He massaged his temples. The whole time travel thing was extremely confusing. His heard hurt as he tried to wrap his brains around the whole concept. Perhaps the fact that a musketball had clanged his skull minutes...hours? ago was the root cause. "How long have I been out Marianne? How far could the Grand Master have gone?" he asked, voice quickening. "And more importantly, should we let him go? The vision I had - it implied that I should play along with his deception, give him the faked painting. Of course, past that, the future is dark!"

GM An hour or two later... ...Breakwood, North Canada The tiny airstrip the plane landed on was enough to give even Agent Cord pause for thought, but the pilot was used to such difficulties and the landing was uneventful. Breakwood was a tiny northern settlement, more like a village than anything else. This far north, with almost perpetual summer sunlight and a frigid atmosphere despite the sun, not many came, and not many stayed. Cord rented a four by four pick up truck which was waiting there, and was greeted by two men. The first, Captain Mike Torson, was a stout man, the local police officer, with a great big ginger beard and equally red hair. He looked like a medieval viking full of humour and solid strength. The second was an older man, probably in his sixties, with a grey beard and a heart still full of vigour. He was still strong and fit. Karl Oxbane was his name, a Canadian from further south who had just arrived himself. "Karl here is one of the best damn hunters I know of" he said, smiling as he shook Cords hand. "Comes up here every month, and knows the lands like the back of his hand..." he said enthusiastically. "Like I know the back of my hand at all?" said Karl with a modest smile. "But look", the old man said "Mike here told me about you guys, trying to find some runaway guy who you think might be looking for a cold death in the mountains. I know you got your own expert..." he said indicating Jay, raising his bushy eyebrows at the youth's age. "But I'd be happy to help, even if its giving you my tent and supplies..."

So thats cool! the Admiral escapes to live and maybe fight another day! Which takes us out of combat and into epilogue / wrap - take it away guys, Ill jump in if need be!

GM Several feet below the surface, that was now calming to the regular ebb and flow of the sea, the Admiral sank. No...no...I will not be defeated in entirety! "I would have gladly given my life for justice! True Justice! Not the corrupt laws of this land that serve only the greedy and rich! Justice for the men and women that given blood and bone for the land!" his voice boomed through the sea. "But I can wait longer if need too. I will not throw my life away, or into prison, when the war may continue another day!" His face contorted with effort, and the Sea swirled, until an almighty blast of water that Tsunami could feel all to well, surged like an underwater tornado, propelling the Admiral into the open ocean eastward...

So the Admiral is going to use his Water Control Power to mimic swimming, as per UP - creating a current to move him at Swimming 10 Speed. That's a whopping 20'000 feet move! This I think effectively pushes him out of everyones reach but Tsunami - so back to Thevshi!

Need one from Graft who, coincidentally, is up!

"Well your bosses will sure have a bone to pick with you" answered Pitch, letting the hint of a chuckle escape from her lungs. She really didn't envy Nikki - although truth be told, if Nikki had done what she implied, she would be pretty close to Pitch in the Demon's Black Book of People to Get. Pitch opened and closed her fist in vexation, holding the Cantos Stick firmly, her fingers drumming on the goats head. "Look guys, I appreciate your loyalty. And even your macho talk. But bullets will fly. And possibly other things..." Her ears pricked up as she heard Nikki. "Now that might help" she smiled. "We can catch them by surprise. Yeah, I'll be honest. I don't just want to avoid these devil-cultists. I want to destroy them. One less set of jumped up dabblers to worry about in the world..."

"uuuughhh....." groaned Rene as he awoke. "I feel like I have had meal cooked by the English" he moaned unreasonably, checking his abdomen for leaking bullet wounds. "That is a remarkable talent you have their, young madam" he conceded, still rather shocked he was alive. "If it wasn't for you, I fear my career as wise sorcerer would be short. And probably unwise" he said. "You have my thanks, and I am in your debt. I fancy that is not a good thing to be in, when it comes to spirits like yourself. But to be honest, I have a good feeling about you" he said with a smile. "I had the most peculiar of visions..." he said, sitting up slowly and massaging his temples. His head kneaded a headache into his eyes. He tapped the sides of his head with both hands, index finger out, and told Marianne about the vision he had - the vision of his future self.

Pitch could not help but blurting out. Whilst seances were not on her cooking menu, she had dealt with plenty of incorporeal, intangible and, often as not, invisible, demons. "It's going to hit again, guys...I mean..errr...Gentlemen and Ladies" she said, forcing out some old school diplomacy. "And the clock is ticking, so to speak. Seriously ticking. As in, hours, not days. And we want to stop this curse wiping out the last splutter of your family..." Splutter of your family...very good...let's see how many other backhanded insults you can klutz over, haha! laughed the demon inside her. Ignoring Tazel, she continued "Please, tell us who cursed you, and how we can stop it!"

Which is grand! Right, for what I suspect will be the final time, a Fort Save 17 from y'all! Waves of sleepiness hitting you all!

DDERWEN Y Dderwen is a old, possibly immortal, little man with some control over nature. He claims to represent the “land†of the United Kingdom. Appearance Y Drerwen is just under five feet tall and slightly on the rotund side, although he displays remarkable (but not superhuman) strength and agility for his shape. He has a green-brown colouration, and a wrinkled complexion, with straw like brown hair and totally green eyes. He is usually dressed in a skirt (or kilt) and barefoot, and carries a thick cudgel of oak and vines. Known Powers Y Dderwen appears to show considerable toughness and regenerative powers, and can control the foliage around him, causing vines to ensnare his opponents, or thick undergrowth to spring forth, slowing the escape of crooks and villains. He is reported to converse with animals and plants, and is seemingly immune to the elements. He does not apparently eat or drink, but roots himself in the earth and puts his face to the sun for sustenance. His cudgel, which he calls “Woodyâ€, is a fighting weapon he is very proficient in. Alongside its considerable physical power, it ensnares those it touches with a vines. Relationships Y Dderwen is sometimes sullen man, unhappy in the cities, more carefree in the country side. He is fanatically driven to protect “the land†of the United Kingdom, although his definition of that does not always match with official policy. He enjoys the company of Lucy Diamond, whose presence lifts his spirit. His relationship with the Ministry of Powers and their “figure head†(Champion) is often stormy, and he has, on occasion, actively opposed them both (even getting into one famous fight with Champion, which concluded with a draw when Champion refused to continue). Classified Files: Ministry of Powers Clearance Only!

PROFILE: LUCY DIAMOND Lucy DIamond was the ‘wild card’ of the team, possessing potentially dangerous but very useful abilities that did not always appear well controlled due to her unstable psychology. Appearance Lucy Diamond appears as a young, fresh faced woman with long brown hair and wearing slightly hippy clothes. Her eyes are green and have a tendency to glitter or sparkle. She can transform into a glass like structure of increased weight, strength and resilience, which has an appearance like cut diamond. Known Powers Her physical change increases her strength and toughness. In any form, she has the ability to emit light, either to dazzle her opponents or emit powerful laser beams. Her most dangerous ability is actually psionic. Whatever frazzled her mind has made her mentally toxic to touch, with people becoming confused, or mad when touching her. Personality Lucy Diamond is a very caring woman who is pacifist at heart. She is clearly erratic, her mind fractured and impulsive. She prefers dancing and singing, art and poetry, to anything else. Whilst capable of holding down a conversation, she is unpredictable and can stray of target, meaning she has rarely given interviews. Relationships Lucy Diamond actually gets on well with everybody. She is openly sorry and compassionate about Headcase’s health problems, loved being around Y Dderwen in the outdoors, and possibly was in love with Champion (according to tabloid press speculation). She did, however, refuse to, or was too chaotic to join the team on every mission and adventure. Classified Files: Ministry of Powers Clearance Only!

Code name: Headcase Headcase was the ‘brains’ of the group, a mutant blessed with superhuman intelligence and psionic powers. He was publically known to be John Crab, born and brought up in London (and in particular many specialist hospitals of the capital). Appearance Headcase had a withered, stunted body that was barely functional, and needed constant medical supervision, eventually needing a wheelchair and computer interface to perform even basic physical tasks. His head was swollen and also required prostethic devices to stop it lolling on his weak neck – hence his name. Known Powers Headcase was known to possess immense mental / psionic abilities, and in this regard was the equal of Champion in power. He was able to sense and control minds, cause pain or unconsciousness. He was also able to telepathically communicate with anyone, his range was never determined but could cover most of the earth. He could use his psionic powers through people he was in contact with, allowing him to function despite his physical limitations and lack of mobility. Most interestingly, Headcase was able to absorb the skills and knowledge of another mind, allowing him to gain expertise in a variety of fields. Personality Headcase had a reputation as cold and calculating, often looking to the far future. He was a careful and cautious planner, some would say to the point of inactivity or even paranoia. Relationships Headcase had a difficult but superficially smooth relationship with his counterpart, the Champion, who was clearly his intellectual inferior but was much more popular and charismatic. He appeared to stay away from Lucy Diamond, possibly afraid of her. He had a better but still strained relationship with Y Dderwen, whose long years gave him a similar long term outlook. Although they were not friends, they had a mutual respect for each other, even when (frequently) clashing over issues. Headcase had the best relationship with the Ministry of Powers, who trusted and used his super-intelligent insight. Classified Files: Ministry of Powers Clearance Only!

Right! The Vanguard Dissappeared without trace on 8th August! The Country is in shock! No trace of them has been found!