Supercape

"St. Blaise?" Carmen looked down the second path. Her curiosity swelled, but ultimately her excitement at meeting the enigmatic Archeron was more potent than a mysterious abandoned village. "Sounds like a great spot for some pictures, Bloomer" she said to her enthusiastic partner. "I wouldn't mind a visit down there myself. Must look amazing" she added, making a mental note to look up the history of the village. She was far from being an academic - her school reports were pretty abysmal thanks to her habit of truancy and general lack of interest. But with a few more years of experience and journalism under her belt, she had begun to appreciate a good story and history. "That's it, if it's ok with the boss" she smiled at Alex. The young servant had begun to irritate her just slightly, being so deferential to the "master". Carmen was a bit of a wild card herself, and disliked master / servant relationships. Rock, she felt, was about anarchy and freedom, not servitude. Still, some of the more eccentric rock star's had some pretty peculiar lifestyles and personalities. "Hell, i'll ask him myself" she said, before continuing the walk that she was actually enjoying. "And why hasn't this island got any cars? I'd settle for a bicycle right now!"

"Half a damn mile?" asked Carmen, her initial warmth sparked into irritation as she tapped her cane. At least I can lose this damn luggage she consoled herself, as she handed it all over bar a sun hat, mirror shades, camera and phone. And, of course, the Cantos cane. Was it really worth it, that tattoo? to live in pain, to never run, or dance, or... Yes it damn well was, otherwise your kind would be crawling all over me, a thousand times worse. So don't you ever think you can talk me into removing it, you insidious snake! you will have to do better than that! Carmen almost felt like doing a short run, which she could do with difficulty, just to spite the little creature, but perhaps he was goading her into doing just that. "Well its good to meet you, Mr. Alex Movida" she said with a smile on her face. "You sure a handsome one aren't you?, and yes, if you could carry my bags that would be great!" she said with a wink, before starting off on the trek. "At least the sun is out!" she smiled breezily.

"Solid ground!" smiled Carmen, overjoyed. She was never going to be a sea person. "Yes, lets get the gear" she said, walking back to her cabin, such as it was. It was at least a place to store the equipment. Apart from the obligatory few changes of clothes, a few hats and more than a few sunglasses, she had some good quality sound recording equipment, her laptop, a notepad, and a few back up sound recorders, including a dictophone. Even if Billy had the best camera's and was a skilled photographer, she had her own little classic film camera. Well, a journalist had to be prepared. She slung on her backpack and carried another bag in her left hand, keeping the Cantos stick and her balance with her right, before stepping out to the ship deck. Apart from the sea sickness, she wasn't fond of unsteady ground - she could manage ok with her callipers and stick, but she would always prefer solid and predictable ground. She didn't like falling on her ass at the best of times. "Riverrock, here we come!" she said, keen to meet the mysterious rock star. She was in a positively good mood.

I think ye olde team would be best as part of the Ministry and Project Crown, or whatever the idea was! Hippies I like. Perhaps they experimented with some high powered LSD made by Prof Blackpool? Also: Awesome work on the map, Thev!

Tiff: My thoughts are that the beatles wrote the song about Lucy DIamond (although this is not known) rather than she is named after the song! I like the idea of her. So she is a freind of Agnus mum, a sort of aunt to Agnes? what is the relationship? where is Agnes mum now. Is Lucy Diamond a member of the old fab four?

"I see the sea, Bloomer" she said dryly. Billy was a good photographer, and a cool kid, but he could be annoying at times. Too much energy. Carmen was still young, but had shrugged off the worst stupidities of youth. "If Sea Sickness was the only problem I had in my life, that would be a fine thing" she said to them both, a little brusque. I'm sure I can think of something to make your life more miserable, oh glorious master! said the demon in her belly. But whilst you mention, see how the boat rolls? uuuuup and doooooooown....uuuuuup and dooooooown... he continued in a sing a long voice. "Silence, beast!" she snapped, unfortunately aloud. "Sorry Billy, wasn't referring to you" she explained, a warmth creeping into her voice. "I'm just snappy because I want to arrive. It is exciting. And I will be pleased to set foot on solid ground!" she explained, scanning the horizon for any sign of the island.

"Perhaps none of us are" said Supercape, seriously. "Daedelus is one of the smartest guys around, perhaps excepting Doctor Archeville. If he can't figure it out, I'm not sure anybody can. If, however, the Stopwatch is related to this potential child of yours, then it may also exist in multiple collapsed timelines. Which would make its destruction...tricky...at the very best. Potentially impossible, without some truly exceptional multi dimensional event" No, I don't think even I could do that...he acknowledged to himself. Whilst alternative dimensions and times was his speciality, he couldn't conceive away around the issue. It was very interesting, however. "I know this is a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyway. Why don't you take it? or are you planning to see your *ahem* friend again?"

NB: I am editting and updating the first post on this thread to keep up to speed on proposals and agreements. After discussion with Thev, I have added in "Headcase" an old team member. We are working on a premise that there is some project in the 70s/80s, height of the cold war, to increase the number of UK "Supers" as part of the cold war. Just that brush stroke now. Headcase was involved in trying to induce psionic powers in children, and Synapse is a success. He persuaded Lord Farrington he could do that to his children, and the Lord, wishing "the best" for his children, took up the offer. Working out with Thev other possibilities including ? other siblings and how they relate. Would Prof Blackpool be part of this? Did he experiment on Osprey? No railroading you guys, just throwing stuff out to mull on.

And sounds like th GB Olympic team! I would personally prefer something with a superhero zing, but I'm not going to object if that's what you guys want ill see if I can think if a name myself. The royal vanguard sounds good

"That's great" answered Carmen, gripping her stick and keeping her eyes fixed on the horizon and her face in the sun. On the one hand the view was good and the sun was warm. On the other hand she was fighting off her propensity for sea sickness. If she took her eyes of the horizon she would be inclined to succumb. And that was how she had managed to stop turning green. She had effectively ignored the photographer from Rock Report!, Billy Blooms, for the whole trip. Not that she disliked him, he was an ok guy. It was pretty debatable whether the mysterious rock star would deign to let himself be photographed, but the magazine couldn't let up on the opportunity to grab a shot if it came up.

Tagged

Why was everyone funnelled together into a short space? Disease time! Fortitude DC 20 Rolls, its a Drain CON 10 effect alongside a limited Nauseate effect (Sicken only).

GM The next day... "Hello, hello, are you there? We got a problem" muttered the Zookeeper, Willis, over the phone. "I don't know what happened. All my staff, they phoned in sick. I..I'm not to good myself" he said through chattering teeth. "The place has been closed, the public health authorities are here...apparently everyone - or at least, everyone we can trace, has come down with something...it's like the bubonic plague...sweating, temperature, aching so badly that they can hardly move..." he groaned. "What happened? who did this? you got to stop this! apparently some people in hospital...even one guy in the ICU, not sure if he is gonna make it..." he said, fear gripping his voice.

"I'm not entirely sure that's a good idea" replied Supercape, pressing his hands together and contemplating the problem. "If the future factions - and there are potentially a virtually unlimited number of them, want the Stopwatch, they have access to history records. I have total confidence in Daedalus and the Freedom League, but they are not what you might call inconspicuous. Even with the best effort, information has a habit of leaking, especially under intense scrutiny. Maybe it is a secret now. But in ten years? twenty? a hundred?" He shook his head. "No, it is too risky. The Stopwatch needs somewhere safe, with only one person knowing its location, and a location out of view..." he concluded. "Otherwise, the future factions can locate it with ease. They may even be trying to get it now"...

Details up to you, TiffK. I'm not sure about YB becoming the new Brittania - we would probably have to run that past the refteam. Personally I have no objection to it, but it is effectively removing the current Brittania from the scene. The whole mythology, as you say is pretty vague. I suggest mulling it over a bit more. Perhaps as other stuff comes up with NPCs and relationships, things might click into place? Brittania herself could be part of the relationship Map. I suspect you have a vision of how "Spirits of a country" work, given your excellent stuff on Gallia. It might be cleaner to have YB and Brittania separate, I honestly don't know. YB is a great character, but it will need a bit of thinking how she works here - and maybe the lightest touch of retcon. Ari> Captain Osprey sounds fun. Are you looking at a non-powered individual (We already have Catalyst non powered but that shouldn't stop you). I would suggest giving him some minor powers, such as enhanced senses or borderline superhuman physical attributes, just to make him a little different. The relationship to wealth and to Synapse is worth considering. Also, is he tied up with the mysterious Professor Blackpool (? the Osprey serum ? ). THink if there are any important NPCs for him and how we can start building relationship map. All> Any suggestions yet for the "Old Team" and how your characters might related to this missing foursome? Roo has suggested the "Crossguard" which is a cool name any others (or thoughts on what that might mean?)

And thats a wrap! Thanks for playing

GM The steel tripod was, to all investigation, insignificant, a simple foldaway device, probably custom made, that could rest the gemstone in. If it was, indeed, a gemstone. The thing was small, one could hold it in your hand almost completely. It had a very faint luminescence, a pale blue cyan colour that altered its spectrum slightly as one examined it in different ways. Touching it, Hronos could feel its abnormality. Whatever it was made of was highly irregular, like it existed in more than three dimensions, in several times. Cool to the touch, it did not match any known substance and was virtually indestructible. Somehow, the touch of it seemed to whisper of times past and to be, and gave off the feeling of power - presumably the power "John Smith" had used to drag the past into the present, at least in a limited way. It seemed unrefined, imprecise. Like a prototype. And when he held it to his ear, Hronos could swear he heard something. A ticking... ~ Fin ~

Souds good, do you wish to edit him into the post above? a name?

GM John Smith was out cold from the blow. From his jacket, Hronos caught a glimpse of a shiny, cyan object, like a gem, the size of a plum. It was held by a circlet of steel, and three collapsible legs. Pale gem mounted on a tripod. The thing fell to earth, tumbling as it did. Down below, the police were arriving, and as they did, in cars, with engines and flashing lights, the primitives bolted. Predictably, as they did so, they vanished, phased back into their own time and space as they fled the immediate vicinity of localised time distortion.

"Cataclysmic destruction of everything is, indeed, an undesirable outcome" smiled Supercape, as his tea warmed up, excited by microwaves that he had emitted. "I can't answer that question with any degree of confidence, without travelling to the future myself. Which I could do, technically. But, well, I have come to the conclusion that time travel is not the wisest thing to do. All sorts of horrible maths and circular tautologies can jump right at you. It is entirely possible that your little predicament is the direct result of the horrible possibilities of time travel, like a false vaccuum state of non-observed bubble universes that, if they should collide in a multi-dimensional parallel..." "*Ahem* yes, well, theoretical physics is a marvellous thing, isn't it?" he interrupted himself. "Personally, I don't see anything is written in a deterministic way. All you have is probabilities. The mere fact that you are aware of the danger is potentially enough to avert it. However, from what you say, the future seems determined to make its future as probable as possible, but sending things back to this time zone to try and manipulate events" "So my only advice is stay alert, and try to avoid the influence of the future. It may well, and perhaps is doing at this very moment, just that..." he mused.

Wrapped and thanks for playing! Enjoyed that. If you have any further ideas, let me know!

"Anywhere I can catch a cab" she answered, keen to see if she could salvage her bike. It was probably busted. She could get a new one, of course (she had a decent enough job, although the money waxed and waned), but it was always a pain to get it converted for her. "I'm not too good with long walks by moonlight" she laughed, a trace of bitterness as she slapped the callipers down her right leg. "Hellfire, what a day! Not going to go down in my diary as a good one, although I'm glad I met you, Kit. And I'm sure glad you haven't been twisted round some little demon's finger" she added, giving her a more serious look. "And don't worry about Claremont. I won't say a word, Seems like you need a little sanctuary. Damn, I could do with some sanctuary myself..." she muttered as she entered the closet. "But I don't think either of us are going to rest easy for long..." she added as the the shadows embraced them... ~Fin~

GM In the park Doctor Lake struggled to keep up with Arcturus, despite being fairly fit for a man of his age. "Thank you. And keep me informed" he said, scrawling his number on a post it note and slapping it to Arcturus. "I don't know what's going on, just keep your eyes and your ears open"... At the Junkyard... Goodman's Junkyard was not in the best of shape. It had a few notices in peeling paint, and the buildings were a little aged. But it wasn't a total wreck. The junk looked fairly ordered, and the mesh fence around it looked pretty new and sturdy. A "Beware of the dog" sign hung outside, although it wasn't clear if it was a piece of scrap or a genuine warning, it was so old. The place didn't exactly looked guarded, either. There was a half-asleep man in a dirty jumpsuit, smoking a roll up and leafing through a disreputable adult magazine in a bored way just inside the entrance, the flask of coffee by his side not doing much to prop the man's eye open. "Looks like they paid for the best in security" said Detective Chance, her eyes unseen behind her mirror shades. She fingered the large and old steeled gun under her jacket. "But I guess I wont be needing that" she said, half with relief, half with dissapointment. "Now, I want to know what the hell is going on there, when they haven't taken or sold any scrap for a month..." she whispered.

Your PC, your mythology, your choice! Put her in. I don't know much about Britannia Cannon in the FC Sourcebooks, but I guess we can work it out!

We dont have to make any NPCs. The idea however is to build up a relationship map. That can be entirely between PCs, but is likely to involve NPCs - I dont mean they need to be statted up, however. But there are four NPCs I would like to cover, the previous, vanished team. There will probably be others. The Butler of the previous team? A British SAS member who trained them? The minister for powers? Some of the villains / enemies of the team? And then of course anyone you would want to throw in, such as your parents, priest, doctor, best friend, lover, someone you owe a debt to, or have a hatred of. At the moment only the bare bones of the NPC. This is about establishing relationships, and the pattern of them. If, for instance, Roo, you wanted to throw in Catalyst's chemistry professor then define the relationship - he was a scatty genius who she learned a lot from, but he felt threatened by her and caused her havoc at university. Then someone else can riff off that professor, saying "Ah yes, but he also worked for the Ministry of Powers, and developed the formula that helped control my powers" etc. etc.