Supercape

Meanwhile Rene stood in the Middle of Freedom City Park dressed in two heavy overcoats, heavy boots, earmuffs, with two thick woolly jumpers over his normal clothes and a long scarf wrapped round his face and neck. His beret was tucked in his waistcoat. If he waited much longer he would faint from heat exhaustion or be taken for psychiatric examination. He pulled out his paintbrush and the postcard. The thick gloves he wore didn't make it any easier, but nevertheless, he painted himself onto the picture. All the time, he visualised the form of Victory streaking forward after the Sleigh... ...and the blast of cold hit him in the eyes. Damn this was cold he cursed to himself, thankful he was dressed as warmly as he was. He would still have to find shelter, and quickly. All he could see was a giant white steel dome in front of him.

Rene is burning an HP here, to just so happen to teleport to the right place... Rene down to 3 HP now.

GM Just as Victory shook off the sonic assault of the Slay Bells, the Sleigh started its descent. And it was not a pretty one. Smoke continued to belch forth, and there was the faintest smell of fire. The speed of the sleigh was such that they had now reached the ice shelf of the Arctic. And there, as the Sleigh started its descent, was the barely visible white steel building that must surely serve as the headquarters of none other than Toy Boy. Several Antenna poked out of the building, all white, probably radar deflectors. In combination with this, its geography, and its white colouration, one would have to be right next to it to spot it. The Sleigh came to a skid and a halt outside the dome. Immediately, some service robots, no more than a foot high, came scuttling out to survey the damage, armed with tools and fir extinguishers - although the latter were hardly needed in the freezing cold.

"Oui Madame, I do" replied Rene. "Or to be honest, I did" he cast his mind back over two centuries, when Broken Crow had first taught him the ways of magic. It seemed so long ago. "Many years ago, I was taught by the master mage of that time, a man called Broken Crow. It started with simple spells, incantations, all the mumbo jumbo you have heard of. And yes, I know how to do such magic. But magic comes in all shapes, and forms, and bends itself to the particular way of the magician. " He smiled "for you, for instance, it might come as growth, blossoming, or scent. " He placed his hands on his chest in a faux-modest manner, but with a warm self-knowing smile still planted on his face. "For me, the magic of the world is that of art, and is through art that my skill with magic truly manifests. Like the stroke of a brush..." he waved his hand, and between them, a hazy wisp of orange fire briefly flared and streaked across the studio, as though painted onto reality with an invisible and enormous paintbrush.

Ok, first off, Sense Motive Check for Victory vs. DC 19 (Toy Boy has Bluff +9, I'll just say its a take 10)... Oh yes, I have a fiendish plot around this! Next off, the Slay bells are ringing! Reflex Save to avoid DC 20 If not, its a DC 20 Stun Attack. (Effectively this is a Stun 10 Sense-Dependent Burst Attack) Also HP award for Rescuing Amy

As Victory sat down in the Sleigh, which was now yawing, rolling, and belching smoke, whilst still flying at full speed, he took the reins, only to realise that there were no controls on the sleigh. A monitor (now cracked), some speakers and lights were present, but no controls of any description! As if to emphasise the point, the screen flickered to life. It was slightly damaged, the picture and sound quality both poor, but the features of a young bespectacled boy could be made out. None other than Toy Boy! "Curse you, Victory! All I wanted was to spread some fun and games in Freedom City over Christmas! why should Santa get all the fun! Now I will have to start again! oh, whats that sound? why! I do believe its my slay bells!" Toy Boy grinned impishly and held up a remote control, theatrically pressing a big red button. At his command, the bells of the sleigh started ringing at a horrible and powerful pitch, one which resonated directly with Victories nervous system!

Rene ran into the nearest clothing store. He had no idea what was happening to Santa or Victory, but he had a strong inclination that it was going to lead to the north pole. At least, that was where the Sleigh had been headed. And that was were he would be headed too, but first things first, he needed some more sturdy clothing. It was pretty cold above the arctic circle. He had ventured above it for fifty years, at least.

Rene pulled out his Necro-compass. The bone pointer swung wildly until it came to rest pointing ahead of them. "I am not sure, Monsieur Nick. Sneak, maybe, if you are good at L'art de Subterfuge. As for myself, it has been some time since I hunted deer or armed men. And I am not sure I would remember how to. " He looked around. "Myself, I am a patient man, and at the moment, I do not know what is afoot. I would like to hear what Monsieur Singh has to say. But, there is no reason for us both to listen, although I have no doubt you know more on these matters than I do. "

Depending on how safely you want to dump Amy I guess: 1 round for risky drop (not recommended!), 2 rounds for safe drop but in the middle of nowhere, more rounds if you want to put her somewhere safe in civilisation.

By Death Awareness I presume its "Necromancy" awareness rather than being aware if anything dies? - I read it as the latter but I trust your judgement on this. As that sense is neither acute nor accurate, all I can give you is that it is near. No active necromancy spells being used, and nobody dying! 8-)

I think that's fairly straightforward, and heroic, and will take the Sleigh to 7 rounds from North Pole, now emitting a smoke cloud. Presents are dropping out of the sleigh all the time at this point.

"All of us are in the gutter, some of us are looking at the stars" replied Slick, hoping some Oscar Wilde would cheer the stone-cold scientist up - although her voice sounded like falling tombstones. "Hows about it Doc?" he asked more cheerfully. "I quite like the thought of being sucked... into the mannequin. "

GM Santa's head was knocked clean off his body. Well, not quite off. It bobbed up and down on a spring connected to the main rotund body, before emitting a high frequency beeping noise. "HO HO HO, HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Said the smiling, immobile face, as electric sparks whizzed from what was plainly a robotic body. Before either Victory or Amy could react, the body gave a hiss of thick smoke, and exploded in their faces. Fortunately it was not a massive explosion, and the Victories armour was more than sufficient to bear the brunt of the force. However, Amy was not so lucky, and was knocked clean out of her chair, spinning off to the snowy wastes of Canada below, screaming as she fell. The robot Santa was obviously destroyed, and the Sleigh damaged, but it carried on at full speed, heading north, a stream of smoke behind it as it began to wobble even more ferociously.

Defensive Roll isn't lost due to being flat footed, don't be greedy! he can still take free actions! HOwever, it is academic! 1d20+8=12 Robot Santa Explodes! DC 15 Reflex Save to Reduce Toughness DC to 18, otherwise DC 20 Toughness save. Post away: Its quite clear Santa is a Robot at this juncture. For Amy (which I will post). 1d20+1=17 Reflex 1d20+0=11 Toughness: Bruised and Stunned, Knockbacked - which means falling out of the Sleigh and down to earth!!!

1d20+14=32 No cigar! Punch away.

The music got louder on the second floor, and the smoke got heavier. Slick smelled the next room before she could peek in. There six men, and three women. One woman was unconscious on the floor, and another was as good as unconscious. Three men were similarly heavily armed, and looked very tough. Ex-military, perhaps, holding automatic weapons and dressed in street fashioned mixed with combat fatigues. They were lead by a fourth man, a wild, red haired man, stipped to the waist with an impressive wiry physique and a berretta tucked into his trousers. At his side was an attractive oriental woman, perhaps his girlfriend. Pleading for "one more hit" was a dishevelled looking addict, highly emaciated, who looked like he didn't have much longer to live. Finally, in the corner, in some kind of trance and breathing in some obscure green fumes from a glass bong, was a nearly naked rastafarian man with white paint over his body and a large skull painted on his chest. A few bone ornaments hung around his neck and on assorted pieces of jewelery. He hardly looked aware of his surroundings, but one couldn't exactly tell.

Rene dressed more conservatively for the Auction. He put on his best steel rimmed glasses, comfortable and polished shoes, and a suit with a muted tie. He kept his beret on. He tucked his protective talisman in under his shirt, and his makeshift compass into his jacket pocket. He had completed it this morning. Predictably, it had already spun its bone arrow straight towards the shop. The talk was about two thirds full. Various academics and antiquarians for the most part, with a few people off the street and rich buyers peppered around the audience. About thirty of them all in all. Tea and biscuits had been served. It was all rather shabby and upper class at the same time. Rene rather liked it. He nodded at Nick when he sauntered in, and took his newspaper off the seat next to him, offering the free seat.

GM "HO HO HO" laughed Santa "MERRY CHRISTMAS, ONE AND ALL" Behind him, Amy screamed. For all his rotund size, Santa was fast, blindingly fast, and ducked under Victory's telegraphed swing. From his hand extended five razor sharp metal claws. "MERRY CHRISTMAS.... FROM SANTA CLAWS!" laughed the screaming large red man, who proceeded to slash at Victory. However, the Sleigh was becoming increasingly unstable now it had two large men fighting in it, and his swipe was also off target, thanks to a sudden yaw of the sleigh. Amy screamed again.

1d20+8=11 Lucky escape from the Claws of Santa! New Round, 8 Rounds from North Pole! All this fighting on a Rocket Powered Sled!!! Reflex Save DC 10 to stay on! You may choose to add to your reflex save by up to +5, by lowering your attack or defence by 5, this is representing you deliberately trying to stay balanced at the cost of leaving yourself open. Santa has Reflex +10 so will stay on bar a 1. 1d20+10=12 which he nearly rolls! DC is going up by +1 every round of fighting as the sleigh gets more and more unstable!!!

Thr trouble was, the quantum material was not a complete bubble - it was only a half bubble with its edges resting against the walls and floor of the simulator suite. And it was far from airtight. As the vacuum increased in the main room, it had floated off. It had provided a few seconds breathing space (literally), but that was it. However, Etain may have been on the right track... Straining with effort, Supercape summoned up his quantum lattice forcefield, and extended it around the three heroes, altering its composition. It was much, much thinner, but it would trap the remaining oxygen in the bubble for them to breathe. The pressure was still dangerously low, but it was better than nothing. With considerable guilt, his own costume reformed with its characteristic glittering light. A 60's style space helmet bubble formed over his head. He could breathe normally. He wished he could afford that luxury to Etain and Dragonfly, but the thinned out air he had captured was the best he could do...

Round 1! Supercape is going to Stunt - for Extra effort - from his Force Field. Immunity - Low Pressure, Suffocation (all) 3 PP Extras: Affects Others, Area (Burst) Flaws (Limited, Half Effect only) For 6 PP Winging this a bit, but this will reduce the DC of the Con save to 10.

1d20+14=29 Not Bluffed. You still have a Standard Action.

Rene would be in. He is having a busy Christmas!

Next up... 3 Rounds of Vaccuum! We are 4 mins away from Repairs! From Rules. On Thirds round of exposure, Fort Save (DC 20) each round, or suffer from Aeroembolism "The Bends", A failed Save is Stunned, Failure by 5 or more is unconscious. Holding Breath is needed to avoid suffocation although this causes damage to lungs. DC 15 Constutution Check each round (+1 each round), on a successful check, take 1 point of Constitution Damage (From presure on linings on lungs), if Check fails, or when you stop holding your breath, begin to suffocate the next round - the next round you become disabled and unconsious, the following round, you are dying, on the third round, you die (not that we can get to the third round in only 3) We have a round or two to act before vacuum is in place, and there is certainnly a Stunt Supercape will be doing!

"Hold on" said Supercape, a note of anxiety in his voice... "I think something's happening... remind me again what happened after the flush sequence?" Holographic Flush Sequence Completed. Commence Vacuum Decontamination Intoned the calm, pleasant computer voice. From all around the room, tiny nozzles appeared, and a quiet but effective hissing noise could be heard. "Oh dear" whispered Supercape. "I remember now... they suck out all the air..."