Supercape

The news had reached Quentin Quill uncharacteristically fast, via one of his students who was paying more attention to a web broadcast than his lecture. Making some rather weak excuse (no doubt Liebniz would be on his case later), he soon took to the Skies as Supercape. The red haze was visible from quite some distance, and with a brief period of concentration and calculation, quantum forces throwing out invisible lightning, he suddenly reappeared by the scene in a blaze of blue-green light. Crowds. Hmph He didn't like crowds. And so, as usual, his cape became even bigger, his hood grew even deeper, and he withdrew to the safety of his magnificent costume. Landing on top of a Media truck, with a muttered apology to the somewhat irate news reporter, he surveyed the red dome with his uncanny senses. To his annoyance, he couldn't make head or tail of it.

HUZZAH!

Haley was shaken, but not stirred. "Oh professor, thank heavens you are all right! I was so worried!" Quentin dusted off his tweed jacket. "The heavens had nothing to do with it, dear lady. Three fine heroes saved the day. Guardian, Sparksmith..." He showed a little twinkle in his eye. "And this chap with a simply splendid Cape..." Over a cup of green tea, he proceeded to tell Haley what had happened. With only a little embellishment. He had earned that much.

"Hmph. I wouldn't recommend it", answered a still disorientated Slick, as Dragonfly sped off. It looked like the immediate crisis was over, so Slick took a few minutes at the rooftop getting used to the regular three dimensions and surveying the sights, sounds, and smells of the burning building and the unfolding emergency services response. Spotting Cannonade and Dragonfly in the throng, she made her way down to join them. This whole business was deeply wrong, and someone was going to pay. She fought back the customary flashbacks to her infancy and the horrors she had undergone. Yes, they were going to pay.

With a cheery wave, Quentin flew off and up to the skies. Oh. That's my ship he realised. This "secret I.D" thing all those heroes use was actually pretty complicated. And he wasn't even in costume, just a makeshift and slightly ragged tarpaulin. "Super...cape" he muttered to himself, as the embryo of an Idea formed in his mind. His mind whirring, Quentin discarded the tarpaulin to the wind and made a sharp dash flying straight down. It took but a few moments for a man of his intellect to find his cabin window, and just a few seconds to teleport himself into the cabin with a blurred aura of purple-green light.

I know this is very late in the day, but it sounds great. If you have space, Supercape will be up for this on the "outside". If its overfull, no worries.

Slick was, of course, somewhat apprehensive. As his world collapsed and altered, leaving him in a state he could only describe as limbo, he added disorientation to the emotion. With all the folding of space (and he guessed other dimensions) into impossible angles, his only clear memory was of Dragonfly's motorcycle hanging in the not-space. A curious sense of calm, probably birthed from complete bewilderment, overtook him. And before he knew it, the same folding and angular madness started again, and in a completely indescribable fashion (at least to a sane human mind), he was "out" again, standing by Dragonfly. He wasn't normally short of words. This was an exception. "Whoa!"

Its too cool not to do. Slick will go along with it!

Quentin wandered the gala sniffing out anything particularly dusty and interesting looking. It wasn't particularly difficult. History was not exactly his forte, but it was a pleasant intellectual diversion, as he termed it. If only the place wasn't so damned packed. He had never liked crowds, and still didn't. At least he wouldn't be the centre of attention here. His characteristic tweed jacket and bow tie fitted in reasonably well amongst the intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals milling around.

"Absolutely" lied Slick. It wasn't a complete lie: Dragonfly looked trustworthy enough, its just that Slick had been around the corporate world of business too long to hand out absolute trust frequently, if at all. But a goodwill gesture was always handy. And besides, now was the time for action, not delay. The smoke was getting thicker. "So whatever you are going to do, now is the time to do it!"

"According to my calculations", said Supercape, "the plague is over. " He started to piece together the various computers and sensors in the laboratory. After a few moments, he turned to the hero's relief on his face. "No residual energy detected. We are in the clear!" He shook both of the heroes hands. "Could one of you take this poor chap to hospital?" he asked, pointing at the battered form of Liebniz. "As for me, I need to be off. " With a merry wave, he proceeded to fly out of the wrecked laboratory, and as soon as he was out of sight, his clothes fluxed and reformed into the tweed jacket and bow tie of Professor Quill. Landing gently, he proceeded to half run, half amble, out of the building towards the coffee shop that had housed Haley.

Slick gave a few coughs. The smoke was getting bad, and as vital as his constitution was, he would not be able to hold out forever. The girl, even less so. She looked heavily sedated, and through the smoke wafted the smell of powerful barbiturates. "Best not unhook her just yet", he called out to Dragonfly. No idea how long she had been under. Slick took the extinguisher and gave a few squirts, then kicked in the windows to help the smoke clear. But it wouldn't buy them much time.

Dont worry, I dont take these things too seriously - whatever flows better for the story! To be honest, getting her out with a drip seems more dramatic! so if its ok I will go that. In my defence for being pedantic, I am a doctor, and we all get tetchy about our field of expertise!

Actually Phenobarbitones are one of the most lethal drugs around to withdraw from, if you have been on them for a while! Have you met my new hero, Captain Pedantic? :ugeek:

Two things from Slick, having a moment to look at the girl. Firstly, a notice check - acute olfactory sense in particular (although feel free to use it for any other senses) 1d20+5=21 Pretty good Secondly, although he isn't a medic, a life Sciences check 1d20+5=13 Not so good, but I suppose may pick up something. Finally, for reference re: smoke inhalation, a fort check, although he will hold his breath as long as possible if in smoke. 1d20+7=20

Fire. It had to be fire didn't it. Slick cursed to himself and did his best to try and reabsorb his oily secretions. Still, this was what it meant to be a hero. Guess the old man would be proud. Moving with uncanny speed and grace, he vaulted over to the Fire Extinguisher and primed it. Smoke would probably be more of a problem than fire to begin with, but it would be best to be prepared. Taking a few deep breaths of the already limited air, he hefted the extinguisher (holding it like it weighed a fraction of its weight), and dashed off through the smoke and flames to the back room.

Thanks Shaen. Yes, I am not quite so clear on exactly what the detect energy sense means... Things I think it covers f'shure: Power cables, Electricity cables (well, providing they have something pump through them), Batteries, Electrical devices. Lightning bolts. Things I am not quite clear about (probably includes) Other forms of energy, such as nuclear power, cosmic energy, radio waves. Things it doesn't include: Light (including ultraviolet or other spectrum radiation) Heat (including infrared) Any form of kinetic energy Any chemical energy However, I am not sure how to put this in a snappy format... (And does it sound reasonable?)

So I am planning this: Gravitic Supersense [Mental] Detect (Mass) 1, Ranged 1, Radius 1, Acute 1, Accurate 2 (6 PP) Working in Analytical and Extended later! (for +2 PP) Energy Supersense [Radio] Detect (Energy) 1, Accurate 2 (3 PP) - figuring that radio sense is ranged, radius, acute by default Working in Analytical later (for +1 PP) Perhaps I should be a bit more specific about this to stop it being over powerful? I'm referring to electrical currents, radiation, etc. What might be called "power". Not light, heat, etc.

Thanks Shaen, helpful as always! A couple of clarifications: As per our original discussions, his "Detect Energy" sense felt more of a "radio" sense in terms of modality. Would this still apply? Speaking to Avenger Assembled, he took the view (And I may be misquoting him, or I mistunderstood, so apologies for that) that a detect sense couldn't be just left on. One would have to specifically say "Ok, now I am trying to detect [x]". This really isn't how I wanted it to function, and would of course be prepared to pay more PP for what I perceive as a "True" sense... i.e on all the time, like sight or hearing. Having said that, my understanding of UP was in keeping with what I think you are saying: it functions like any other sense.

Ok, so I am once again totally defeated by supersenses... and not for the first time! Or, to be more accurate, I have gotten confused again. What I would like, for Supercape, is the following: and I am not sure I have built him correctly. 1. I would like a sense whereby he can "Feel" (And by that I don't mean its a tactile sense necessarily) objects mass around him. A kind of "Gravitic radar" if you will. Anything with mass (so not energy fields or intangible things) - or made of matter - he can mentally sense. This should be on kind of permenantly, like a radar or sonar sense, or sight / hearing. Potentially it could be penetrating (maybe if I have more PP!) 2. I would like him also, to be able to sense energy - so the flow of power through electric cables, force fields, batteries, radio waves, energy weapon beams. etc. Similar to a radar but potentially requiring more attention. Now, I am informed that "detect" is an active thing, so one has to move, detect, move detect. This dosen't sound like sense (1), but potentially sense (2). The murky depths of "Blindsight" feels more accurate for (1). So, how do I build these powers? PP is not really an issue, this is how I conceive him, so this is what I would like to buy, irrespective of the cost. 1: I think this is Accurate, Acute, Ranged and Radius, for sure. Is it detect, or is it just one of those "On all the time" powers? It feels Tactile or Mental - but which? If i Have enough PP, I would potentially make it analytical, and maybe extended or penetrating. If I have to make it detect, should it have the bonus to make it a "Reaction" action rather than free? 2. This is also Accurate, Acute, Range, and Radius. Is it detect this time?. Again, I would like it to be, PP permitting, Analytical. Any help resolving this much appreciated, as Supercape will have plenty of PP to spend soon...

1d20+7=21 for the punch. Should be enough? DC 22 Toughness save

1d20+7=21 for the punch. Should be enough? DC 22 Toughness save

That last blast from Dragonfly may have actually struck the fiery man. Did he stagger a little? "Come ON!" shouted Slick at himself, and took a deep breath in as he reaffirmed his resolve. Diving into the fire, he extended an arm in a long punch, driving right into his target. If this is the pale imitation he thought to herself we are going to have to be really prepared for the original...

Slick took another swing at the flaming doctor, but his heart wasn't in it - it was too bright and hot to really focus on fisticuffs. There might be another option... if they could snuff this guys out. Might be worth a try. He glanced around... perhaps a fire extinguisher might work. Anything to quench those flames.

Another swing 1d20+7=13 I'm guessing thats a miss Move Action: Looking around for a fire extinguisher or tap/water