KnightDisciple

"Mmm, I think I've heard rumors about 'porters. Which doesn't mean this is someone we've heard of; plenty of sinners pass through Bedlam and indulge. Others think this beleaguered place would be fine as a new...nesting ground. The care for the books is curious..." His eyes were scanning the room, taking in every detail he could, trying not to move about too much. Then he noticed Rat pointing her gun at the bookshelf. Almost on instinct, his hand found itself resting on the top of the weapon, trying to gently push it down. Rat didn't seem to fight him, and he certainly refrained from attempting a disarm. Instead, he just gave her a slight smile. "Peace be with you, my friend. Now is not the time for swords, but of eyes and ears, and perhaps a bit of honest labor with our hands. Hm." He moved carefully among the wreckage of the office, proceeding to poke at the bookcase, eyeball it for possible levers, and even, carefully, try to move it to one side or the other.

Thoughtspeed wisely said nothing about the go-getter granny giving orders to the young'uns. He knew better than to question her competence. Instead, he just opted for nodding sagely as she spoke. "That sounds good, ma'am. Please stay safe out there, Missus Sidon. You, the little one, and Tethys. I'm sure you'll be fine, just, you know. Be careful Thaelia and I can do this." Glamazon would get a brief mental communication from Thoughtspeed that was less words and more a vague impression of uncertainty and determination in equal measure. He glanced toward the airlock, and was suddenly standing there, eyeballing the suit. "So, uh, how do I get this on?"

I'll try to do maths tonight when I have books, but I'm thinking Will could stunt something off of his current Concealment, make it a touch-range affects others with an action flaw, which of course means Thaelia has to hold him until they're over to a hatch. Alternatively, despite slightly different descriptors, he could stunt it off of his blades array. That might give enough points to make it more than just Visual, to help them hide things like the sound of swimming, or the wake in the water...

Thoughtspeed was on-edge when this strange not-sister zoomed onto the scene, crackling not with benign kinetic energy, but instead the energy of the Terminus. On the one hand, he knew several people similarly empowered, including his mother, but on the other hand, years of his mother being reluctant to use that power ingrained a certain...caution...into his mind. Perhaps it was the strange not-resonance he felt in the back of his skull. His hands twitched, eager to form blades. Some instinctual part of him longed to prove himself against this not-quite-doppelganger. When he noticed Adze staring at his mother, Thoughtspeed blurred to stand between them, no weapons in his hands, but arms held loosely at his sides. Clearly trying to break line of sight, and send a message. "There a problem here?"

Man, totally forgot this one, especially since I never tagged it...I'll try to get something up later.

The last bit of clues, yes. I can come up with a couple more clues for Woodsman now that I look at the numbers again. I tried to give everyone some different bits of info to see/contribute.

The other trick is figuring out which PCs/players would actually want to sign up! Which isn't 100% a bad thing; better to have a whole range of views. But it might make it trickier to give us a well-balanced team. What would be the ideal dynamic if we have a PC-centric Dream Team, AA? The primary concept coming to mind is "conflict of interest"...

I think it depends on which thread! I'll refrain from speculation about space threads, but... -For Bedlam, definitely the more investigative-type characters. Strange happenings, and people disappearing? Gotta look into what's going on. -For EC, I'd say either investigative types, magic types, or metas. Maybe there's strange new examples of both super-sorts (magic and meta) showing up and causing trouble, and/or kidnap attempts occurring? -For FC, maybe we get more tech-based things popping up, or some sort of mercenary super-soldier operation (so guys with low-level meta-enhancements plus some low-level power armor or whatnot). Just tossing the ideas out.

Right, here we go!

I like where this is going! I think you're hitting the right notes with their mission, approach, etc. I also like the idea of putting them in the South, since that gives us a nice 5 points; FC/East, EC/West, BC/North, DT/South, and Barnstormers/Center. Putting American Dream in Texas gives us a lot of Texan heroes, but...that makes sense! Kolo: Would Moneymaker be able to turn the people she golded-up back into people? I only ask because otherwise it kind of looks like someone who committed several murders is walking free....which may be intentional! Just something to consider. I love the powerset, though. I think the idea of an animal mimic is a good one. Probably throw a Battlesuit in there, too? I feel like they're a good team-member type. You might look at having an air/wind controller, to help out Mystery Master with defusing the tornados and whatnot? Maybe someone with something like Stretching, or Growth, or the like?

GM The employee's anger wavered in the face of Woodsman's determined growls, but fell apart completely in the face of Grim's subtler approach. He wordlessly stuttered as one of the officers led him away. "Come on, Mr. Green, let's get you a drink and sit down, I'm sure this is all very stressful." Meanwhile another officer glanced between the slightly terrified civilian and the young heroes, sighed, shook his head, and walked over. He turned to face Woodsman first. "Well, the immediate situation looks like a somewhat messy break-in here at ground level, they went up several floors to one of the main server areas, broke in, did something, then just straight-up went out a window. Most of the security footage is garbled, the most we've got cleaned up right now is a couple folks in dark, indistinct outfits. The techs are working to clean that up, and get a handle on everything. I won't speculate on connections since I don't have a lot of the evidence in front of me yet. If you all promise not to scare anyone else like that, feel free to look around. Just let us know if you're gonna do more than look, take pictures, and poke at glass; CSI likes to document everything, you know?" He gives a slight smile at that, along with a helpless shrug, before getting more serious. "One guard got hurt. Nothing too bad, but he got knocked out, pretty rough. He didn't see who did it, some blow from behind. He's at the hospital, concussion treatment. No other on-site witnesses. It happened last night, middle of the night; building's been closed off all day and now into the evening. Still a mess, and the techs are struggling to get everything cataloged. It's...kind of weird. Take your time but let someone know where you're going, just so no one gets spooked, yeah?"

Will's shoulders trembled under his mother's touch, but his face became as stone once again. With a slight twitch, his helmet folded out again, covering his face in blank, black, reflective material, separating him from the world, even if his connection to his mother was still as clear as day. "Yeah, let's go." He followed quietly through the portal to the other, wronger Earth. He took in the sights of the lake, the city, the whole thing, and rolled his shoulders, his head slowly scanning back and forth, like some like of silent sentinel. Only Paige heard his next words. 'Mom, should I try searching for Dad? Or just broadcasting to him, even?'

Gabriel first sent a message on the League-only channel to the others. "This is Gabriel to all points, I'm going to try and guide them in for landing; they seem a bit fixated on me already. Expect...oddness." Well that's not ominous at all. Still, Gabriel finds himself hovering calmly between the ship and the landing pad, smile on his face, even as he switches his comm frequency to the one being used by the ship. "Stellar Ochlocracy vessel, I am Gabriel, and I am going to help guide you to your landing zone. Please follow as closely as possible. We have prepared a landing pad for you. I would be open to discussions of theology, but I have found those tend to be more productive when sitting face to face. We will partake of nutrition together and discuss these things soon." He's all smiles and charm as he says this, beckoning the ship onward with a wave as he turns to guide it down to the platform Gaian Knight quick-formed from the ground.

Well, considering this guy is literally just a white-collar office worker, and thus probably like PL1...I'll roll in case of a Nat 20. I gave him +2 for Sense Motive (which can counter Intimidate). He got 15. So he's gonna be intimidated. The cop's reaction will depend on how you two go about this.

For the vehicles and base, I'll play with that. For the Grapnel, he already has Gliding Flight as an AP. I figure that would cover Slow Fall?

EDIT: Okay scratching that math for now, not as accurate as I thought. Currently, Nevermore is at PL13 PP, but PL10 caps, shifted +2 Attack and Defense, -2 Damage and Toughness (meaning +12 Att/Def, +8 Dam/Tou). Saves are PL -1.Skills are mostly at Ranks of PL -3, except for Computers, Investigate, and Search. As a note, I'm considering dropping the following Feats: Benefit 1 (Team Raven) Second Chance (Mind Control) Second Chance (Mind Reading) I'm less completely sold on the SC (MC/MR), just because I want the possibility of him just "NOPE"-ing psychics, but needs will as needs must for the time being. My goals: -Raise him to PL11 +2/-2 caps. So raise Attack, Defense, (Unarmed) Damage, and Toughness by 1. -Leave Exotic Saves as-is for now. -Boost most Skills to 10 Ranks. Boost Computers and Investigate to 11 Ranks. Possibly boost Drive and Search to 11 Ranks, as well. -I'd like to boost Toughness via the suit, and maybe toss a couple ranks of Speed on the Grapnel Gun. If there's a "cleaner" way to do it instead of Swinging + Wall-Crawling I'm open to it; the end-goal of that item is to let him ascend, descend, and move laterally. Not quite Spider-Man swinging, but somewhere between DCAU Batman Grapnel Swings, and Jean-Paul Valley Batman swinging gauntlets in movement. -Gadgets stays as-is for now. -Equipment's all Vet rewards, though if someone has big ideas on taking the EP from the Talon and putting them into the Unkindness and/or Rookery I'm all ears. EDIT 2: The PP totals in the above post are current, so he has 19 free PP right at this moment. He also has 48 more PP to earn before he's maxed-out. EDIT 3: Clarified Skills.

Putting Nevermore's current sheet here, as a workspace to start turning it into Raven III's sheet. Nevermore Power Level: 10/13 (183/202) [Gold Reward Slot] Trade-Offs: +2 Attack / -2 Damage; +2 Defense / -2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 19 In Brief: The young apprentice and sidekick of the Raven, Nevermore is preparing himself to take on that legendary crime-fighting mantle one day soon. Alternate Identity: Aleksander Garen Nakani (Birth Name/legal name); Svarog (Name assigned by the Blood Dragons) Identity: Secret Birthplace: Rustavi, Georgia Occupation: Student (Claremont); Crimefighter Affiliations: Claremont Academy; Raven "family"; Blood Dragon Scoiety (former) Family: Henrik and Maral Nakani (biological parents, deceased); Loren and Melissa Barbeau (adoptive parents) Description: Age: 18 (DoB: December 12, 1997) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Male Ethnicity: Armenian and Ossetian Height: 5'10" Weight: 160 lbs. Eyes: Grey Hair: Black Aleksander is a lean young man, clearly in the midst of his growth spurt. He avoids teenage awkwardness only due to over a decade of conditioned "training" and a few years of more natural training, and thus an instinctive sense of balance and poise. His frame is well-muscled, but he clearly favors speed and tone over sheer power. His deeply bronzed skin has no blemishes, and his face is free of scarring. His forearms, hands, lower legs, and torso bear a scattering of small, light scars, the sort one would associate with intense martial training. The long, thin scars on his back, faded for years now, are decidedly not from training. His grey eyes peer out keenly from slightly thick eyebrows, always observing. He doesn't have the furtive manner one would associate with a guilty party; instead, it's the keen observation of all those around him, and his environment. When he does focus on an item, person, or object, his gaze can be quite piercing indeed. His somewhat angular face has trouble frowning, and quite often, Aleksander's smiling or smirking about one thing or another. If he becomes angry, though, it is somewhat like a storm rolling over the plains. His dark hair has just a bit of curl to it, and while he keeps it neat, it reaches down to the bottom of his neck. Typically he just wears it combed back, but when training he'll keep it tied in a tight ponytail. His face is angular without being severe, with no features being over-prominent; the angles are smoothed out (helped by the fact he stays clean-shaven). Typically, he dresses in comfortable, non-descript clothes with low-key colors. He tends to prefer pants and long sleeves year round, though in the summer he usually opts for lighter-weight materials than in the dead of winter. His only ornamentation seems to be an antique wristwatch; when pressed, he explains it was his birth father's, and is one of the few mementos he has of him. Nevermore's costume is a finely-engineered piece of crime-fighting technology, and it looks it. It's a full-body suit that leaves only the mouth exposed, and while it's somewhat obvious that it's multiple layers, the outside is virtually seamless. The whole suit has armor plating somewhat visibly sandwiched in everywhere, but covered with a solid layer of morphic molecules on the outside to smooth over its appearance. The suit's base color is black, with the belt (holding several secure pouches of equipment), chest symbol (a stylized "N"), and a few lines on the gauntlets and greaves being a metallic silvery color. The inside of his cape is a dark grey-blue, helping blend in and break colors up a bit.The gloves/gauntlets, boots/greaves, pants, shirt, cape, and cowl are all separate pieces. When at rest, the cape's edge is a straight line, but thanks to the combination of the electroreactive "frame" inside of it, and the morphic molecules, when in "glide mode", the edges take on the appearance of a raven's wings spread in flight, or at least a stylized rendition of it. His head is covered by a smooth armored cowl that leaves only his mouth and chin exposed to the air. His eyes are covered by special lenses that appear, from the outside, to be somewhat milky-white when inactive, but faintly glow green when night vision mode is active. Recently Aleksander has added a very robust belt-and-harness assembly that includes a multitude of pieces of compact equipment. Using low-scale nanotechnology alongside hyper-efficient space-saving tech, these modules and pieces of equipment can quickly be activated and deployed, be it as handheld tools or as plug-in modules on his base suit (which has a multitude of subtle connection points for various modules). Some may alter the appearance of his suit in various ways. Power Descriptions: Aleksander is an essentially normal human being. His time under the "care" of the Blood Dragon Society had them injecting him with various chemical mixtures meant to encourage the maximum potential growth, and he was fed a rigorous diet rich in some unique vitamins and minerals, but while he shows the potential to enter the very top tier of human performance, right now he shows no signs of mutation or any other true superhuman powers. Instead, his body is in peak condition for a boy of 18, and he possesses more skill than most would think possible for one of his age (due to his...rigorous...care with the BDS). Some might describe Aleksander as a "living weapon", and truthfully, they wouldn't be entirely wrong. His physical fitness and sheer skill make him a formidable close-combat opponent. He's even starting to display athletic prowess at the very upper end of the human spectrum, at least in a few endeavors. Nevermore's costume is a masterful piece of crime-fighting engineering. The innermost layer is a thick, comfortable layer of thermal-insulated morphic molecules that help Alek survive extreme temperatures. Next is a layer of body armor, composed primary of thick, semi-rigid Kevlar plates that provide protection sufficient to deal with most regular small arms. The cowl contains lenses that can activate night vision, meaning even the darkest night is as bright as day to Nevermore. As well, an advanced communications suite is embedded under the armoring of the cowl. This system also works with some small microcomputers in his belt to give him up-to-the-picosecond accurate time, as well as precise geo-positioning data and magnetic north orientation readings. The belt also holds a number of tools useful for crime scene analysis, a fold-out tablet computer useful for taking notes and such, and a simple collapsible gas mask that fits over his exposed moth and provides an environmental seal and several minutes of clean air. The cape is composed of special electro-reactive morphic molecules that conform to a rigid frame when a very low but precisely calibrated electrical charge is run through them. While he has insufficient propulsion for true independent flight, Nevermore is capable of long glides. His ability for movement around the city is aided by special high-speed, high-power grapnel lines that are housed in his gauntlets (under the extra armor plating). Nevermore's belt and harness contain modules and gear that let him adapt on the fly to the situation in the field. Nevermore has been practicing figuring out the best pieces to use in any given situation, and while he's pretty good at picking equipment, the fact is he's still learning and it's still a developing technology, so it takes him a few moments to reconfigure his equipment. Rounding out his current arsenal is The Talon, a high-performance motorcycle which is Nevermore's primary means of transportation across larger portions of Freedom City (with his grapnel/glider cape combo being used for more precise positioning in specific areas). While unarmed, it is a tough, fast vehicle that bears a solid security system to prevent bike-jacking. The overall construction is rugged, with the bike mainly sporting two seemingly oversized tires (each with an independent electric motor for power), and a central "pod" with rugged armor plates, special steering "arms", and a simple voice-activated computer that has an always-updating navigation program. It is currently capable of speeds approaching the fastest performance road cars, though Nevermore rarely pushes it to that speed. Recently Nevermore was given full access to The Rookery, the large (hidden) cave-complex-based underground headquarters of the Raven. The facility is expansive and covers virtually every need a crime-fighter might have, with room for future improvements, as well as access to a large variety of tools, vehicles, and suits that he could draw on if needed. History: Aleksander Garen Nakani should have been a perfectly normal boy born in the country of Georgia. And for about 6 months of his life after birth, he was. Then, one day, he and his parents "disappeared". His father and mother were found weeks later, dead, their child missing, out well past city limits. Theories abounded. No one was ever charged, no conclusion made. Funerals were held. People mourned. Mementos were kept by parents/grandparents and other scattered family. None were the wiser that Aleksander had been taken by the Blood Dragon Society to their base in Transylvania, Romania. They are a fanatical group borne from the last members of the Order of the Dragon. Born in fire and blood, they escaped the purge that wiped out most of their brethren and went into hiding. They watched as one of their own members became one of the most feared monsters of all time, a household name half a millennium later. The Blood Dragon Society vowed all those years ago to protect Europe (and, eventually, mankind) from the "dark things". Unfortunately, their definition of what constituted a viable threat has varied over the years, and has never focused solely on supernatural threats, but instead included political or religious movements and individuals. Worse, they vowed to use any means necessary, and have taken that vow seriously. They employ methods most would never condone, and in the last couple of centuries have begun taking orphans or other "won't be missed" children to train them from a young age to be perfect "defenders". Aleksander was part of a new "trial group", selected based on genetic factors (in his case, the presence of many historically successful soldiers on his father's side, and genetics stretching back to some of the fiercest Sarmation warriors on his mother's side) that the Society believed would make them ideal warriors. These children, taken from all over the world, and being of all sorts of ethnicity, were brought in before their first birthdays. They were raised impersonally, granted single names based on mythology (Aleksander was called Svarog), and fed rigorous diets, supplemented by vitamin and chemical treatments intended to procure the maximum possible performance and growth. They were educated as soon as possible, trained from very early ages in tactics, stealth, sabotage, combat of all kinds, and more. Their minds were laced with subliminal programs to ensure obedience and efficiency. Psychics were brought in to aid all of these efforts, ensuring that the whole batch of 20 was far ahead of their peers in every way by age 10. Alkesander was 11 when the Freedom League rescued all of the children from the clutches of the Society. The Raven, with the aid of Foreshadow, had tracked down the location of the Society's facilities. The stealthier members of the League infiltrated the base and ensured that the children were there and safe, and disabled much of the security. The rest of the League then swept in and thoroughly disabled any BDS troops still up and about, including a few of their more exotic members. Raven herself was the one to open the cell holding Aleksander, who had been in solitary for a week because his young mind had shown itself to be (once more) resistant to the harsher aspects of the programming they were trying to induce on the children. It wasn't a conscious thing, simply an unusually resilient psyche that meant the next year would not be as harsh as it would for his fellows. But only a little less harsh. Thankfully, the BDS facility had included full medical and biographical files on the children there; the Society was thorough and meticulous, if nothing else. This allowed the League to track down what family remained...which was his father's father, who was by this point in no condition to take care of a child. So he would have to be adopted after his treatment. It took over a year for League psychics and psychologists to help young Aleksander reach a point where they felt he couldn't simply be "switched off" or reprogrammed with a single phrase, and that he didn't treat the entire world like one long spy or combat mission. It still was a delicate enough situation that his adoptive parents, Loren and Melissa Barbeau, had to be specially trained and prepared to help him learn to socialize more normally. As well, his state of mind, as well as his near-reflexive fighting ability, necessitated him attending the Nicholson school for 3 years. Thankfully, by 14 Aleksander was a comparatively normal, if quiet, boy. He was even attending a regular public school. What Loren and Melissa didn't know is that the mental focus that previously had been forced upon the lessons of being a weapon, was now turned to investigating the Raven more. For almost a year, he'd been slowly tracking bits and pieces of information. Not because he hated her; just the opposite, Aleksander felt only the greatest of admiration for her. He wished to thank her without having to get mugged first. But as his investigation continued, he came to an uncomfortable conclusion: Raven was growing older. Just as her predecessor had, she was starting to show small signs of aging. One day, perhaps soon, she'd have to give up the mantle. But to whom? The day he figured out who she was, was the day Alkesander Nakani decided that if the Raven wouldn't appoint a successor, maybe one needed to approach her. So he dug deeper. Eventually, he determined two facts. First, the original Raven had been Duncan Summers, who was now headmaster of Claremont Academy. Second, his daughter, Callie Summers, was the current Raven. This would explain all the various resources Raven had always had access to. But now...how to speak to either of them about it? Finally, he decided on just going to Claremont Academy and trying to speak with the Headmaster, as he wasn't sure Callie would be at the Summers home. He skipped school one day and caught the bus to Bayview. He managed to slip onto the Academy grounds with none of the students or staff noticing, and ended up right outside Headmaster Summers' office. At which point the retired hero invited him in to speak. Duncan explained that while he didn't know quite why Aleksander was there, he'd kept track of the boy, if for no other reason than to help alert other heroes if the Blood Dragon Society ever moved to try and retake him. But the boy's presence intrigued him, and he had a guess as to why he was here. So Aleksander laid out his research, the results, and his belief that Callie needed a successor. Duncan ended up calling his daughter into the meeting, and there were a couple hours of discussion (during which Loren and Melissa were called in as well). In the end, it was decided that until he was 15 & 1/2 years old, Aleksander would be undergoing rigorous "basic training" without stepping foot outside the "lair" under the Summers home. Loren and Melissa weren't thrilled, but recognized that between Aleksander's iron will and his rather unique background, they'd be unlikely to stop him. So instead they partnered with Duncan and Callie to help make sure Alek didn't do something stupid to get himself killed. By June of 2013, Alek was allowed on 2 patrols a month, to try and get him used to actually going through the motions of being a crime-fighter. He was primarily asked to watch Raven's back, but was sometimes allowed to take the fore and get some practice. Most criminals were at least smart enough to not mouth off to a kid in body armor who was working with the Raven. The ones that were were educated. Word started to spread. In the meantime, in an effort to take some of the work off of Callie, and maybe give Aleksander some independence on occasion, Nevermore (as he has dubbed himself) has transferred to Claremont, starting in the Spring 2014 semester. It is hoped that he will learn more skills related to working with other heroes, as well as broadening his own skillset for the purposes of crime fighting and prevention. Nevermore has been making the rounds of Freedom City, working to aid Raven and sometimes even pick up the "slack" of patrols. He's also been given fuller access to the Rookery. On the one hand, this increased responsibility helps him feel more confident in his ability as a lone hero. But on the downside, part of him is worried what it might mean for the future, never mind how busy it sometimes keeps him. Personality & Motivation: Aleksander is a fairly quiet young man, but for all that he's gone through, he's actually fairly hopeful. He doesn't go for much in the way of exterior shows of emotion, but being rescued from the clutches of the Society, in the way he was, taught him that the world has good people, and those good people can make a difference. While not anti-social, Alek prefers to ration his time with friends (which he makes slowly and carefully) and strangers. But when he is with them, his shell opens up at least a little bit; he has a tendency to be the dry wit of a group, making some quip with a completely straight face. Alek will almost fanatically stand up to bullies, especially if he sees them picking on someone notably less capable physically (or socially, if it's primarily verbal bullying). He does not initiate actual fisticuffs, but he has been sent home a couple of times for, in his words, "finishing what someone else started". He has never shown regret for those fights, either. Thankfully he abhors the idea of taking a life or producing permanent injury, and so he's always focused on restraint, or temporary discomfort, to breaking bones or the like. Alek tends not to get involved in discussions about politics or law or the like, beyond voicing a general dislike of "injustice", though with as young as he is it's still a nebulous concept (beyond "criminals running around not getting stopped"). Nevermore comes off as a gruff, no-nonsense crime fighter. He's willing to work with other heroes, though he's cautious if he does not know them, and might get slightly frustrated with those who have trouble with subtlety of any form. To criminals, he's somewhat quieter than his predecessor, but still carries an air of menace and shadows. He is relentless and fearless, and lets them know. He does have a bit of a tendency to try and put on a gravely bravado with older heroes, barring those like Midnight or Foreshadow who carry legacies similar to his own. To them he is respectful, though he's not afraid to voice an opinion. But to others he might be trying to over-compensate for his clear newness to his role, subconsciously trying to prove that he's worthy of the mantle he will be receiving. To the average citizen, he's polite, if a bit terse, but always wanting to prove helpful in a moment of need. Powers & Tactics: Nevermore will adjust his tactics depending on the number and quality of opponents. For a large number of "thugs" he tends to just dive in and start taking them down rapidly, weathering their blows with his body armor while he delivers precise, powerful strikes. Armed opponents are likely to be disarmed. Those who seem to focus on power over finesse may well end up put in one martial art hold or another while he tries to choke them just enough to knock them out. For a notably powerful opponent he is likely to attempt to remain in stealth until he can catch them unaware enough to get a couple of solid blows in. That, or try to work with someone else or call for backup. Complications: Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier: While the particular cell that was "raising" Aleksander was dismantled, the Blood Dragon Society as a whole still exists. And they aren't the sort to let resources go to waste, especially ones that display the potential Aleksander has. At some point, or several points, they may try to retrieve Aleksander, not realizing that he's also Nevermore. The River Runs Deep: Aleksander was given a thorough de-programming by more than one psychic who was affiliated with the Freedom League, and was further taken through more mundane therapies and de-programmings by psychologists and psychiatrists. However, the scars of that time still remain. It is possible, if unlikely, that one or two "trigger words" may still be buried in his mind and activated, either by someone with sufficient knowledge, or someone with enough skill (not power, but skill) in the psychic arts. This would not turn him into a mindless drone, but it might be enough to leave him slower, incapacitated, or in some other way less effective than he should be. Secret (Identity): Aleksander's identity as Nevermore is something known only to a few (though fortunately or unfortunately, at least some fellow students at Claremont know). The risk is not only to himself, but to both the Summers, to his family, and even, in a way, to Claremont itself. Some Pretty Big Shoes: Aleksander's status as heir apparent to the mantle of the Raven isn't officially known to many, and nominally speaking, his assumption of that role is a few years off. Some more experienced heroes might not take him seriously, or take offense to him attempting to "take over" the Raven's name one day. Alek himself may sometimes have issues with confidence or second-guessing himself due to doubts over his "worthiness" of the role. Disarmed: Aleksander's belts (around his waist and across his chest) need to be removed to completely deprive him of his gadgets, but many of the individual items are hand-held, and can be disarmed as such. Others could be disabled on an individual basis, depriving him of that tool. Abilities: 8 + 6 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 4 = 38PP Strength: 18 (+4) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 12 = 22PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +12 Melee, +5 Ranged Grapple: +16 Defense: +12 (+6 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -4 Saving Throws: 6 + 6 + 6 = 18PP Toughness: +8 (+3 Con, +5 [Protection]) Fortitude: +9 (+3 Con, +6) Reflex: +9 (+3 Dex, +6) Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) Skills: 104R = 26PP Acrobatics 7 (+10) Computers 10 (+14) Drive 7 (+10) Escape Artist 7 (+10) Gather Information 8 (+10) Intimidate 8 (+10) Investigate 10 (+14) Language 8 (Arabic, Chinese [Mandarin], English, French, German, Georgian, Japanese, Latin, Romanian [Native]) Notice 7 (+10) Search 10 (+14) Sense Motive 8 (+11) Stealth 7 (+10) Survival 7 (+10) Feats: 38PP Accurate Attack All-Out Attack Attack Focus (Melee) 7 Beginner's Luck Benefit 1 (Team Raven) Benefit 1 (Wealthy) Chokehold Defensive Attack Dodge Focus 6 Eidetic Memory Equipment 27 [Veteran Award] Evasion Improved Disarm Improved Grapple Improved Trip Improved Pin Improvised Tools Jack of All Trades Luck 2 Online Research Power Attack Second Chance (Mind Control) Second Chance (Mind Reading) Takedown Attack 2 Track Well-Informed Equipment: 27PP = 135EP [Veteran Award] The Rookery (Headquarters; Cave) (23EP) The Talon (Vehicle; Motorcycle) [17EP] The Unkindness (Vehicle; "Car") [95EP] Powers: 5 + 2(1+1) + 20 + 14 = 41PP Damage 4 (Feats: Mighty) [5PP] (Training) ("Martial Arts") Ideal Human 0.4 (2PP Container [Passive, Permanent]) [2PP] (Training) Speed 1 (10MPH/100 feet per Move Action) [1PP] Leaping 1 (x2 distance) [1PP] Device 5 (25PP Container, Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [20PP] (Technological; "Nevermore Costume") City Movement 3 (6PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 1) [7PP] Base Power: Super-Movement 2 (Swinging, Wall-Crawling 2) [6PP] ("Grapnel Gun") Alternate Power: Flight 3 (50MPH/500 feet per Move Action; Feats: Subtle; Flaws: Gliding) [4PP] ("Electroreactive Glider Cape") Communication 5 (Radio, 5 miles; Feats: Subtle) [6PP] ("In-Built Headset") Immunity 1 (Cold, Heat; Flaws: Limited [Half]) [1PP] ("Protective Thermal Under-Layer") Protection 5 [5PP] ("Armor Plating") Super-Senses 3 (Infravision;Vision Counters Obscure (Darkness) [Darkvision]) [3PP] ("Night Vision Lenses") Super Senses 3 (Direction Sense, Distance Sense, Time Sense) [3PP] ("Head's-Up Display") Gadgets 2 (10PP Variable Power, Any Power, Multiple Powers At Once, Duration [Continuous], Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [14PP] (Technological) ("Utility Belt and Harness")Example Gadgets: DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed (Normal) Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Unarmed (Martial Arts) Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (38) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (18) + Skills (26) + Feats (38) + Powers (41) = 183/202 Power Points

Current round of checks! These will be for the outside of the building, and the situation in the lobby.

GM It didn't take the team over-long to reach the office building. It was a mid-size high-rise in Downtown. As they came up to the curb, they'd see a taped-off area of sidewalk, with glass glittering on the ground. Several police cars were present, a couple of CSI vans. No news crews; either too early or too late for that, probably the latter. A few officers were standing outside, and they waved the teens through, eyebrows raised at the non-human companions, but any objections dying when the special badges were shown. Inside, the lobby was a bit of a mess, damage all over, including the security desk, and a couple more police officers along with a few CSI techs. As well as two people who likely were employees of the company. One of them saw the teens, scowled, and started heading over, even as one of the officers listened to his radio, mouthed a curse as he saw the scowling man start marching, and hurried to try and catch up with him before he- "Just what do you think you're doing here? This isn't the place for your kind of-of-of shenanigans!"

Thoughtspeed had closed his eyes behind his helmet, joining in the link between his mother and The Impostor. He fake-retched in his mind at the "kissing Page Psion" bit, though his mother detected hints of the admiration her son had for the still-present love she and Richard shared. But then it all went wrong. So much wrong. Death and destruction and tyranny and he was a part of it? With a sensation like a man ripping free of a wrestling grip, Thoguhtspeed pulled away from the mental link, taking a few stumbling steps back, his hand going to his head (the helmet having pulled back seemingly on instinct), tears leaking down his face even as he gasped for breath. Then he looked up at Richard, the not-his one, his teeth gritted, his hands clenching open and closed. His voice sounded in the ears and minds of all 3 people there, a storm of emotions echoing behind the words. "You aren't my father.You never will be. I want my father back."

When the chaos started, Daniel sighed, finished his tea, and set his books to one side. He gazed longingly at the Jane Austen novel as he gently closed it. "That one was just getting good, too." With that, he simply slipped through the panicking crowds, seemingly just...disappearing. He moved around until he was in an isolated back alley corner; no cameras on the way, no witnesses. There, he changed, become not Daniel Lee, but Sun Walker, long-distant scion of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. Shaking himself just a bit, the hair on the sides of his cheeks quivering in...not quite anticipation, but nervous energy, he casually ran up the side of the building, quickly arriving above the street where the armored car heist was taking place. With a deft leap assisted by his tail snagging a light pole, Sun Walker makes a three-point landing a few feet away. "Pardon me, but none of that really belongs to you..."

Judex raised an eyebrow at the two individuals as he quietly observed them. They were odd, and Bedlam of all places would be unkind to them, but neither matched the strange, animalistic being they'd seen in the video. Was there a third member of this little group? Were there even more of-*SQUEAK*! Judex looked down, sighed, and looked up as the blue man moved toward them. Instead of being frightened by the man's ramblings, Judex felt sad. Truly these were unfortunate souls. He staggered at the wave of cold, but after a moment shook himself, and offered a gentle smile. "The fires loom always, brother, but fear not! We are here not to burn, but to rescue! I draw breath, and so long as I do I will help you avoid the flames! Please, be at peace brothers! We mean no harm. We seek not the sword, but the truth!"

Judex Fort Save: 20.

Do I need to make any checks for Sun to slip away, change, and come back, or can I just do it?

Thoughtspeed blinked and slowed for a quarter of an eyeblink, before he redoubled his efforts, doing what he could to keep pace with the new arrivals. Within moments, he'd reached out his power to any newcomers he could, and his father and Hyperactive if they were in range, and "knocked" on their mental "door" so he could set up a telepathic connection. ~I'm Thoughtspeed! Who are you guys? What's going on? Why is...Hermes, for real? Come on, this is supposed to be for charity!~ For all his confusion and not-quite-complaining, Thoughtspeed never lost his place in the now-larger pack of runners, a miles-long trail of ephemeral green dots trailing behind him.