Ari

GM Their whispered words didn't reach the bearded man and for a few moments it seemed he would be taken totally unawares...only for Giang's passage to cause a soft draught of air to strike the flames of an unusually high brazier. The shadows the flame cast framed her for only a second, but it was enough for the quick-eyed Roman who swung his face around just in time to catch a glimpse of the Chinese water-binder before she slid behind a pillar. The effect was immediate. The man visibly paled and took to his heels, head bent, shoulders hunched and the jade bundle clutched to his chest! His sandaled feet hit the flagstones with a surprisngly soft claps, though he ran fast enough despite how quiet he was. His target was a seeming impenetrable stone wall depicting Saturn driving snakes from a field. There was only one chance to catch him. Meanwhile, miles away... <"Awaken, rogue slave"> hissed the venemous voice that cut through El Heraldo's ears, clawed hands shaking him from his stupor so he could better obey the voice's commands. Trying to rub his face as he got awkwardly to his knees, the young paragon realized his hands were bound with dinosaur skin cut into strips. And that he was wearing his normal clothes. He looked up just in time to catch the sceptre on his cheek, the power behind the blow sending him crashing to the ground again with a sharp cry of pain and anger. Now fully awake and regretting it, the musuclar boy squinted at the coldly-lit room. The walls were covered in varying stripes of paint that created elegant patterns, the floor broad and covered in treated wood, windows set high on the towering walls let in sunlight that was neither warm nor bright even though the sun hung almost at the apex of the sky. All around him in clothing a lot like he had seen in books on ancient Peruvians stood the Serpent People. Their eyes were colder than the light, and brighter. Many of them carried weapons. On the throne set in the exact center of the tall room(whose roof had the glint of gold) sat a Serpent in robes very unlike the others', more like the wizards he had seen in the oases but whole and richer. A crown shaped like a rayed sun Sun stood on his head, and a green sceptre bearing three snakes wearing Egyptian sun disks was in his long grip. "Th-the Hell are you? Where am I?" Subito demanded as he began working his way upright, suddenly lunging to his feet and shouting with fiery eyes "Oh wait that doesn't matter! Hold still while I get my power-argh!" He was brought down by a spear haft slamming across his back, though he glared up banefully and prepared to try again, calling out in his heart 'Hey, Dama Azul del Puerto Rico! I need your might to defeat th...wait, where are you? Hello? Dama!' <"Remain on the ground, slave, and behold your emperess!"> growled the Serpent, leaning back in her chair. At a gesture two guards slid their spears into the loops of Heraldo's bonds, holding him still and preventing any further attempts and getting up to punch their emperess in the face. Glaring at the stuck-up Serpent Woman, Subito snarled "[/color=#808000]She anythin' special?" The creature grinned, a horrible sight <"Ah, good that you show no fear. It will make you an even better example to your comrades."> She raised the jade rod, continuing in a smug tone <"As for special...well I have managed to take the Serpent Sceptre, eternal symbol of my race's might and majesty over the world, and used it to gather the scattered tribes of this misbegotten sphere under my dominion, and enslaved the minds of the Great Brothers to my cause, and conquered an entire kingdom of this world over the last years by deceit alone...but special? Oh, certainly not as special as El Heraldo, minion of the spirit of that little island, now eternally bereft of his vaunted powers due to my mystic mastery! Hahahahahahaha!"> The queen and her court laughed at their captive, who stared at the monstrous woman in mounting horror. His inner voice had gotten no answer, not even the murmurs when she was being blocked.

To be clear, the fight is over and we are out of rounds.

GM In a blare of noise like snapping organ pipes and cracking strings, Riff's blast tore through the hellish beast and sent it flying across the hall, bouncing off the floor as it crashed several times before coming to rest against the rear seats, smoking gently. Its face was completely still and staring, a hole was in it the size of Riff and Pitch's heads yet the demon seemed to flow around the wound. From the broken wires and sputtering flame, not to mention the unmoving limbs around its bizarre body, the Infernal Instrument was obviously out of the fight. The icy chain that slid into view, attached to Mary's hands and the demonic denizen's tongue signified all wasn't over. The battle was only half-won.

It is. DC29 Toughness save: 16. Failed by 13 so Staggered again, and thus knocked out. Still there though, and its hold over Mary isn't any less.

From the House Rules(under Abilities): "A minimum of 1/3 (rounded up) of a character's total Attack and Defense bonuses must come from Base Attack and Base Defense, rather than feats like Attack Focus or Dodge Focus."

None he can see.

Happy birthday to ChrisClark and Thunder King! May you both return to this day with joy! :toot:

To be frank, subverting that would kind of make things unduly complicated in my hands. In an actual tabletop session you could probably get across a reversal of expectations better than in a straight prose format like we have. At least for me it's like that. That and while not being totally predictable is nice subverting things isn't a requirement to do so. Besides, the Light really is a force of universal good and healing and the Shadow one of universal horror in the Freedom City omniverse. The individual champions might be bent, but that's the simple nature behind those two. It's an excuse to make one light-powered superhero seem that much odder and more miraculous, and a world where almost everyone is touched by the power of darkness seems like the best way to do it.

He sees nobody in the remains of the truck, but he does see a small device installed in one mostly intact corner with a suspicious number of radials of and wires.

History is not great. At all. I take your point about the Complications though. I'll make some new ones that give GMs more to work with. Numbers edits will now proceed.

The fist struck home across the boy's torso, feeling like a sledgehammer even to his empowered skin "You've been doing your push-ups, man of the deeps!" Heraldo managed with a forced grin as he staggered back, holding his throbbing side with a wince of pain. His knuckles ached from hitting the wizard's face, and it dawned on the Herald of Puerto Rico as he glanced in horror at the battle unfolding around him(though somehow...something was missing...) that if he kept this up he would never be able to stop them in San Juan. But what else could he do? He was cursing his inability to listen when the Blue Dame tried to teach him his other powers when he caught sight of the fluttering Bandera in his hand. The flag had the power to sway the hearts of even dire foes...his only chance! "How's your mental toughness, invader?!" he shouted in challenge, raising the Bandera high over his head as it fluttered in an airless breeze...and the ensign blazed with grim power. A chill seemed to settle of the air, clawing at the spine of the Atlantean mage, and everything he held faith in seemed just a little more uncertain "It won't be just me, you know. I'm not going down easy, and I'm not even the strongest hero the Caribbean has. Every nation has superheroes, people with the power to protect others, and none will stand idle while you pillage and conquer! The world has changed, and we can at last stand against you and deny your dream of empire!" golden energy coursed through Subito as he channeled the Blue Dame's might, glaring at his enemy and declaring fiercely "I'm just the first, but I won't be the last. Soon your armies will meet a power they can't beat, you'll lose every battle and your failure will be remembered until the end of the world. Your lives are lost if you fight on, surrender!"

El Heraldo's face briefly fell when Eldrich told them he couldn't just blast Madame Malaise into oblivion, but he brightened up a lot when the Master Mage told them what he knew. "Our thanks, Master Eldrich!" the young paragon grinned in excitement "That's super-helpful, an' makes our next move a lot easier to figure out." He actually wasn't too sure what they were going to do, but the mystic marvel had given them something to work with, and a hint at who their foewoman really was under the slimy fog. 'Okay, so let's get this straight: she's really big about life, all life, meaning she pro'lly won't kill anyone with that sickness Or she might loosen her morals. Or else she might let those humans die to breed more small life Yeah sure you ray of sunshine, murder's totally on the agenda. Anyway, she's gonna be lookin' for the Chains, right? So... Speak and have done with it, what is your plan Herald?' Heraldo shook himself from the short reverie he'd fallen into, looking up at the two adults with shining hazel eyes "Hey, guys! I've got an idea: we could use the Chains as bait, tell Madame Malaise through that kid she's enslaved we wanna make a deal with her in person so nobody else gets hurt, and when she shows up we defeat her and Mr. Eldrich can seal her away!"

Hi Elegy, welcome to the site! I'm hardly the best person to talk about this, but I'd strongly encourage you to not get discouraged because someone else has come up with a character idea like yours. Uniqueness for its own sake does few favors. Captain Marvel and Superman are both super-strong fliers with strange powers besides, but they're different enough to complement each other when they meet up. Similarly, there are several geniuses in powered armor that do nothing to devalue each other when they all show up. Details are important. That and there are gaping holes in our hero lineups anyway.

That it does. DC25 Toughness save: 27. No damage. Riff is up!

GM "I gave her what she wanted," the Infernal instrument replied with a rattle of harpstrings and a grotesque leer, its face sliding effortlessly onto its corrupted belly to peer up at the heroes "I cannot be taken to account for what a human does with gifts from on high!" Despite its cockiness, the demon was still shuddering and creaking from the combined sound and infernal onslaught, and now that its hellish strength was no more wrapped around it the creature seemed much more grounded instead of an ethereal visitor to the world of matter. That wasn't entirely a good thing. The floor underneath the Infernal Instrument was starting to rot and discolor, the wood starting to decay and warp under the obscene presence. Mary Venn was still motionless and unconscious, slumped on the steps. Luckily it seemed that the demon was more concerned with avenging itself than making any moves towards her.

Yeah, thanks a lot for the good story Tiff!

Solar Sentinel's turn.

Yes, that hits. DC29 Toughness save for the Infernal: 17. Failed by 12, so Staggered and the Daze is reapplied. Pitch's turn!

DC13 Intimidate save: 25! No dice. And yes, that misses. Round six! Riff: Unharmed, 3HP Infernal Instrument: Bruise(x2), Dazed, Nullified-GM Pitch: Bruise(x1), 2HP

As the automaton crashed down to join its fallen brother, Subito relaxed the grip on his Bandera, giving the defeated robots a crisp salute. Hearing Madame Vapeur's scornful voice he swung around to glower at her, the stocky boy clenching his fists as he struggled to resist the urge to fly over and punch her, knowing it wouldn't do any good didn't make it feel any better. "We'll get you yet, Madame Vapeur!" he declared fiercely "Count on it!" he was about to go on a tangent about how Vapeur smelled like gloomy eagles and goats crying when Lord Steam spoke, and Heraldo turned to stare at the man in horrified amazement. "Wait...you...seriously?" Walking over to the Victorian ambassador as he holstered the Bandera, the vanishing thief forgotten, the young paragon told him "Sir! It's kind of a big deal to keep track of what your money's doing, are you tellin' me you have to pay somebody to do it for you?" Shaking his head, the patriotic teen glanced outside the exhibit and winced, his costume beginning to evaporate "Oooh. Yeahm we should pro'lly get goin' before people swarm in wanting to know what just happened, huh?" Freedonians could take a lot, but that just made them even more eager to know what was going on in the crazy world they lived in, and that had its own dangers for those trying to keep a secret identity!

Well the simple fact is that the Shadow ISN'T a benevolent power in this universe. Even good people who use it aren't quite right, and it's very nature is a hunger to destroy and consume. That and this isn't really anti-Earth, just darker and where evil has a stronger grip. The people with the shadow powers are still mostly heroes, but they're not quite the same as those on Earth-Prime. Still, you and troll make some good points. The Light-Bearers on Shadow-Earth aren't really evil, just colder, more insular and concerned with destroying the Shadow than bringing out the good in humanity.

That misses. Errant is up.

Pffffft. What are the odds that two children and a man scarce her equal can best her? I vote she gets away, because that's more fun to my mind, but I'll bow to Supercape if he has another idea.

Happy Birthday Avalon! I know it's a day late. Hope all is well, and that you can join in for some great stories!

Fluff fixed. Dodge Bonus added, and two ranks of Defensive Roll removed in light of the House Rule. Added the cost for the Incendiary Damage. Nauseate is a 2pp/rank power - thus, Nauseate 6 costs 12pp, not 6pp. Oh my goodness. That is a bad one. Put the Requires Grapple Flaw on Paralyze, put in the correct count for Nauseate. Yeah, meant for that to be Super=Senses 11, not 9. Power Point counts fixed. By my reckoning it comes out to 175PP.