Ari

Stealth roll requested. Roll: 21! ...Again!

"Thank you" Wave-Eye said kindly, patting the man on the shoulder as he walked past with his heavy tread. Alright, soldiers coming, I must prepare. he glanced around the narrow corridors, marking with irritation how close and cramped they were for someone of his size. Bending his knees a little, he began to quickly stalk down the hall, eyes peeled for any signs that might indicate a way to what he guessed was a restricted area. Not everyone on the ship was privy to its cargo, it seemed.

Meeting his gaze squarely, the triton loomed over the man, shoulders a little slumped, neck jutting out at around the human's level. In his grinding, watery voice he gurgled "Youth, I am passing on my way to search this ship for something that is using Terminus energies for some reason. I have no quarrel with you, and shall let you be. Or else..." he leaned closer, letting his breath(which he knew carried the smell of death from all that had perished by his long fangs) wash over the man's face "...if you continue to try and stop me, I will simply remove you from my way, and make certain that you never rise to threaten me or the freed drone again." He stared hypnotically into the human's eyes, engulfing them in the inky depths of his own.

"That's encouraging news, at least you caught it at an early stage. Some of the people I've found and brought here were-" He turned as a doctor in surgical scrubs jogged up to him. "Excuse me," the surgeon said "but Dr. Philo said he wanted to see the superhero. His office is on the third floor. I'd be quick, if I were you, Kerry's a good guy and he usually has a pretty good handle on things." To the family he had been speaking with his said gravely "I beg your pardon, duty calls and I must take my leave." "I am most definitely not 'the superhero' at present! But I will gladly see Dr. Philo if he wants me too" laughed the King of Suits as he sprang to his feet and began to walk rapidly for the stairs, calling back to the family "Good luck to you all! I hope your dear mother gets well soon!" Racing up the stairs and down the halls until he found the office, he squared his shoulders, rapped twice on the door, and on the answering call he entered. Starting at the sight of Jubatus, he gave the feline hero a friendly wave and a smile before turning his attention to Dr. Philo, eyes narrowing at the revelation that someone had artificially created this plague. "If it is possible to find them, we shall Dr. Philo" he said politely, though crisply. The idea of manufacturing a sickness like this riled him at the best of times, knowing as he did how delicate such work would have to be. Such deliberate cruelty was wholly anathema to his mind.

Going to try for an Intimidate check to get the soldier to back down. Roll: 21!

Muttering under his breath "Amazing. Just like those eon-old grudges, strikes at the worst possible time" Wave-Eye turned wearily back to the prisoner, black eyes a little more intensely focused than last time. "I and these others are going to separate those descended from the Horseriders and your people, keep this worthless bloodshed from happening. I am sorry that your tribe was murdered, but by this point any revenge schemes will be..ill-advised. We have significantly bigger problems to deal with than this petty blood feud, such as getting this hulk to the docks, which we need to break a blasted curse to do." After a moment's thought with his head tilted to one side he twisted his neck around to face the man possessed by the First One and asked "By the way, what will your Priest do if we try and interfere?"

GM Shutting down the Terminus portal proved to be an at least moderately difficult task. "Wait! Nononono, we can't remove those shields without first erecting this filter..." It had its share of annoyances. "Now we must wait for a little while; if we try and disrupt it now we'll just make it start trying to expand within the containment." But on the whole was uneventful. "Shut it off! Shut it off before it destroys us all!" With a deep *thrummmmm* the portal quietly folded into itself, winking out in a wisp of raw entropy. Coiling into a single continuous mass, the vast lava creature appeared to do its brand of a sigh of relief, leaning against the ceiling and the rams at its apex. "I am quite obliged to you all" it said with utter sincerity "A few more revolutions and I would have lost control of the portal altogether, to be quite frank. Never did have very much control over it" it admitted sheepishly, plugging one of its 'legs' back into the socket, a hum of electric energy flowing through it once more. Raising a free tentacle it declared solemnly "Now, I have not forgotten our agreement, I will release the c-the unfortunates who were transported into lower levels, please give me a moment..." a short burst of electric signals were easily detected by the heroes' relevant super-senses, shooting away to the depths of the strange base. With a sudden burst of static, around a dozen Lor officers appeared, small rings rising and falling around them as they were teleported out of whatever holding area they had been kept in. Their cries of surprise were entirely understandable. "Wha-what? Who are you people, where are we?" "Answer us! What's going on?" Dropping down lower, the vast creature tapped at a few buttons, which was followed by a throaty groan of power being diverted, and a noticeable strengthening of the lights. "And now, if you wish, you can be transported off this place. Thank you for your aid, I-" a sudden flash, and with the now-familiar *whoosh* of Lor teleport technology transporting the officers, the strange creature, and the heroes out of the facility. They appeared in the vast cargo bay, facing a large transparent-battalium tank that the scientist they had met was being unceremoniously dumped into out of his suit by a small assembly line of cranes. Captain Mirta, in the very model of crisp military form, observed this critically alongside a contingent of at-ease tactical personnel. Sighting the newly-arrived heroes she walked towards them with a genuine smile, saluting them smartly "Thank you all! Our crewmembers are rescued, this fraud" she jerked a savage thumb over her shoulder at Hrnnngsh "can look forward to a long time behind a force-field, and we can start studying the complex in peace! This has gone even better than how I had hoped! By the way," she added, glancing at a small pad on her wrist "The admiral wants to congratulate you in person int he mission room as soon as you're ready. No need to hurry, I'm sure the rest of the crew will be glad to celebrate this success" she almost grinned outright.

At last! A careful survey of the hull had at first been wholly fruitless, the torpedo tubes sending ominous jolts of unease down Wave-Eye's spine, and most other entryways looking almost as dangerous to intrude. But a small aperture near the stern struck him as much closer to what he was hoping to find, and with a wave of his powerful dragon's tail he shot into one with consummate speed and grace, emerging in the mine-dropping room with..rather less.

Could Wave-Eye access the places on the ship the mines were deployed from?

"You must...get new words..to say" managed the Herald as he got a vague sense of his bearings, helped partially by the sudden flare of light and attempted counterattack of darkness. and flew down the tunnel towards the originator of the dark backlash, displaced air kicking up a small flurry of dirt and grit into the air as he landed just short of bowling the man over. "Hold still" he told Lorenzo gravely "I can't see you too clearly yet" and with those words his arms swept around the servant of Lemuria, pinning his arms to his sides in a super-human bear hug. "I don't know if what you say is true, but if we can stop it, we'll never be slaves of the Serpent People again" he declared with total seriousness. His fuzzy brain gradually working out a definite problem, however, and he dearly wanted to ask the Blue Dame about it. It'll have to wait...

Nope. Quinn's been pretty busy though. :(

Going to fly over and try for a grapple attack on Mr. Vile(geez, his childhood must have been unimaginable). Attack roll: 23. Grapple roll: 35! With any luck his DEF isn't higher than 13...

"They wouldn't need to hang around forever" retorted EL Heraldo "just long enough to poke around and find out the truth of this El Sierpe guy. If he's really oppressing those people, there ought to proof somewhere" He gave little more than half an ear to the rest of the proceedings, being slightly miffed that he hadn't gotten across what he had in mind better. Cloak's declaration about his speed carrying out the order got his attention though "But..you're a lawyer. You must have many callers puling your attention this way and that, what encouraged you to tie up this case so quickly?"

Shrugging his massive shoulders at the grave statements, the triton watched the strange man arc out of the water, leaving a taste of impending death in his wake all too familiar to the warrior. To the receding figure he said aloud "One thing I like about you, Harrier, you don't waste time" he swam with cold grace up to the looming mass of the ship, a slight feeling of deja vu coming over him as he began a meticulous scan of the ship for any potential access points. No need to go and damage the ship if it can be avoided, I have no idea how this thing is made, and I might by accident strike just the right place to start sinking it he told himself grimly.

Trying again, Power-Attacking (+-3) with the Dazzle from the Device Array. Attack roll: 25. Hoorah. DC27 Fort save: 20, well whaddaya know. Okay, it is overloaded with a lot of hateful light, the two heroes(and Jane) can now traverse it for a time with no danger. Movement in the cramped confines is halved, and the stretch of the stuff is about 50ft., winding around a bend for a currently unguessable distance. KoS is going to move ahead 30ft. with accelerated movement.

"I must trust to your expertise here, Rene" murmured Marceau in response as he shouldered the pack across his shoulders and set out at a brisk pace for the trees "I've never met any fairies, I hear Ace has gotten a little into their good graces. though from what he tells me that isn't really a net positive." he looked up at the sky for a moment, fiddling with one of the straps to get it tighter. Internally he ran quickly over a checklist of what he did and didn't have on his person. To his relief, he had just about everything he might need for the upcoming trek, and his weapons were all accounted for too. "I'm glad you're coming" he said suddenly, with a smile "it is a great comfort not being alone in a strange land." with a sharp jerk he managed to clear the troublesome crease in the leather hampering his efforts, and ducking under a low(to him) branch glistening with entrancing fruits and bedecked with brilliant flowers he departed for Avalon.

Subito had been totally silent throughout the short exchange, confident in Young Britannia's prowess of dealing with skeevy folks. He had gritted his teeth at the speech about the Chain of Lemuria, and the comment about how humanity was meant to be the slaves of the Serpent People If that was ever true, it isn't now he told himself fiercely, though he was utterly baffled at the idea that humans might not have been the Earth's dominant species for as long as he had thought. Starting at the sudden retreat of their enemy, El Heraldo called out sharply "Hold it right there!" and shot after him into the darkness of the tunnel! Sadly for him, he failed to see the tunnel wall(the passage not being quite as straight as he'd hoped) before smacking into it head-first with a very loud *THUD* and collapsing to the ground for a brief instant while a small rain of bricks, fragments of wood and clumps of earth poured down on his head. Pulling himself roughly to his feet using the rugged wall as a support, he shook his head blearily, stars exploding in his vision. Turning to where he had the suspicion Agnes had been last he asked confusedly "Did I get him? I think I got him. Who was that again?"

Reflex roll: 25. Gee, thanks IC.

Going to try a Charge(assuming it's a straight line) to attempt to hit Lorenzo. Attack roll: 27. To hit roll: 2. Meh. And according to SC that makes him slam into the wall, makes sense to me. Posting shortly.

Sorry, forgot. Initiative roll: 19, wha'?

NPC Spotlight Ace of Suits Indefatigable! Unbeatable! The old forests of Lithuania had seen many masters. From their god-haunted days in the time before the marriage of young Jadwiga, the king of Poland, and her counterpart Wladyslaw II Jagiello of Lithuania, when spirits crept through the woods bringing kindness or misfortune to the inhabitants of the land, to the more modern day where humans have taken absolute possession of the country. One set of neighbors the Lithuanians have always had, however, were the vampires. They were not the sly, elegant aristocrats that spread south and west over time, clad in fine black cloth to set off their pallor and sipping blood from slender wine glasses, they were brutal counts and robber barons who ruled swathes of endless forest, exacting fierce tolls on their serfs and taking what they wished from even armed bands, drinking themselves into stupors by vast barrels filled with sanguinary remains. In dull iron harness and bearing their heavy weapons, they had ruled in secret with hidden mailed fists for over three decades before the Teutonic Knights, or Krzyzacy, along with the Christian kings of Sweden and Denmark launched their vicious Northern Crusades into the largely pagan countries around the Baltic. Driven like leaves before the wind by the feared Knights and their allies, the monsters had slunk into hiding among the populace, containing their hungers as best as they could for fear that the Krzyzacy would return. Watching with greedy eyes, they marked the slow changes of the world, and the fall of their ancient foes. To their dismay, the humans they dwelt among grew no weaker, fashioning arms that could tear them to pieces with ease that could be wielded by a child. So they shifted stratagems. January 5th, 2012 Lithuania, Vilnius, the Presidential Palace A merry party was underway, celebrating the anniversary of a prominent politician and her husband. Lights glowed through the windows with a friendly radiance, the sound of happy chatter and only occasionally-feigned merriment making the driving winter winds seem almost unreal. Unknown to the hosts and guests as the celebration wound on, a furious battle was joined all around them... <"Ha! Back villain, retreat knave! I have no fear of you! Fall under my onslaught! Yaha!"> The old vampire staggered back across the frozen yard, fending off with an ancient longsword the encroaching slashes and ripostes of the rapier that danced perilously close to his white head. Dressed in a neat rust-brown suit with black shoes and a red tie, he cut an eccentric yet subdued stylish figure. His opponent, on the other hand, was a fashion mess: three multi-hued capes arrayed willy-nilly, a rather floppy green hat, red, black and white spandex marked on the chest with the four French card suits under which he had found(to his chagrin) an underlay of armor, a grand mustache that erupted ferociously from under a black cowl, and a gold-decorated scabbard that usually held the blessed rapier that was currently his greatest threat. <"Slash! Cut! Parry! Riposte! Spin move!"> As well as his ungodly bad taste in clothing, he also would simply not shut up, thought the clan patriarch bitterly, bouncing the latest flurry of strikes off his own instrument of death and pain. Why won't he be quiet? His allies are outnumbered by us, we have the rulers of this petty country in the palm of our hands. Why does he not spend his energy in a more focused way?...Oh, the repulsive habits of youth he grumbled sourly to himself before slipping with inhuman grace through a miniscule flaw in the mortal's defenses, sending an expert slash through a gap in the armor, that from the slight cry and delicious scent of blood struck home. Grinning, the ancient monster instantly took advantage of the momentary lapse that would allow his sword to go sailing through the air in two halves while he stared in shock at the wood crucifix impaling his shriveled heart. Turning his cold black eyes slowly from the embedded pieces of dried plant that had just sealed his doom to the smiling human, wrinkled mouth opening just as he collapsed into a pile of dust, which was only saved by the clothes he had worn from scattering immediately. Saluting his fallen foe with a suddenly much more serious demeanor, the Ace of Suits stood for a while in thought, wondering what the King of Suits might have said to try and dissuade the bitter old man, if the King of Hearts could have discerned enough about him to let her pierce through his armor. Above all, he wondered if that really had been the best outcome. <"I'll ask the Jack"> he said aloud in his native Czech <"He'll know what to do next time we meet these fellows. For now, onward!"> he cried jovially, firing a grapple gun at the nearby roof to lend his aid to the nearly silent crowd of figures dueling just above the party, charging into the fray with abandon, kicking the unfortunate vampire beside his landing straight onto the improvised stake of a very surprised Club. Raising his sword he called to the assembled Cards <"Comrades, we must not falterl! Remember that if we do not win the battle every politician in Lithuania could be turned into a vampire this very night! Forward!"> and with a muted yet very enthusiastic answering call from the dozen odd throats on his side, the unpowered champions faced the undead threat with renewed vigor, their feet dancing through the snow; black cloaks and cowls sweeping through the night air in deadly battle with decaying finery, teeth set, arms bent and wills driven for the rescue of the unknowing below, and the destruction of their would-be conquerors! Whatever happens, Aloysius Novak swore in his heart as he extinguished a walking corpse with the cross on his dagger I will not fail for lack of spirit!

"A freed drone...?" Wave-Eye gazed at the flame-spewing figure in utter astonishment, his anger all but forgotten "But how..I have never heard of any rescued from that thralldom..." he shook his head slowly for a moment, puzzling over this very new thing. At last he remembered himself and quickly caught up to Harrier, gurgling "Nevermind, it is not pertinent. If what you say is true(and I do not find it difficult to believe), then I might as well come along to help. I am admittedly not current in my knowledge of human laws, but I am convinced they do not hold with keeping people prisoner around things tapping into the source of utter entropy." He didn't say anything about the 'civilization' bit, tritons as a rule being fiercely independent and strongly opposed to the idea. Keeping pace with powerful strokes of his tail he asked conversationally as they neared the ship "So, what was your plan? You seem the sort who could impose their will by presence alone," he said, glancing at the free drone's armor and the heavy pike "no speech needed. I would suggest the classic feigned captive and captor routine, but the=but your people might not fall for that trick as often as they used to." he had to force back a bitter smile at that memory.

GM Shuddering and jangling under the electricity racing through his body, Curse dropped to one knee for a moment, eyes glazed as he gradually got his bearings, panting all the while. After a moment's respite, during which the wind whistled and the faint cries of a small crowd gathering below could be clearly heard by all(though only Stormbreaker could have actually made out what they were saying), he regained his footing and glared at the two interlopers "Wh-weak attempts" he gasped out angrily, the internal glow returning as he slowly began to ascend higher into the sky, sill standing atop the disk and directing his attention to Voltage "I shall answer with as little care!" so saying twin streams of the gem's power blazed from his eyes, slamming into Stormbreaker as he whipped his head abruptly in her direction. Their power was obviously reduced from their previous strength.

GM A melodious chuckle flowed about them, and Parsinkle grinned openly, revealing long and sharp white teeth. "Be assured, I already have some small supplies needed to cross the forest. I have maps, at least a day's worth of food and drink, some tools for...removing chains, should they be needed" he shrugged his well-garbed shoulders "I do not think they will be, but we must be prepared for anything, should we not?" he signaled to the attendants at his side, and as one they marched over to the two men, handing them small packs filled snugly with supplies. The packs were made out of some odd kind of leather, with clasps made of bronze that looked like dagger blades. Turning his horse neatly around, Parsinkle saluted to the dumbstruck humans and those just running up to see what had caused the commotion, and a slow buzz of whispered conversation followed the odd prince as he rode back into the gilded woods. Only to be stopped by an old woman right at the edge. She was wiry, wrinkled and wore grey hair and grey clothes. The hair was pulled back roughly into a bun, the clothes looked to be the remains of an ancient dress. She had placed herself between the horse and the forest edge quietly, when all eyes were on the new arrival. Looking him up and down with a critical grey eye she asked him brusquely "You..prince? You'll get those people back? You didn't have anything to do with this?" The prince smiled brightly at the question "Nothing at all, Earth-dweller woman. It was quite against my will in fact" nudging the horse around her he turned back as he crossed into the shimmering tree line "Indeed I shall rescue those who were lost and taken captive. You have my word" he pressed a hand to his breast and vanished with a wicker. The attendants remained, signing for Marceau and Rene to follow them as they walked back into where they came from.

Okay, that hits, DC27 TOU check: 26. A Bruise. Round 3. Amber Curse: Bruise(x2)-GM Stormbreaker: Unharmed, 1HP Voltage: Unharmed: 3HP Old Amber will shoot at Stormbreaker for slicing up his favorite suit of armor, Blast decreased to rank 9 due Overconfidence: 26. Hits, DC24 TOU save if you please. Move Action to fly upwards 50ft., taking the slightly cracked disk along for the ride, Free Action to be Indignant.