Ari

Heraldo can breathe underwater, though YB does all he does and more.

King of Suits could use the boost in readership, if you'll have him. Of course, not too sure what he and JD could do that wouldn't leave him vastly outclassed. I suppose a tag-team battle against some powerful foe? Or maybe an investigation?

Subito watched Ren Li's efforts with a critical eye as well "He's got good balance, I'll give him that, not easy to pull of spin kicks on that kind of terrain. My sis's been trying to find a good uneven slope for ages to practice stuff like that, no such animals in the city though" he leaned back into his chair as the exposition of how Ren Li's character had become one of the more prominent warlords in the history of northeast China, and had nearly become a power to rival later dynasties, but had been betrayed by one of his generals on the eve of a crucial battle, and had only been given a mummification because of his valor impressing the opposing warlord. At least, that was what it seemed to be about, there was a serious issue with the dialogue in that it didn't match the events on-screen beyond the most cursory details, and sometimes totally contradicted them. To Chloe he asked casually "Hey Chloe, one thing I'm curious about: do you know about keeping from hurting yourself in exercises? I always seem to end up lifting too much, tensing for too long, spending too long without water, and if I try to ease up on it, I overdo THAT somehow and start to weaken my muscles"

With a hiss of pain at Diego's bite, Subito jerked his arm back, wondering how it was that his skin could be hurt so much by a human jaw. After figuring that he could still be hurt by most things, he decided that it would be best to put the question out of mind, and knock out Diego. Clasping his hands together, he raised them over his head, and with a sharp "KeeeYAH!" swung the Hammer of Justice down on the unfortunate man's head. That done, he floated horizontally above the door, making ready to launch an attack on anyone who stepped through. Calling over to Glow he said "You think it's even possible to miss with that?"

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. DC21 TOU check: 19. A Bruise. Accurate Attack(+-3) roll: 28 A critical hit. DC26 TOU save.

Jumping backwards at the juggernaut-like attack, Marceau stared up at the statue for a moment, in awe despite himself at how grand and imposing it looked, marveling at the craftmanship and time it must have taken to raise such things. Then the red smoke leaked from its mouth and eyes again, and the presence of the demon reasserted itself in his priorities. Springing backwards and a little to the side,he reached for his bolas, and found an absolute mass of loose line. Baffled for a second, he realized that he must have left some of the weights back at Marcel's house, nearly slapping himself in the face at this forgetfulness. Then an idea struck: with so much cord to work with, he could easily tie up the entire statue, without the need for more than two of the weights he still had! <"Find something better to do with your time Gallu!"> he shouted jeeringly as he threw the mass at the carving, pulling the bit he kept in his hand taut at just the right moment to send a huge confusion of cords about the thing's limbs. Throwing the remainder about its legs, he glanced over at the SWAT team, wondering again just how he was going to explain himself.

In an instant after the fog had finished its spread, Marceau had shed his coveralls and tossed them behind a potted plant. In another, the cowl was pulled over his head, the cape was unfurled, and hist right fist was planted in the gut of the nearest Katanarchist, who he sent spinning into a wall to leave a dent and unconscious heap. Leaping through the fog, he slammed his right knee into the left flank of one of the other ninjas armed with rope, and smashed his right fist into their forehead, tossing them away to bounce and skitter on the floor, coming to a rest at the feet of the leader of the squad. At the sound of a blade slicing through the air, the King of Suits spun under the sword-arm of the same stone-faced woman he had nearly bumped into earlier, and, his imagination failing him, punched her very hard in the stomach and threw her into one of the complimentary sofas. That completed, he called out cheerfully "Alright! Thank you very much for the cover, sir. Much obliged!" and stood at the ready, eyes peeled and ears pricked for the sounds of impending hostility. A crimson figure reared up out of the fog, whipping their arms into a block as the King of Suit's left fist raced towards them, and Marceau felt as if he had punched iron.

Okay, so combat commences. Round One. Order: 1. Synth: Unharmed, 1HP(Delaying) 2. King of Suits: Unharmed, 3HP 3. Spitfire: Unharmed, 0HP 4. Voltage: Unharmed, 3HP 5. Katanarchists 1-15: Unharmed Unless SC wants to rescind the Delaying action, Kingy will punch a fool. Free Action to Quick Change, Move Action to the nearest Katanarchists, Unarmed Attack. Attack roll on Ninja #1: 26 which hits terribly. DC21 TOU check on account of it being a surprise attack. 3. Critical failure. He's out. Takedown attack on the next one in line: 24. Hits. DC21 TOU check: 10. He's out. Takedown Attack on #3: 36. DC21 TOU check: 16. She's out. Takedown Attack on #4: 22. DC21 TOU check: 21. Voltage is up.

GM The entry into the glass-walled room was hindered only by a simple hinged door, entirely unsecured. Within, the light grew significantly brighter, and several details that had previously been hidden were revealed. A mass of papers covering the table, the chair and a good deal of the floor. The broken flatscreen monitor that looked like someone had put their fist through it. The automatic rifle that was buried in one of the walls barrel-first. And a large dismantled robot hanging from the ceiling by wires attached to its limbs.

GM The effect was immediate, and quite satisfactory for Spitfire. A roiling mass of vapor that adequately blocked the view of pretty much everyone in the entire bank of anything more than a few feet in front of themselves at most. Thus obscured, the fire-breather had no interruptions to changing into his other work clothes. In the broil the leader of the ninjas could be heard clearly shouting "Quick! There's a vigilante in here, find the source of that fog and kill them! Don't let them disrupt the deal!" the red-clothed Katanarchists hurriedly began their search, but their arts were...not all that up to snuff, and they wouldn't have been able to find Spitfire soon enough anyway. The rest of the bank patrons were unhelpfully milling around in a panic, further obstructing the ninjas, though they punched and kicked savagely and in increasing desperation as they hunted around the lobby, they were quite unable to locate the heroes that chose to change at that time. The tellers were unfortunately at sword-point, and couldn't call for the police or do much of anything without immense risk to life and limb.

Pretty sure YOU don't need to re-roll, just the new challengers.

Subito looked in amazement as the Time rune worked its spell over the hologram. He had never even considered that to be in the realm of possibility, and the sight galvanized him into action. Racing over to Arcturus, he said gleefully "Great shot Marcus, now let's hit him AGAIN!", and floating back to his previous position he readied himself to slam into Professor Expiostinot and make him an easier target for the senior to hit. As the armor was falling off in some places, he didn't place much stock in the man's being a threat for much longer anyhow. Calling over to to others he added "We got this guys, just a bit more and we're done!" even a falling rock that broke itself over his head didn't dampen his newly-kindled spirits.

Excellent! So now for Heraldo, who will attempt to Aid in Arcturus's next Attack: 18, so +2 on Arc's next attack End of Round Four, Beginning Round Five. 1. Glow: Unharmed, 0HP 2. Arcturus: Bruise 2, 0HP 3. Net Fly: Bruised, 0HP 4. Prof. Expiostinot: Bruise 4, TOU Drained 3 5. Heraldo: Unharmed, 0HP You're up again Scuffles. EDIT: No, Net Fly's not Dazed anymore, what am I thinking?

GM The rune of Time worked its magic, hastening the hologram's simulation of decaying metal at lightning speed, the chassis rusting, disintegrating in some parts and fusing at others. In moments, gaping holes in the harness could be seen, and Expiostinot's hologram staggered backwards, sparking and stuttering as the repair fluid worked its slow magic on the wounds and scars inflicted on his armor. Halting four steps from Arcturus, he raised his steel head and glared at him "Can't take me as I am, eh mystic? Well TOO BAD!" and with that he slammed a armored foot into the shuddering floor hard enough to leave a deep imprint, and digging even further into the ground with his right toes he hurled himself at the runemaker, slinging a robotic fist directly at Marcus's head.

Marceau stiffened at the sudden attack, eyes racing over each of the arriving groups as they made their nefarious presence known. He silently cursed himself for letting his guard down so easily, especially at a bank in Freedom City. In a low mutter he said to Max "Okay, so what's our best bet? Do we have a chance of beating them before they can hurt any of the bank visitors, or should we go along with them?" he tugged a little at the collar of his coveralls, wondering if he had any chance of hi-no, of course not, that was quite impossible in a crowded space like this, he'd be instantly be seen trying to conceal himself. Ducking behind someone was also out of the question, as everyone in the room would be at complete alert. Nothing would get past them. He raised his hands above his head, watching the ninjas warily, and quietly considering a plan of what to do once captured.

And because I forget things. Attack from Prof E. to Arcturus: 24. If that hits, DC28 TOU check.

Okay, that hits, now for the FORT save: 22. So! That's..-10 to his Toughness. Along with the Bruises, he has a +0 to his TOU rolls from here on out. EDIT: And according to Vahn that is totally bogus. The actual amount it failed by was 3(22 Fort roll vs. DC25, so that's a +7 to his TOU bonus rather than a +0. Sorry for the error.

Oh yeah. Right. It is. In that case just going to try and Snare the Sword Statue.

W00T. Okay, going to do one of two things: if I may, I'll layer another Snare atop the Spear Statue, and if not I'd like to throw the trusty bolas(I use these things more than Las Boleadoras, don't I?). In either case, I shall Make a 20ft. Move action further down the street to the north at the end of it. Power Attack(+3 DC, -3 ATK) roll: 26, plus Master Plan I believe that's a 28? DC17 Reflex save.

Everyone passes through the lattice in perfect health, with only Quintessence not reappearing with the others. He is removed to the center of the facility where he is trapped in an examination device and held incapable of moving his limbs, everyone gaining a HP for this and the next setback. An alarm is sounded(well, lit), and the three heroes detect in their own fashion a sudden energy spike in the walls around them.

Yes. KoS does the same. So now for Initiative. Katanarchists: 5. Slow-footed ninjas there. KoS: 20/

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. Go right ahead!

GM The atom-bending Englishman's teleportation efforts were a success..albeit a qualified one. They appeared past the lattice of waves and rays that seemed to make up some kind of security field, and nothing was lost or damaged in the process, but they were short a member. Quintessence had vanished. At the same time, rather tougher-looking walls slid over the existing ones, and a black light filled the air. Phalanx saw the world shimmer as a tinge of orange overlaid everything, with the tell-tale rumble of a power surge incoming. As well, a faint sensation of decay, the feeling of impending destruction that heralded Terminus energy! Supercape sensed the coalition of atoms into veritable fingers that poked slight holes in the walls around them, as well as the generation of power from previously dormant battery-like systems secreted behind the walls. Power that had slowly dissolved the batteries. Ironclad's armor was abruptly alerted to a "Critical Error" on the part of the complex's internal defense array. Apparently a human test subject had been allowed too far inside the facility, and the station computer strongly advised the 'legitimate' personnel to speak the code word of the day, which would erect a personal shield about the speaker that would guard against the 'experimental trans-dimensional defensive energy' that would be unleashed. As well, a port into the wall about the size of the interface gadgets they had been handed on the Discoverer remained open. In the center of the facility... The vision that greeted James' eyes was a mass of tubing, covering the perceivable world in a green dully-glowing maze. In the midst of the roughly spherical space that was a bed, or a table. Whichever it was it was white, unyielding and covered with a soft substance precisely wherever he lay. It was impossible to see what was holding the bed up, though a soft thrum that appeared to come from underneath him and vibrations that corresponded to them suggested an engine of some kind. He was held to it by gigantic force field clamps that gently but implacably kept him from moving either of his arms or legs. A trio of rams just visible above his torso suggested additional measures where ready in case he managed to thwart the first four. With a sound of molten metal, a vaguely headish..thing looked down at him. It was connected and flowing through the tubes, looked like a mass of blue lava, and had two distinct faces of a reptilian bent set at opposite ends of the 'head'. With a voice that sounded like a chorus of wild animals all yelling over a phone operator, it said "Who are you? I have no record of a human test subject of your specifications in my files, are you contraband?"

The young paragon gave that idea considerable thought, at length saying "Well..we can always bust out of here, and it would keep anyone who might not be able to fight anything nasty we find out, so sure thing buddy, go to" nodding to Net Fly, El Heraldo swooped over to the glass-walled computer and peered inside. Looking at the table, chair and tower he wondered aloud "Could this have been a factory of some kind? This sort of looks like a manager's office, and I could see someone manufacturing stuff out in the woods here where OSHA isn't around to keep them up to code" he gave this some more thought and added dubiously "Well..as much as they do that anyway"

"Awwww" said Subito to Kristin teasingly "Why you gotta hoard your stash, Kris?" laughing quietly, he watched in bemusement as the two scientists from earlier argued passionately with the Air Force captain about the value of the bird's life in between shots of wire-borne aircraft shooting with great clamor and little effect at the thing as it rent holes in a miniature CN Tower that looked like it had come from a much better film. Alas, the beseeches of the Men of Science were as a hot coal in the ocean, and the grim-eyed captain refused to halt his men's assault on the bird, and in a feat of spectacular irony the animal's death throes smashed the sky-scraper he was conducting the fight from for some reason, yet spared the two men who had unknowingly brought its wrath into the world. With a solemn orchestra backing them, the two looked at a matte painting of the ruined city(you could see the edges) and waxed logorrheic about the need for proper funding for scientific projects like that which brought the world this magnificent creature, and considerably less oversight like that which killed it. With great fanfare the shot faded to black, there was a short break of about ten minutes to allow for bathroom breaks and the like, followed by the next installment of the marathon: "The Fury of The Jade Mummy!" a picture from the early 1960's made by Chinese film mogul Jiu Dao, which he intended as a metaphor for how the incursions of Europeans into the Asiatic lands usually ended up a failure due to insufficient respect for the inhabitants and their customs, and translated by the xenophobic producer Madison Shang into a profoundly goofy story about a kung-fu warrior becoming emperor, being mummified by 'wandering Egyptian priests', and discovered by a team of bizarre caricatures who accidentally unleash his fury and get killed in various strange and confusing ways. To a gentle melody of flutes, the English title of the movie appeared over a graceful countryside shot, provoking more than one burst of laughter at the clash of styles. The obligatory narrator performed his deep-voiced duty, stumbling more than once over the Chinese proper names that lay all too often in his path, and then promptly vanished from existence at the first sign of the headband-wearing star Ren Li.