Ari

GM February 2nd, 2012, 2.41P.M., the Theater District Eastern Seaboard Bank branch. The morning rush was done, and now as the afternoon settled into being the beige floor of the impeccably polished green and gold bank was sparsely populated with the odd harried student, gloomy elder with a debt gnawing their options on the complementary couch, or a placid businessman calmly working out the labyrinthine difficulties involved in solving a truly bizarre problem with his credit rating. The sun was rapidly lowering itself as it made its journey across the sky that was still filled with its golden light, the air was crisp and cool, and the flock of birds noisily playing outside on its ancient stone roof could only dimly be heard, at just the right volume as to make peaceful music. It was, to put it mildly, a good day. The teller manning the extreme left-hand booth tugged at her stiff collar, smiling politely as the scrawny FCU student hurried away out into the street spouting thank-yous for her help with his financial woes. She turned her 5000 megawatt smile on the next unfortunate needing assistance and said warmly "Hello! How may i help you?"

The initial shock of Chloe's revelation had worn off, and as he could now glance over at her without seeing a bloody car crash, he spoke up much more calmly in response to Luke. "You've been to outer space?" he asked eagerly "What's it like, can you tell me?" he had heard about the space-faring beings that inhabited the stars, but like a lot of Freedonians he had never really seen many except in the Grue invasion a few years back. Which brought to mind another question..."Also, if these Lore guys are supposed to keep the Grue from attacking us and stuff, how'd they get here in the first place? And how did the Grue even find us all the way out here?" that last was off-handed and not entirely seriously meant, mainly because he didn't expect Luke could really answer it, and additionally because the part of the movie where the American Air Force(called that throughout the film) had shown up to begin a series of mind-boggling battles against a giant, slow-moving bird. As the stock footage of the Corsairs roared across the screen towards the stock footage landing strip, he said to Chloe "Sorry about..you know..that..uh..I wasn't-I didn't know that had happened, and it was a heckuva thing to just hear about out of the blue. It's not somthin' people hear everyday, you know?" He settled back to watch the airborned

All correct, thankfully. DC29 TOU check: 26, -3 from the three Bruise conditions equals a Dazed condition and another Bruise! Cannot further his anti-magical vendetta for this turn and the next. Heraldo will Move up to Prof. E using Flight and Attack without Mercy: 20, miss. End of Round Two, 24 Seconds elapsed. Beginning Round Three. 1. Glow: Unharmed, Fatigued, Inspired, 0HP 2. Arcturus: Unharmed, Inspired, 0HP 3. Net Fly: Unharmed, Fatigued, Inspired, 0HP 4. Prof. E: Bruise 4, Dazed 5. Heraldo: Unharmed, 0HP EDITED: NVM, Inspire wore off last turn.

Subito stared in horror at the attack by the armored professor. Gathering his power, he floated a little into the air and raised his Banner above him, roaring in a thunderous voice "Come my friends, let us BREAK this man's power, and make sure he never again rises to harm the innocent!" the Banner flared, seeming to fill the visible air, and a sound of drumbeats and victorious cries resounded through the air. Descending to the tilted ground, El Heraldo called out furiously to the hologram "Don't think we'll fall easily! We'll drag you to a hole outta which you'll never climb. Let's get 'im comrades!" he added to his fellow students.

Yes, to get their attention.

I would allow you to re-roll it, but that won't be needed I think. DC22 Sense Motive roll: 16, rolled a 1 so critical failure. Surprise Attack on Glow's next assault. So that Surged Attack hit after all. DC22(?) TOU save: 25. EDITED: Blasted..for some unGodly reason I didn't recall it was a Setup. So Surprise Attack on NET FLY's next turn, excuse me. And thus that attack doesn't hit after all. Many apologies for my being scatter-brained.

Leaving the bald man to Glow, but keeping an eye on him all the same, Subito made his airborne way to the cage, calling softly to the people inside in Spanish <"Hello, can you hear me? She and I have come to rescue you, we've come with Diego Cruz, do you know him?"> He glared at the bald man before resuming his attempt at communication <"What did he do to you? And do you know why? This is very important for keeping something like this from happening to others. If you don't know that, what can you tell me?">

GM The device is clearly labelled, and fits in Serge's palm, evidently made for someone with smaller hands. It had a somewhat hourglass shape, with five buttons marked 'close', 'open', 'seal', 'activate', 'deactivate'. It was quite heavy for its size, and seemed to be pulling towards the floor with a force besides the weight as well. The very earth seemed to tremble slightly when he picked it up, and there was a slight pulse of purple light emanating from its unseen innards.

Okay, so Dazed and a Bruise. Ouch. Heraldo's turn, he will..use Inspire. End of Round One, Beginning Round Two. 1.Glow: Unharmed, Inspired, 1HP 2. Arcturus: Bruise I, Dazed, Inspired, 0HP 3. Net Fly: Unharmed, Inspired, Fatigued, 1HP 4. Prof. E: Bruise III 5. Heraldo: Unharmed You're up Scuffles!

The stocky youth glanced sharply towards Serge at the mention of the infamously pun-riddled movie, and several choice comments filed past his brain before he turned and said only "Yeah..I get what you mean, it can kind of overshadow the message if it's delivered with all the elegance of a punch to the face, and it's hard to win people over if you act like they already agree with you" leaving the discussion about movies behind, he asked something that he had long been curious about, glancing at the damp cave around them before finding the skull in the gloom "That IS odd. Maybe it was stuck there by some hikers or something. Anyway: what are you thinking of doing once you've graduated from Claremont?"

Serge easily finds a small green remote control hidden in the antlers of the dead deer, and sees lots of tracks around the floor made by oddly narrow feet that left arrowhead-like impressions. They went up to the place where the deer skull now is, wandered around for a bit, and left.

Attack on the Spear Statue: 32. I think that might possibly hit! DC17 TOU check. Move action to the other side of the street, taking up a position behind cover if possible.

GM The barrage slammed resoundingly into the professor's armor, deepening the dents he had already received, and sending him staggering backwards, his sensors going haywire from the blows wreaking havoc on the underlay of chips inside his armor. Shaking his head furiously to get the repair fluid going, his metal eyes blinking as the picture of the world resolved again into something approaching sense. His eyes scanned Net Fly's suit, and for a moment the simulacrum of the professor stared in wonderment. At last he said, quite courteously "Young man, that is a very well-designed piece of equipment you have made. It would be a dreadful shame it were to be damaged in a brawl with these technophobes, so may I ask that you depart from the field? YOU at least aren't opposed to progress it seems, unlike that-" he pointed disparagingly at Marcus "-gaudy scion of a thankfully departed age" with that said, he punctuated his suggestion by wheeling around neatly to slam his robotics-powered fist into the gut of Arcturus!

They both hit. DC27 TOU check: 33, -2 from previous bruises is 31. DC29 TOU check: 26, fails by 3, Bruise III. Prof. E shall Attack Arcturus with his Fists. Attack roll: 21. Hits by 2, DC26 TOU save.

Subito was stunned into silence by Chloe's story, not having heard about the car crash. He had gathered that the nanite-controller was bonded to a girl, and that some accident had necessitated this to save her life..but he was totally unprepared for something as plain and simple as the fact that the girl a few seats away had died, most likely in terrible pain, and was effectively a platform for the nanite conglomerate to operate from. Swallowing a gulp of the water from the bottle had brought with him(the Samaritan Theater was similar in at least one respect to more commercial avenues), he thanked Heaven that there was a somewhat more familiar history to focus on. To Luke he said as mildly and unshakily as he could "Dunno Luke, I bet it's not many though!" he watched as the mannequin flailed in a disconcertingly human fashion as it was shaken to its component pieces in the outrageous beak of the avian fiend.

A golden mist began to form around Subito as his own feet left the ground, following Serge closely "Favorite kind...I guess I'd say sci-fi? Not a lot of the newer stuff, but more like 2001, Moon, stuff like that. I like it when movies are openly trying to say something profound, even if it's something simple like 'we don't know what we'll find in space'. I hate it when movies get too taken with the surface, like how nowadays everyone's trying for the wittiest speeches, the snappiest dialogue, the flashiest things on screen. It's gotten to the point where it's almost like a lot of move guys don't like making movies at all, and just want to put stuff on screen that makes them look good" he stared moodily into the dankness of the cave, his gleam lighting up a lot more of the place than might have been expected "I gotta say, you do not strike me as the kinda guy who would like comedies Surge. Why're they your favorite kind?" The cave wasn't much to look at, a deep, slightly winding den that looked like it might have belonged to a bear at one point. The only object of interest was a deer skull that had somehow become stuck in the wall with the antlers hanging from the roots of a pine tree above, the face peering palely at the two in the strange golden half-light.

That hits like all get-out. DC20 TOU save: 19. Bruise number two.

As the cold settled like an iron weight on his bones, he heard the distant tread of the demon-haunted statues, and groaned. Leaning against a streetlamp, he looked ahead..and suddenly stood up, his tiredness forgotten. He was at a bend in the road, on his left was an apartment building that had a roof that permitted him to hide from view until the hypothetical onlooker was directly across the street from him. Firing his grapple gun at the convenient eaves above, he clambered on the sloped black tiles of the roof, slipping neatly into place behind a peak holding the(disused) chimney. The plan raced into being: he would simply strike from hiding at one of the statues, swing over to the other side of the street, swing back, and do it all over again! It was bound to keep them occupied for at least a little while. He began to furiously work out how to best strike at them to take advantage of his superior position, and what ancillary tacks he might need to take to make the admittedly foolhardy plan come to fruition... In the meanwhile a boomerang appeared in his hand, aimed at the first stone, red smoke-breathing he saw.

Sorry about that, Prof. E. IS Flat-Footed, I had forgotten that you were so until you did your first action, not until you were aware of your enemies. So that hits Scuff! DC22 TOU check: 19. 1 Bruise.

It wasn't hard to be quiet when you don't touch the ground, but Subito made sure he made no noise as he slid through the air towards the guard on his right, he still hoped that the man wouldn't notice the golden glow that emanated from him. That day luck was with him, as the guard seemed quite alert about goings-on below him, and totally oblivious to anything closer than ten feet. Drawing back the Banner, El Heraldo swung hard enough to do a professional batter justice, sending the metal pole into the man's side with tremendous force as he swung his body along with his arms, wincing despite himself as it slammed into the man's ribcage.

Right. On the western side of the street, overlooking a bend in the road, an apartment complex with a brick facade. Initiative roll: 17.

REFORMATTING REFORMATTED BY GIZMO King of Suits Sheet is not formatted properly. Revision below. [b][u]Player Name:[/u][/b] Arichamus [b][u]Character Name:[/u][/b] King of Suits [b][u]Power Level:[/u][/b] 12 (184/187PP) [b][u]Trade-Offs:[/u][/b] +4 Attack / -4 Damage (Unarmed); +4 Defense / -4 Toughness [b][u]Unspent PP:[/u][/b] 3 [b][u]Progress To Silver Status:[/u][/b] 37/60 [b][u]In Brief:[/u][/b] French unpowered crime-fighter come to Freedom City to test and improve his abilities and help anyone he can. [b][u]Alternate Identity:[/u][/b] Marceau Suvou [b][u]Identity:[/u][/b] Secret [b][u]Birthplace:[/u][/b] Aude, France [b][u]Occupation:[/u][/b] Janitor, superhero [b][u]Affiliations:[/u][/b] House of Suits European superhero alliance, Legio de Halberdiers(French magician's group, members include magical artist Rene de Saens) Family: Masud Suvou (Father, dceased), Kioni An-Sallah-Suvou (Mother, deceased), Mossar An-Sallah (Maternal Uncle), Erran An-Sallah (Maternal Aunt) [b][u]Age:[/u][/b] 28 (November 2nd 1984) [b][u]Apparent Age:[/u][/b] N/A [b][u]Gender:[/u][/b] Male [b][u]Ethnicity:[/u][/b] Moroccan/Kenyan [b][u]Height:[/u][/b] 6'5" [b][u]Weight:[/u][/b] 178 lbs. [b][u]Eyes:[/u][/b] Blue [b][u]Hair:[/u][/b] Black [b][u]Description:[/u][/b] In his regular attire Marceau is a largely forgettable figure in drab earth-toned coveralls and work boots. In-costume, he wears a 'typical' black and red cape-and-cowl with the insignia of one of the four card suits emblazoned on the chest in attractive white shades. He keeps his hair short and at a remove from his face, giving him a high forehead, which combined with his far-spaced eyes gives him a look of constant apprehension. His nose is also short and blunt, his mouth is thin and often curved slightly upwards at some remembered joke, and he wears a a short, bristling beard. His voice is low, deep and resonant. [b][u]Power Descriptions:[/u][/b] Marceau no longer possesses any powers beyond training and skill and small gadgets, and thus relies on stealth to fight. [b][u]History:[/u][/b] [spoiler]Marceau Suvou was born on north-east bank of the river Aude in southern France to a history teacher named Masud Suvou, and a Kenyan emigrant named Kioni An-Sallah. Unbeknownst to the rejoicing couple, their child was the result of a centuries-long breeding program by a conspiracy group called the Januii, who wished to continue the work of a 9th century astrologer Janus Amblaeth in creating the ultimate super-being. However, their scientific approach was at drastic odds with the more mystical course laid out by Janus in his exhaustive map of who born under which sign was to have a child with who, and as a result Marceau(meant to be the second-strongest super in history) was born under a decidedly unimportant sign and barely had any power at all. Seeing him as a failure, the Januii sent a group of hired killers to kill him so they could start over with a(relatively) clean slate and prevent him from accidentally creating a superbeing with the last link by mistake, something they had little reason to fear due to Marceau being born impotent. However, Masud managed to delay them long enough to allow Kioni to escape to Morocco, where she set off for her relatives in Timbuktu, Mali. In a grim twist of fate, she was waylaid by bandits hired by the men sent after Marceau in France, and after a grueling gunfight around an oasis just out of sight of the city, died of her injuries, having managed to kill all but one of her attackers who fell to the knife of her sister Erran. Taking the child from her dying sister, Erran and her husband Mossar raised him as strictly as they could, knowing that his powers might otherwise turn him into a petty thief or tyrant over those weaker than he. He grew up well, instructed in the use of his powers by the super-group that patrols most of the north African nations, Le Cercle des Amis(The Circle of Friends), and began to try and use his powers like he saw the Circle did, assisting people in need whenever he had the chance. Shortly after he turned ten, Mossar and Erran were themselves attacked by hired killers, who Marceau subdued with his burgeoning strength. Learning from them that Marceau was in peril of his life as long as the Januii knew he lived, the Circle sent Marceau on an immense trip across Eurasia, sending messages to supergroups from China to Greece of his peril and requesting their aid in thwarting the murderers. After the passing of nine years, he had crossed the Gobi desert, fought alongside the disguised Laotian team the Fifty Trumpets to depose a Cambodian warlord, learned several different languages, and gained a mastery over his power, he arrived at the Balkan peninsula after a short stay in Greece. While traveling through Albania, he was attacked and nearly killed by desperate thieves, but saved by the sudden appearance of a thunderous-voiced, constantly-laughing man called the Ace of Suits. Taking the young man under his wing due to noticing his a display of Marceau's power, Ace inducted him into his team: the House of Suits, where Marceau honed his skills and attained the fourth-highest rank of King(Ace knows practically nothing about card games, he just thought it was a good theme to have), and as he had shown little sign of true mastery in either Spades(investigation), Clubs(combat skill), Hearts(diplomacy and relief), or Diamonds(powered agents), he was placed in the generalist Suits division. After two years with them, he left to continue his journey, but still retains his uniform in case he ever returns. In France, he discovered the map Janus had used to chart his genealogies all those centuries ago, bested the(so far) final attempt by the Januii to take his life in a hotel, learned the basics of English and set off for New England. Upon arrival, he attracted a small crowd of various vagrants due to his little-considered acts of kindness or aid, which he has become accustomed to doing. He arrived in Freedom City in 2009, and spent most of the year finding employment and lodging(he works as a janitor in an accountant office building, and lives in the apartment complex of Monkey Towers in the Fens), taking to the streets in late 2010 and early 2011 once again as the hunter of those who prey upon the unfortunate, the King of Suits! In mid-summer of 2011, for some reason his powers vanished without a trace, and his specialized weapons were destroyed in a rather embarrassing accident, forcing Marceau to rely much more heavily on his training and skills, with what small armaments he can acquire until he can replenish his weaponry. [/spoiler] [b][u]Personality & Motivation:[/u][/b] Marceau is usually brisk and cheerful, seeing no reason to dwell on misfortune or become over-demonstrative of one's feelings, although he is still as vulnerable as any other human to irrational emotional responses. He tries to deal with the smaller aspects of crime-fighting that are sometimes forgotten such as mundane theft, and is now much more cautious now that his powers have vanished without a trace, something he is ambivalent towards, as while it has given him more time to his training, his people skills have suffered slightly. [b][u]Powers & Tactics:[/u][/b] Marceau's favored tactic is to make his way to a suitable hiding spot and launch a sneak attack against any opponents he can manage, disarming any with firearms he can beforehand. If caught in the open he'll try to escape to a place where he can use his experience with ranged weapons to even the odds. If trapped, he'll use a smokebomb to blind his enemies before attempting to subdue all opponents around him with whatever will defeat them quickest and quietest. He finds lengthy battles increasingly difficult to fight, meaning he relies overmuch on quick defeats to win his battles. New to his arsenal is a pair of chemically-powered gauntlets that use the burst of a small explosion triggered by the puling of two levers on the gauntlet to increase the force of a punch. [b][u]Complications:[/u][/b] [b]Hatred:[/b] Conspiracies. [b]Phobia:[/b] Terrified of forests, as he lived most of his life in them throughout Southeast Asia. [b]Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:[/b] His nerve-wracking months in Cambodia have not failed to leave their mark on Marceau's psyche, sharp clashes of metal, gunfire, and just being near a forest can cause him to suffer flashbacks to those days, often causing him to act in an outwardly irrational manner. [b]Responsibility:[/b] Caring for the needy, especially his 'posse' of sundry homeless, harmless lunatics and underemployed vagrants who have latched onto him as their protector against street-gangs and minor organized criminals. If any threat comes against them, Marceau feels honor-bound to aid them. [b]Secret:[/b] Identity. [b]Struggling:[/b] Maintenance work doesn't pay much. [b][u]Abilities:[/u][/b] 8 + 10 + 8 + 10 + 0 + 4 = 40PP Strength 18 (+4) Dexterity 20 (+5) Constitution 18 (+4) Intelligence 20 (+5) Wisdom 10 (+0) Charisma 14 (+2) [b][u]Combat:[/u][/b] 16 + 16 = 32PP Initiative: +9 Attack: +8, +12 Boomerangs, +16 Unarmed Grapple: +12 Defense: +14 (+8 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3, -2 Unarmored [b][u]Saving Throws:[/u][/b] 5 + 7 + 10 = 22PP Toughness: +8 (+4 Con, +4 Costume) Fortitude: +9 (+4 Con, +5) Reflex: +12 (+5 Dex, +7) Will: +10 (+0 Wis, +11) [b][u]Skills:[/u][/b] 148R = 37PP Acrobatics 10 (+15) Bluff 8 (+10) Climb 6 (+10) Craft(Chemical) 8 (+13) Diplomacy 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Disable Device 5 (+10) Escape Artist 5 (+10) Gather Information 13 (+15) Intimidate 13 (+15) Investigate 12 (+17) Skill Mastery Knowledge (Streetwise) 10 (+15) Skill Mastery Knowledge (Tactics) 10 (+15) Languages 8 (Arabic, English, French [Native], Greek, Hindi, Malay, Mandarin, Russian, Serbian) Notice 12 (+12) Search 12 (+17) Stealth 10 (+15) Skill Mastery [b][u]Feats:[/u][/b] 38PP Attack Specialization (Boomerangs) 2 Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 4 Benefit (Can use Knowledge [Tactics] for Master Plan checks) Dodge Focus 6 Endurance Equipment 6 (30EP) Evasion Improvised Tools Improved Initiative Jack of All Trades Luck 2 Master Plan Power Attack Quick Change Quick Draw Redirect Setup Sneak Attack Skill Mastery (Diplomacy, Investigate, Knowledge [Streetwise], Stealth) Startle 2 (Move Action) Takedown Attack Throwing Mastery 2 Well-Informed [quote name="Equipment"]Equipment: 30 EP Binoculars [1EP] Concealable Microphones [1EP] Costume w/ Armored Underlay: Protection 4 (Feat: Subtle) [5EP] Gas Mask [1EP] Grapple-Gun: Super-Movement 3 (Slow Fall, Swinging, Wall-Crawling) [6EP] Handcuffs [1EP] Mini-Tracers [1EP] Multitool [1EP] Night-Vision Goggles [1EP] Re-breathers [1EP] [b]Utility Belt 4[/b] (8PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 3) [11EP] Base Power: [b]Blast 2 [/b](boomerangs; 10 20-ft. Range Increments / 200ft Max Range; Feats: Homing, Improved Ranged Disarm, Mighty 2 [as DMG 4]) {8/8} Alternate Power:[b] Dazzle Visual 4[/b] (flash grenades) {8/8} Alternate Power: [b]Obscure Visual 4[/b] (smoke card; 50-ft. radius; Extras: Independent) {8/8} Alternate Power:[b] Snare 4[/b] (bolos) {8/8} 1 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 11 = 30/30EP[/quote] [b][u]Powers: [/u][/b]12 + 2 + 1= 15PP [b]Device 4[/b] (Armaments Belt, 15 points; Flaw: Easy-To-Lose) [12PP] [b]Armaments Array 8[/b] (16 points; Feats: Alternate Power 4)[20PP] [list]BE: [b]Blast 4[/b] (Razor Cards; Extra: Penetrating [as DMG 10]; Power Feats: Improved Ranged Disarm, Mighty 2[*] [as DMG 8], Split Attack) {16/16} AP: [b]Blast 5[/b](Explosive Cards; Extras: Area(Burst, 30ft. radius); Feats: Split Attack)[16PP] AP: [b]Snare 8[/b](Coil Cards) [16PP] AP: [b]Strike 5[/b](Ram Gauntlets; Power Feat: Mighty [as DMG 10]) {6/6} AP: [b]Stun 8[/b](Shock rods)[16PP][/list] [b]Immunity 2[/b] (Cold, Heat; Natural, Training, Extras: Innate) [2PP] [b]Speed 1[/b] (10 MPH / 100 feet per Move action; Natural, Training) [1PP] [b][u]Drawbacks:[/u][/b] -0PP None [b][u]DC Block: [/u][/b] [code] ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 19 (21*) Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Bolas Ranged DC 14 Reflex (Staged) Entangled/Bound Boomerang Ranged DC 19 (21*) Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Coil Cards Ranged DC 18 Reflex (Staged) Entangled/Bound Explosive Cards Ranged DC 20 (22*) Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Flash Grenade Ranged DC 14 Fortitude Blinded Gauntlet Touch DC 25 (27*) Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Shock Stick Touch DC 18 Fortitude Stunned Razor Cards Ranged DC 21 (23*) Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical); Penetrating [as DMG 10] *Sneak Attack Totals: Abilities (40) + Combat (32) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (37) + Feats (38) + Powers (15) - Drawbacks (0) = 184/187 Power Points REFORMATTING REFORMATTED BY GIZMO

Thanks. Master Plan roll: 18. +2 bonus to Attack rolls and skill checks. So..Move action up onto a roof with the Grapple Gun, readying an Attack with the Boomerangs, trigger: one of the statues getting in range.

...So it is. Drat. I even thought I was putting yours after his. EDITED.

GM The next day... The amphitheater was much whiter than the ones Martin and Jay had seen in their present. The ones that had survived the eons didn't reflect the searing light of the Mediterranean sun with a power that seemed to bleach the very faces of those seated in the myriad of seats that ringed the half-circle. The place was packed nearly to capacity, with many more seated on rooftops and on the branches of surrounding trees. All of them were eager to see the show, as they cracked the heavy bread and tore at the meats and other food they had brought to see the show. Several younger men in short tunics were busy plying the crowd with jars of wine, evidently a hit among the thirsty Sicilian Greeks. All of them watched the now somewhat more at-ease figure of Martin as he stood on the stage, Jay on his right hand and the strapping gent who had happily agreed to lend his dog to the race deftly managing the animal in question(a thing thing that looked as if it was a few baguettes short of a grocery bag), looking cheerfully about the gathered onlookers on his left. Spreading his arms wide Martin took a breath, recalled Jay's lessons and declared, in as booming a voice as he could manage "WELCOME, SEGESTANS!" he took a moment to let the ringing in his ears stop, the acoustics of the theater being top-notch. Resuming in a more subdued fashion, he said "You have come..to witness..the fastest being on this world! JUBATUS! Before your very EYES, he shall perform FEATS of speed and dexterity that shall not, I assure you, be matched for HUNDREDS of years to come!" he turned to the man beside him "The citizen Pericles has volunteered his noble hound Gram, who shall be set against JUBATUS in a race around this stage, the first of many challenges" he pulled on a string attached to a cloth covering a piece of meat(which Gram had stared at for the entire time he had been in the theater) on the edge of the stage, declaring "The first to reach the meat..WINS!" The stage was around twenty or so feet long, so to the uninitiated it looked fairly close. To those who knew..... Martin 'led' Jay to the end of the stage, with Pericles serenely directing Gram to a spot next to him, placing the dog in a position staring directly at the hunk of meat(a cow's leg, quite fresh), and the crowd waited eagerly for the signal. Martin gave it, a thunderous "ONWARD, RACERS!" swinging his arm down(standing several feet away from Gram) from its previously upright position. The lean hound surged forward like a bolt of skin, hair and bone for the mighty portion of food, but it was not to be.