Ari

Yes.

That was a scenario Marceau had dreaded considering. Gallia had already shown she could command the wills of others, so she could all too easily do that here, and it would be hard to fight against a mind-controlled mob while trying to get Rene to safety. "Happy thoughts, my friend," he told the ancient painter with a gentle smile "we are in a bear pit, but we can at least quickly leave it. My grapple gun is ever-ready, and those rafters are admirably close to the windows. Besides," he nodded his close-shorn head to the hulking figure of the wandering Lancaster Witch "she might have stripped you of your sharper claws, but if Gallia starts anything I am sure we can count on her for aid. Evil, murderous spirits have few friends among scientists. So, let us keep alert yet relaxed, and enjoy being bewildered by the Moderne Yuthe." Reaching over to politely tap a young lady in something frilly and anachronistic on the shoulder, the lean Frenchman beamed cheerily as he said "M'excuse, ma'mselle, are there any special guests expected? Me and my painterly amis" slapping Rene a little on the back and putting his arm around the old mage's shoulder "are newly arrived, and full of le curiosité for your strange Anglais goth customs!"

As the masked man halted amid the shower of splinters framed,(had he but been able to cast his senses beyond his corporeal shell of failing flesh, gaze without eyes, smell without tongue, and so on) by a faint blue light, it took him almost until the dim silhouette of Carl raised the gun at him again for the King of Suits to realize what was happening. Luckily, this time he was prepared! Dropping to one knee milliseconds before the first *CRACK* battered his eardrums and a bullet whined overhead, Marceau leapt and dodged from one side to the other, heart jumping at every burst of metallic thunder as he came closer and closer to the source! Launching at last to his lean height at the first feeble noise of a trigger tapping against what usually set off the booms ringing in his ears, Marceau glared down at Carl, his cape spread out and giving the steely young man some much-needed depth and width, eyes burning with righteous fury. He was caught totally off-guard by Carl's wholly unexpected use of an automatic, and caught it by reflex mere inches from his face. With his left hand. After forcing back the lances of dull agony throbbing down his side, the King of Suits raised the gun to the light...and neatly disassembled it, the pieces clattering to the floor as his remorseless blue-eyed gaze shone down at his quarry. "'Meant to kill me', Carl? Somehow, I doubt you are the first choice for that. Even someone as low-rent as me must have some respect from my enemies. I have questions before we visit the police, first being: who hired you?" A razor card flickered into place between his fingers as he spoke, the costumed vigilante idly flicking it around his fingers. It had taken him weeks of dull schooldays to learn that trick, after seeing Aliens for the first time as a giddy 12-year old.

Sundry corrections as pointed out by Thevshi in Chat, including dropping the Affects Insubstantial on the Mental Blast, dropping the range of the Mind-Reading to 250ft.

DC26 Toughness save: 12. Wowzers. Staggered & Dazed.

Thank you very much Thevshi. Totally missed that first one! Fixed his age to match Maelstrom's(24), added birth year and month. *Added the Range flaw to Mental Blast, taking it down to Ranged(thus having the Accurate feat and mention in the Combat block make sense). *Removed the Reversible Feat, could I buy another rank in the power with the added space in points? *Removed Precise, added Progression(10-ft. radius) to the Illusion. *For Mind-Reading, removed Precise and instead bought another rank of Progression, bringing it up to rank 5. Also bought the Selective Extra at your suggestion.

Using my Silver Reward slot just vacated by Red Moon being returned to the NPC bank.

It normally wouldn't due to needing the Affects Objects Extra(robots are Constructs, non-living and thus counted as Objects like the undead or inanimate walls), I'm waiving it for now because the situation fits it working, so the dragon gets Stunned. Just something to keep in mind for later.

That hits plenty. And an electrical attack on a robot powered by electricity is also a perfectly plausible descriptor for a Stun. However, without the Affects Objects Extra(because Stun forces a Fort. save, and constructs like Cyberdragons normally have Immunity 30(Fortitude)), that can't technically effect the thing. But shooting a robot dragon with lightning is no time for quibbles: 9. That is a failed save right there. Cyberdragon is now Stunned. The present lineup is now Nevermore: Bruised(x1), 1HP Polarity: Unharmed, 2HP Cyberdragon: Bruised(x2) Stunned-GM

Player Name: Arichamus Character Name: Mind-Set Power Level: 10 (150/152PP) Trade-Offs: -2 Defence / +2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 2 Progress To Bronze Status: 2/30 In Brief: Gentler half of an artificial-human duo created by the Foundry to experiment with psionic powers, Created with the power to control the mind and senses. Alternate Identity: Nathan(iel) Colletta Identity: Secret Birthplace: Foundry lab Occupation: Superhero, nurse Affiliations: Providence Asylum, Freedom City University, The Foundry Family: Rachel Colletta (sister) Description: Age: 24 (Date of birth: June 1980) Apparent Age: Mid-twenties Gender: Male Ethnicity: Italian/Cyborg, Caucasian(as Mind-Set) Height: 6' 5"/6' 8"(as Mind-Set) Weight: 210 lbs Eyes: Brown/Blue(as Mind-Set) Hair: Black Description: Big and tall is the simplest way to describe Nathaniel, he's brawny and well-toned with broad shoulders and powerful arms and legs, his skin darkly tanned. The thick black hair on his proportionally-appropriate head is wavy, cut short and always impeccably combed above bushy eyebrows and earnest brown eyes. His features are classically handsome, though not more so than many, and usually set in a warm, encouraging smile. Off-duty he wears button-up shirts(preferably blue) and khaki pants with sturdy shoes, while on the job at the asylum he fills out the standard-issue crisp white uniform. As Mind-Set he conceals his identity behind both a simple green mask and the illusion of a paler and(even more) square-jawed champion of justice, dressed in a vibrant blue, rich orange and glistening black costume marked with a sunset on the chest. In that disguise his eyes blaze blue and his voice deepens in timbre. A medical scan of either twin will reveal a web of electronics and circuits digging into their brain. They are aware of it, but believe that it exists to boost their powers. In truth their memories and personalities are housed in the electronics, not in their grey matter. Power Descriptions: Nathan is telepathic, and his powers have governance over the mind and what it perceives. Mind-Set's powers, besides his ability to form very persuasive sensory simulacrums(Illusion), are remarkably difficult to detect given their wide-ranging effect. When standing at just the right angle, it's possible to make out the passage of some invisible force when he's trying to overthrow another's reason(Mental Blast, Emotion Control) or a flicker of electric blue light in the depths of his eyes and someone whose will he's trying to override(Mind-Control). When hiding himself and others from the senses(Concealment), their bodies appear to disappear in a circular wave from the torso outward. To those with the right detection abilities, Mind-Set's powers give off a flare of cold blue light around himself and his target or targets, or a harsh electronic crackle. History: Talos, the ingenious Man of Bronze and molder of the Foundry, has been hard at work making artificial beings like himself for decades. For obvious reasons, most of them were metal minds in metal bodies, as he struggled to create someone really like himself, a true peer. However, he's always been interested in replicating the bizarre powers displayed by organic superhumans, exemplified by his wayward 'son' Argo, the Ultimate Android, and like his business partner Overshadow has a vested interest in that elusive yet tempting source of power: psionics. That such a thing as a psychic robot had never been seen before was taken by Talos as an implicit challenge by the universe. Working from the understanding that since organic brains are similar to electronic ones on a base level(interpreting and reacting to exterior stimuli by electric impulses) and that psychics must be somehow exploiting that, Talos studied and experimented for years on those unfortunate enough to both have such abilities and fall into his bronze clutches. To his disgust, he found that the best results were got from organic 'carriers', their brain-wave patterns somehow amplifying the powers he managed to replicate. Making lemonade from lemons being one of his few positive sides, Talos honed and refined his process until he had two prime subjects, both indistinguishable from normal humans save for the small pieces of circuitry and electronics in their brains: where he gave them their powers, their personalities, and their first spark of life. One could wreak havoc on everything outside the mind, the other on everything within it. Given that and his agents Keres and(nominally)Blackfire, it's likely they would have been intended as sleeper agents, but Talos' plans were thrown into disarray when his alliance with the Curator led to the destruction of the secret lab the twins(given the names Nathan and Rachel Colletta) were being tested and grown in, and the pair were evacuated with all speed as the facility exploded and crumbled around them. They escaped death or capture(or rescue), but not without damage, including damage to the mental programming that would have compelled them to search out some other Foundry base. They had enough training to get by in the world, however, and after making their grueling way to civilization, set about the work of their new lives. Talos had already set up a plausible family history for the pair to draw from, and the rest fell out as could be expected, including the "discovery" of their powers and slow migration to Freedom City, super-city of opportunity. Nathan soon developed a fascination with the workings of the human mind, its relationship with the brain and the mysteries therein, seizing an opportunity to study it as a nurse at the Providence Asylum(which after taking on 'superhuman' patients has also significantly increased its wages and health insurance policy) alongside his courses at FCU. These days Mind-Set spends them like many working university students; he splits his time rigorously between work, ease and school life, keeps up a wide ring of friends on and off campus, and heads off on superheroic excursions with sister Maelstrom when the need arises. It's a good life, busy, and with more doors opening up before the Colletta twins all the time. Whatever new plans Talos might have for his oddest pawns, if indeed they aren't already unconsciously playing one out, remains to be seen. Personality & Motivation: A towering and sturdy rock to his sister's raging sea, Nathan(iel, as he insists on adding to it) has grown up into the role of peacekeeper and mediator. He embraces that due to both a history of calming down situations his sister got involved in(the ones she didn't end), and a fascination with how and why people think and do what they do. His powers give him a window on that, but he prefers a more academic method(and fears coming to rely on his powers to get what he wants), and hopes in his heart of hearts to find a way to 'cure' the problems afflicting those suffering mental illnesses and imbalances. Preferably without superpowers. Nathan's work with the mentally ill is something he values deeply, as the young man views many of the world's villains as very like his patients, people in need of care, understanding and treatment over punishment. This hasn't diminished his power to recognize real, conscious evil, but it has made him more sympathetic to the plight of those in real need of help. In person he's laid-back and confident, preferring to be the supporter of a group over being a leader, years of playing second-fiddle making it a natural and comfortable fit for him. Powers & Tactics: A diehard support specialist, Mind-Set tends to keep on the sidelines and coordinate with his sister over their telepathic link(between their chips), providing illusory screens and manipulating the emotions of their enemies to keep the bad guys in disarray. If at all possible, he remains undetectable for as long as possible and keeps nearby allies also hidden, unleashing his savage assault on others' psyches only as a last resort. His power to dominate people's minds is something he uses very sparingly, mostly if he's fighting someone on his own and they prove immune to his appeals to reason or if he's in a group fighting someone vastly stronger than them. Complications: Actually Artificial Nathan's mind and personality is housed in a computer distributed throughout his brain. This leaves him open to powers that normally only affect computers, like Datalink or an EMP attack. "And now for that mask!": Mind-Set doesn't wear much of a disguise, and if his illusion is penetrated there isn't much to protect his identity. Brainwashed and Crazy: Talos doesn't believe anymore in tools that can't be controlled. Not to mention the danger if somebody else figured out how to 'access' either twin. False History The Collettas' history is elaborate, but ultimately fake. Enough digging will reveal this. "I'm real, damn it!": Nathan puts an irrational emphasis on his being a 'real' person, and will go to considerable lengths to prove it to himself or others. Overdrawn at the Brainpower Bank: The mental discipline needed to use his psychic abilities can mean havoc if it's broken or strained, such as if he fails a crucial Concentration check or overtaxes himself using Extra Effort. Responsibility: His sister's well-being, his patients at Providence, his studies, his friends, his need to conceal his true name from criminals. Secret: Identity. Secret: He's a psionic organic robot made by a genocidal metal robot. [if that comes out, it leads to a Prejudice Complication.] Secret Past: 'Nathan' isn't human, not strictly; he and Rachel were both created by the Foundry, even if they don't remember it. That was a lie?: Nathan genuinely wants to trust and bring out the best in people, which despite his powers makes him just that much more vulnerable to deception than his more cynical sister. Whoops! Zhat vas not medicine!: As a nurse at Providence Asylum, Nathan is often unknowingly vulnerable to the likes of the Maestro or Fear-Master, something that could make already complicated situations a lot more so. Abilities: 6 + 8 + 10 + 6 + 8 + 4 = 42PP Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 18 (+4) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 18 (+4) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 16 + 8 = 24PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +10 Melee, +8 Ranged, +10 Mental Blast Grapple: +13 Defense: +8 (+4 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -0 Saving Throws: 5 + 6 + 8 = 19PP Toughness: +10*/12 (+5 Con, +5 Force Field, +0*/2 Defensive Roll; +0/5 Impervious) *Flat-Footed Fortitude: +10 (+5 Con, +5) Reflex: +10(+4 Dex, +6) Will: +12 (+4 Wis, +8) Skills: 56R = 14PP Concentration 8 (+12) Bluff 8 (+10) Diplomacy 10 (+12) Drive 1 (+5) Knowledge(Behavioral Sciences) +5 (+8) Knowledge(Current Events) 2 (+5) Knowledge(Streetwise) 3 (+6) Languages 2(English(Native), Italian, Spanish) Sense Motive 6 (+10) Stealth 11 (+15) Feats: 8PP Attack Focus(Melee) 2 Defensive Roll 1 Dodge Focus 4 Improved Initiative Powers: 11 + 30 + 2 = 43PP Force Field 5(Extras: Impervious 5; Feats: Subtle)[11PP] Psychic, Technology Mind Play Array 12.5(25PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 5)[30PP] Psychic, Technology Base Power: Mental Blast 10(Flaws: Range(Ranged), Distracting; Power Feats: Accurate, Homing 1(1Extra Attempt), Reversible, Sedation, Subtle)[24/25PP] AP: Concealment 10(All Senses(Auditory, Olfactory, Mental, Visual); Extras: Affects Others; Flaws: Passive; Feats: Close Range , Selective)[22/25PP] AP: Emotion Control 10(Feats: Mind Blank, Subtle)[22/25PP] AP: Illusion 6(All Senses; Feats: Progression 1(Area; 10-ft radius))[25PP] AP: Mind Control 10(Extras: Conscious; Flaws: Sense-Dependent(They must meet his eyes); Feats: Mental Link, Subtle)[22/25PP] AP: Mind Reading 10(Extras: Area(250ft radius), Linked(Quickness), Selective; Flaws: Distracting; Feats: Progression 2 (Area: 25ft. per rank=250ft. radius), Subtle)[23/25PP] + Quickness 4(x25 normal speed;Flaws: Mental tasks only)[2PP] = 25PP Super-Senses 1 (Communication Link [Rachel Colletta], Feat: Subtle) (Sibling Link) (Telepathy) [2PP] [table]DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Melee DC18 Toughness(Staged) Damage(Physical) Emotion Control Perception DC20 Will Emotion Change Illusion Perception DC16 Will Illusion Maintained Mental Blast Ranged DC25 Will (Staged) Damage(Mental) Mind Control Perception DC20 Will Mind Controlled Mind Reading Touch(Area, 250ft.) DC20 Reflex/Will Mind Read[/table] Totals: Abilities (42) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (19) + Skills (14) + Feats (8) + Powers (43) - Drawbacks (0) =150/152 Power Points

What: A rash of bizarre, vivid and brutally hallucinatory nightmares sweep the city, all on a similar theme: the sheer hopelessness of any normal citizen making a difference in a world of superpowers! The wave of despair that follows leads to suicide attempts, people doing their darnedest to get powers of their own, a slowly growing tide of hopelessness and mayhem. Into this mess, Our Heroes must step and help those so afflicted(for the sake of plot, a handful of key individuals) overcome this malaise, and recover the power to strike out for the freedom of the heart from the tyranny of shackled dreams! And find out just what lies behind this creeping evil from the realm of sleep... Who: 3-5 PCs, any PL will do, and no theme required. How: Mostly Skill and Power-use(non-combat). Very talky.

Very many happy returns to this day, Dokboss! Thank you for all you've done here and in your life, you never had to but you chose to do it anyway.

Yeah, but that's all moot when he's currently struggling against the mass of barnacles trying to smother him. Not like Namor or Tempest goes all "Ah! Now that this giant sea monster has me fast in its coils, I think I'll leisurely make up a spell that's got nothing to do with my current struggle!" So to that end, DC15 Reflex save: 13. Still Bound.

Ah curses, I clean forgot the small matter of him NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE. I do beg your pardon, and retract the Stunt for the time being.

In a shocking twist of shocking twistuls, Wave-Eye Stunts some Healing off his Conch Device(0HP), taking the strain himself to be Fatigued. He's now at -1 for Attack and Defence and sundry rolls and slowed to normal speed only. The Power Stunt adds the following Alternate power to its Red Wave Array: Healing 10(Extras: Area(Burst 50ft.), Selective, Total; Flaws: Distracting, Limited(non-fire damage), Others Only, Unreliable(5 normal uses))[10PP]. Using the Healing power on the Dying passengers to stabilize them, +10 bonus vs. a DC10 check so I believe that's an automatic success. DRAMA AVERTED, ********************-sandwichers!

Marceau groaned in his heart 'Oh sweet Lord, an apartment, that means stairs. Why stairs? Why now?' but gritted his teeth(very much in his mouth rather than some metaphorical flight of dentalstry) and headed off after the gunman. There was no sense in taking the same route Carl had used, while shorter and more direct it put him at risk of another stroke of infernal luck, and with his chest still throbbing the King of Suits wasn't keen on repeating that scenario. Instead he ducked in through the main door, which of course was unlocked, and ran parallel to where Carl had hidden himself. Finding the right place wasn't too tricky, he'd been chasing people into and out of buildings for longer than he cared to think. He slid up against the apartment door, feet sliding along the dirty floor...and gasped in pain when his still-tender back touched a protruding nail. Muttering savagely, the young vigilante paused, listened for that requisite four seconds, and then in a whirl of motion slammed his foot into the door, bringing all the weight his lean frame could muster into the blow! Bursting into the room, he thundered "Carl! Put down the gun! You're coming with me!"

GM "I can give one total revelation or unburdening per person" explained the spring "if I should restrict it to one part of the whole, one answer given, one weight taken, then I have not the least idea how many visitors I could help. I expect it would be a very large number, though!" Burbling a little as it considered the questions Kimber and Corbin had raised, and the added point about anonymity, the spring was silent for a short while. "Time...is something only of limited understanding to me," it admitted at last, the half-heard 'voice' a little glum "Seeing and understanding what I see is simple, but how that affects me, what I can do in it is more difficult. It is not in my nature to change what is here. That is unhelpful, I do not doubt, but the best I can offer." "I know what WAS and IS, but will be? Not even a clue, I cannot grasp it for myself, only guess it or make a channel from the future to a willing soul. Perhaps it would be best to keep hidden, I do not know, but I do know I want to help, make ways clearer and hope brighter, and if more know where to find me, then...wait! YOU three know now, and(I do ask your pardon) I have seen you among wondrous people, perhaps I could serve them and you, with those who come to your confidence or else stumble over me reaping the gift of my water?" The light playing in its depths wavered uncertainly "It would prevent those with evil in their hearts from misusing my gifts, and often you valiants need more knowledge than you have, but...it is no surety. Nor is keeping hid. What is your will?"

GM He didn't have too long to wait. ~"Your Teltrossian Supremacy, I request that you look at these readings in the following contexts: one, the majority of wor-"~ "Core-A, I request that you look at every other major body in this system. (some repeated beeping sounds) See? Only those gasers are of decent bulk. That orb is tiny! A mere half the size of Zurkas' smallest moon! This sector is full of dwarf planets, that's your problem!" ~"-fourth, the local clusters are noted for relatively large gas worlds and small rock worlds-"~ "What? The local clusters- my mechanical manservant, what do they have to do-?!" A few minutes later Core-A stalked into the small bridge, calling over its rounded shoulder ~"So it is settled, Earth is small-rocky, not a dwarf. Productive meeting. I shall join you in the mess shortly. Do not steal my oilings."~ Stopping by the left-hand chair, the robot put a hand on either side of its baseball-shaped head, and lifted the entire thing off its neck with a rattle of bolts. Placing it on the chair's console and activating a small holographic interface with a few swift button-presses, the body then about-turned and marched off purposefully back down the hallway, leaving the head to manipulate the lights pulsing around it. ~"*zzt*. Power is increasing, not good"~ it muttered, its glowing slot-eye swiveling back and forth over the displays ~"I should reorganize these computations. Otherwise we run-over and...explode. Best if that exhaust energy goes into the dimensional fold. To work, Core-A4!"~ With that, the rhythmical tapping of light-based buttons everywhere began, following a graceful, electronic pattern as the machine carefully adjusted the lattice holding the extrasolar engine at bay.

Yes, that would be best, though she can make a 'free' attack before properly entering the fray, if you wish.

Favoring Thomas with an easy, understanding smile, the avian avenger nodded with a simple "Understood." 'Tensions? Yeah, that Crossfruity mentioned 'em. Still doesn't fit right, though, not with just any old tiff...and leaving cyborgs to, what, keep people off your track? Couldn't hurt to learn more...' "Were there any signs Champ wanted to hide something?" he asked Blackpool conversationally, latching the watch onto his wrist and swinging his legs over the bedside "Anything scandalous? Plain dangerous? A team mission that went sour, anything?" Glancing over at Eileen he added "How 'bout you, Cap'n Eel? Heard anything on the grapevine?"

GM At first the jerking, mechanical thing flailed desperately(and uselessly) to twist free of its enemy's grip, neck segments swiveling back and forth with determined stupidity, the great mouth opening and slamming shut as it let loose blind flares of lightning. Suddenly, it went limp, its claws and lashing tail dropping to the floor loosely. The lights on its body faded. Then it burst into light and action, took hold of the floor, nails cutting into the old cement, and did a front somersault that slid the plates Nevermore was holding clean out of his hands, the artificial beast landing gracefully(if heavily) before the young vigilante in cat-like motion. Tail flicking back and forth, it began to again pace around the corvian apprentice. If it hadn't been wholly impossible, Nevermore could sworn the robotic dragon was starting to get mad.

GM "-Serpensis Sancti-...O-okay." The young man's dark, shy eyes met Velocity's for a brief instant...and then dropped, along with both of the things clutched tightly in his hands, followed by the heavy *clunk* and softer *kllik-ting* as they hit the floor. For an instant, the older driver looked downright relieved, until he realized what that smaller, jangling tinkle had been from. Megan saw his eyes widen, his head begin to turn, the word "Y-" start to form. Then a dull boom, and quickly, even by her standards, the car and its contents vanished before her eyes. A shuddering crash of metal, a sharp, decisive report, and shattering glass mingled with a howl of fear and pain resounded behind her, . The car had somehow smashed itself against the stolid brick storefront behind her, the hood crumpled and smoking from the savage impact, a bright, wet splash on the back window surrounding a neat circular hole. With a bang the driver's door burst open, the man himself crashing out onto the pavement holding a badly cut arm against his chest, blood dripping down his face from a gash on his forehead, the other hand holding something that slipped from his fingers and skittered a few feet away on the cement sidewalk, glittering mockingly in the sun. Cursing under his breath the driver scrambled awkwardly for the shining thing "I'll get ya...stupid kid...told him, "Just whisper it", looney ****...cat's pill breaks, then the gas..." his hand stretched out, fingers working for the trim little cylinder.

Hope you recover smoothly, SC!

What: Mysterious happenings at a small town in southern Arizona, which overnight has somehow become a thriving mini-metropolis, lead magically-affiliated heroes to the scene. Who: 3-4 magic-affiliated heroes, any PL. How: All magical slamdowns and bizarre magic traps all the time, relatively little interaction or other Skill requirements. So yeah, already told Supercape and trollthumper the details, but if anyone would be more interested if they knew more of the 'backstory' of the thread, just ask and I'll send a PM. Think of it as Dr. Fate and Pals go to Night Vale.

DC22 Grapple check: 29. Well then. Round 4 of Nevermore vs. Cyberdragon. Nevermore: Bruised(x1), 1HP Cyberdragon: Bruised(x2)-GM