Thunder King

"Thomas Morgan." He said, shaking her hand with a polite smile, stepping into the elevator. "What you do here is amazing, fascinating, really. The technology of the future, today." It was then that he realized, too late, that he'd stepped into the elevator. Ah, well, he hoped she wouldn't really notice. She seemed like she didn't care, so, he might as well take the opportunity to get to know her better. "I can imagine that all this hero business is as exciting as it is time consuming. Those fights always look larger than life. I can't even imagine what they're like when you participate in them."

"I'm...not much of a reader, myself. I do find history to be fascinating, though. Still, studying is a big part of school, and the library's very good for that." Mali said. She looked like she was repeating something out of rote memorization. Anyone who knew Mali could tell that studying wasn't a big part of her day. She knew it was important, but she had no passion for reading. "After that, though, I say we head to the gym. If you're half as dedicated to keeping yourself in shape as I am, you'll need to see it." She grinned. "I'll help show you what all the machines and such do. Sound like a plan?"

I know, I'm trying to figure out how to make it work

First, I would like to thank everyone who's posted so far! Even if it doesn't get any bigger, that's still six magical heroes, enough to run one big thread or two slightly smaller ones, and continue the event from there. Now, to answer questions from Aoiroo; 1) At most five players per thread. If there are enough people to justify it, a thread for each piece along with a finale thread or threads to finish it off. I am planning on making the items harder or easier to acquire to suit the situation. 2) A month or two is ideal, even if I have to split the threads so that nothing slows down too bad. 3) It depends, really. Maybe someone gets a hold of all six and the characters have to take them down? Maybe the collective of characters decides to banish the items? Maybe they divide the items? It largely depends on what happens. Basically, I have two end games; a success end game, in which the characters manage to gain control of all six (at which point they decide how to deal with them) OR a failure end game, in which a villain gets their hands on all six and have to be taken down. I do have a plan as to what happens if someone gets all six. I'm not choosing to reveal it just yet, because it will be a bigger payoff if I hold off. I will just say that letting ANYONE get their hands on all six is a Bad Idea.

"This is awesome..." he thought to himself. This was a place he could get used to. Even he barely recognized some of the equipment. He'd never been in a place like it before. He had always been a bit of a loner as a hero. A few occasions lead to him doing various things with other heroes, but not like this. Usually, by this point, he was shaking their hands and making small talk before leaving. He turned to Sharl and nodded. "Sorry, just, the equipment here, it's amazing. This lab is fantastic." He said. Yes, he'd noticed the attractive super-heroine scientist, but, the computers and the equipment! "Okay, Miss Americana?" he said, approaching. "Need help with anything?"

Okay, this is a BIG idea, and if it happens the way I want it to, it'll involve a lot of characters. Here's a summary below; Far away, in an alternate universe, a world has just entered it's first real period of peace in hundreds of years. A collection of six powerful magical artifacts known as the Arms of the Perfect Warlord were collected for banishment. They had been the impetus for nearly every war in centuries, and the people of the world agreed; they must be eliminated. So it was decided to banish them into an alternate universe, forever sealed away so that none could ever use their terrible power again! ...Except the spell didn't work right. It was supposed to send the Armor of the Perfect Warlord to an uninhabited corner of another universe, but it didn't work. Instead, it landed in the Earth Prime universe...and on Earth Prime. Drawn to Earth Prime's magical energy, the artifacts landed throughout the world. Now, some of the greatest magical forces on Earth Prime scramble to gather these powerful artifacts, hoping to use, destroy or banish them for good. Here's the details; Who Is This For: Any magical heroes of any power level. Even if your character isn't magical, if you think they'd have a good enough reason to participate, throw your hat in. It could also involve any number of magical villains, or others, trying to exploit the situation. What Would it involve: Several coordinated threads throughout Freedom City and the world beyond involving numerous heroes. Where Would it Go: Lots of possible places, anywhere on Earth Prime is a possible location. Why Would You Get Involved: The entire magical community of the board's heroes could be involved, enabling some PCs to meet their magical fellows. In addition, the artifacts are usable, and characters may get a chance to use them temporarily. How I'm planning to do this: I'd like to get a group of experienced GMs to coordinate efforts to make this a thing. I'm prepared to run it as a single thread, with a single team if necessary. Ideally, this would be an Event style situation, with a lot of heroes, and several of threads. I haven't seen a big Event yet in my time here, and I think that this idea has potential. Due to the nature of this idea, please don't volunteer to play unless you're pretty sure you'll be able to finish it. The Artifacts The Arms of the Perfect Warlord is divided into six pieces; a helmet, a breastplate, a cape, a pair of boots, a pair of gauntlets, and a sword. They have the following effects; Helm of the Perfect Strategist The Helm empowers the mind of the wearer, making them smarter, more perceptive, and more influential. It also grants tactical insight, enabling the wearer to act as an experienced commander. It also bypasses all language barriers, enabling the wearer to communicate with anyone. Cuirass of the Perfect Defender The cuirass grants superhuman endurance, enabling the wearer to withstand powerful blows. In addition, it grants the wearer the power to fly. Cape of the Perfect Spy The cape grants the user the power to hide from sight, in addition, it allows the wearer to teleport hundreds of miles. The cape is also capable of moving on command, acting as an extra hand for the wearer Gauntlets of the Perfect Vanguard These magical gauntlets augment the wearer's strength to an amazing degree, enabling them to lift massive weight and strike with incredible force Sword of the Perfect Soldier This enchanted blade can cut through any armor and can launch arcs of magical energy. In addition, merely holding the sword grants the wielder the skill to wield it. Boots of the Perfect Scout These magical boots grant the wearer superhuman speed, enabling them to run and react far faster than any human being can. Conclusion If you think this sounds interesting and would like to play, please post which character you want to participate and, if you wish, which artifact you'd like your character to end up going after. If you'd like to help me GM this, please post here AND send me a PM with any ideas, suggestions or thoughts you may have.

Animist Detective Everything has a spirit, everything... PL10 (150) Abilities: 8 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 6 + 10 = 42PP Strength: 18 (+4) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 26(16) (+8/+3) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +6 Attack: +8 Melee, (+12 Baton) Grapple: +12 Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 5 + 6 + 0 = 11PP Toughness: +10 (+3 Con, +4 Defensive Roll, +3 undercover vest)) Fortitude: +8 (+3 Con, +5) Reflex: +0 (+2 Dex, +6) Will: +0 (+8 Wis, +0) Skills: 64R = 16PP Examples: Bluff 7 (+12)Skill Mastery Diplomacy 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Gather Information 5 (+10) Skill Mastery Intimidate 5 (+10) Skill Mastery Investigate 6 (+10) Skill Mastery Notice 7 (+15) Skill Mastery Search 7 (+15) Sense Motive 7 (+15) Skill Mastery Stealth 11 (+13) Skill Mastery Feats: 28PP Accurate Attack Attack Focus (melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Baton) 2 Contacts Defensive Roll 4 Dodge Focus 6 Improved Initiative Luck Power Attack Set-Up Skill Mastery 2 Takedown Attack Ultimate Saves (Toughness) Uncanny Dodge (Life Sense) Equipment 1 Powers: 12 + 3 + 10 + 2 + 2 + 8 = 37PP Comprehend 6 (speak to and understand animals, objects and plants) [12 PP) Device 1 (Baton; 5PP Container; Flaws: Easy to lose [5PP] Damage 4 (Feats:Mighty) [3PP] Enhanced Wisdom 10 [10PP] ESP 2Life Sense[10PP] Quickness 3 Flaws Mental Only, 10x faster [2PP] Super-Senses 8 Danger Sense (life Sense), Detect: Life (Free Action) Postcognition, Radius (Life Sense) Totals: Abilities (42) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (16) + Feats (28) + Powers (37) - = 150/150 Power Points Design Notes: This character has suddenly discovered that everything has it's own spirit. Inanimate objects, animals, people, everything. He has the ability to communicate with the spirits within all things, to commune with them and see what they have seen. In addition, he also possesses the power to sense life around him. Animate things possess a life that is so vibrant to him, that he can sense it and determine it's location. Animate but unliving things, such as undead or robots, however, aren't sensed by this power. They possess spirits like inanimate objects, but nothing he can sense. This sudden awareness of the world around him has granted him an awareness and perceptiveness that is beyond human limits. In terms of gameplay, his super-senses allow him a variety of fun and interesting tricks. He can determine the location of any living thing within a hundred foot radius in moments, he can sense all of the living things around him regardless of origin, and he is virtually impossible to sneak up on, unless you are not living. His postcognition is, essentially, an ability to commune with the spirits of an area to receive visions of what they have recently seen or experienced. This is not exactly psychometry, because he doesn't need an item so much as a place. In combat, he's attack shifted by two, and has set-up and skill mastery on Bluff so that, even if he's not the big hitter, he should be able to make sure someone else can land that big hit.

Dark skies threatened rain, there was an ominous chill in the air. The trip had originally been for pleasure. He was walking down the street when he heard the rumors of a demon child. He smelled foul and looked fouler, capable of vanishing into the night. He stole the breath of children for his foul magic. Bruce Wayne, naturally dismissed these rumors as folksy superstitions. However, he kept a keen ear, picking out the details as to where this supposed 'demon child' was. It had been two days with the rumors in the air. He had been stalking from place to place, trying to maneuver to find more about the demon child. Soon, he heard horrifying news; a group of locals had cornered the child in an old church, threatening to burn it down. He rushed across the wide plain, feet thumping on soft, moist ground. It had rained earlier, and looked like it might again. At any moment, it seemed, like the air was waiting patiently for the right moment. Like everything else, he calculated the storm into his plans. Account for every variable, whenever you can. That was always his game plan. It had always served him well, and it would serve him well tonight. The crowd was large, all holding flashlights and various improvised weapons. He did a quick head-count and scanned the crowd for anyone who looked especially dangerous. Nobody seemed to know what they were doing. They were angry, sure, but not trained. None of them even carried proper weapons. He pulled his grapple pistol from his belt and raised it to the highest part of the church, grabbing on to a ledge. A few moments later, he was standing inside the church. It was old, probably hadn't seen regular use in a few dozen years or more. “Vater unser im Himmel, geheiligt werde dein Name.†That was a prayer, in a soft, scared voice. He didn't trust his German, but the meter of that prayer was beyond language. He stalked forward, feet gently touching the planks, hoping not to step on a particularly weak or creaky one. Last thing he needed was to spook the child into running into the angry mob by accident. “...dein Reich komme dein Wille geschehe, wie im Himmel so auf Erden.†He was getting closer to the voice. He almost missed the boy, because he was nearly invisible. If it weren't for the boy's soft voice, he would never have noticed him at all. Huddled in a corner, a small figure was bent down and shaking. From fear, from anger, he couldn't tell. He couldn't get a good look, had no idea what he looked like. “Unser tägliches Brot gib uns heute. Und vergib uns unsere Schuld, wie auch wir vergeben unsern Schuldigern...†Now that he was closer, it was clear the boy was sobbing. “Ich ben Amerikaner...†He said. “I will help you.†He tried his best to pantomime. He didn't quite trust his German enough, and hoped his gestures would be sufficient. “I...speak English. Not good...†The boy said. Batman merely nodded at the boy, then extended his hand, from which the child recoiled. “Those people...†He said, pointing towards the window. “Burn...verbrennen...†He struggled to find the right word, but the boy understood. Batman could see it in his eyes. Either go with the strange man in dark colors, or burn alive. One was possible death, the other, certain. The boy made a smart choice and reached for his hand. Batman grabbed the boy as gently as he could and put him on his back. He no longer cared for secrecy or stealth, at least not at that point. Batman took something from his pocket and placed it on the window. He mimed putting his hands on his ears, and the boy did the same, keeping his legs in place so as not to fall. The small charge burst and the glass collapsed. Normally, he would have simply jumped through the glass, but not with a small child on his back. With that, he reached out and attached a hook to a nearby beam. “Hold!†He grunted, commanding the child to grip more firmly. Turning out of the window, he rappelled down the wall. He hit the ground and started running from the crowd. Let them burn the old church, they'd never realize the boy hadn't been inside. A little later, Batman pried open the window to his hotel room. Always get a room with a window, never know when you have to use it as an exit or an entrance. He climbed inside and the boy detached. It was then, finally, that he got a good look at the boy. He was small, no older than about thirteen or maybe fourteen years old. He was blue. Batman blinked. The boy was blue, with blue hair and yellow eyes. He had only two fingers and a thumb on each hand, and only two toes on each foot. He had a tail, it seemed to twitch slightly, the boy was very, very frightened. “Why...you help?†He said, clearly struggling with a language that wasn't his own. “It's...what I do.†He said, not even trying to communicate it. He thought about why he brought the boy to his room. His instincts had taken over, the same instincts that lead him to comfort Dick years ago. Those self-same instincts to protect and save the innocent drove him. No child should ever suffer as he had, that was his goal. Besides, the boy barely understood English, and even then, it was unlikely that he understood exactly what was going on anyway. “Family?†He asked. “Nein.†Came the boy's response. “Name?†“Kurt...Kurt Wagner.†Batman picked up a nearby phone, a private number that was virtually impossible to decrypt. “Bruce? I thought you were in Germany?†Came the voice, a young woman. “I know, Oracle, I am. I need you to do a search on a Kurt Wagner, blue skin, blue hair, tail...†“Oookay...well, results are spotty. He was found in an orphanage, raised by some nuns. Let's see...ran away. German authorities aren't even looking for him.†“Affirmative. I'll be heading home tonight.†“Care for a private jet?†She asked. “Yes, I'm going to get out as fast as I can. I'm bringing home a guest.â€

GM "Yes Sir..." She said. A few minutes later, a bottle of wine arrived at the other table. The five people looked up, and spotted Lord Steam. One of them stood up and walked towards Lord Steam and Jennings. "Excuse me, but, what's that about?" He said, pointing to the table with the bottle of wine. "Who are you, what do you mean, 'condolences'?" He backed up. "What do you know..." The last phrase was almost in a whisper. He looked terrified suddenly, as if Death itself had come to him in the form of a gentleman who had just ordered wine.

GM She smiled. "Oh, that batch is a bunch of regulars. They've been coming here over a year, once a week, like clockwork. Funny, there are normally more of them. Ah, well, maybe the other two are sick..." She said. "Care for anything else while I'm at it?" "Coffee, please?" Jennings asked. "Right away, sir." She said, smiling, walking towards the back to fetch a fresh cup. The group of regulars, however, were all sitting and talking in hushed, quiet tones, looking somewhat somber. One of them had his head in his hands, as if upset about something, something big.

GM Jennings merely blinked, and sat down. He was doing his best to stay calm. He figured that if this Lord Steam guy was paying, why not let him? Worse comes to worse, he could try to get his money back from this work related lunch. "Well, Sir..." Jennings said. "Everyone around us is in suits,the customers, that is. No one is in anything but busness attire." He said. Lord Steam's critical eye spotted not just that, but also the fact that a group of people walked in, five strong, and were immediately directed to a specific table near the back. Almost as if they came here so regularly they had a set spot.

I'm going to assume that Lord Steam can spot some minor details. After all, there's no danger, and he's actively looking. To get this moving, I'll assume he's taking 10 on the necessary checks. Unless you'd rather do otherwise, at which point I can edit. In addition, to make this more convenient, I'll say that Lord Steam arrives around lunch time.

Mali grinned from ear to ear, impressed at the new student's accuracy. Still, while she was hardly an expert on archery, she realized that she hadn't used a glove to fire the arrow. That must have hurt. "Wow, very cool!" She smiled. "I can see why you're here. And your bow! It's amazing" She observed her bow, a piece of carefully constructed machinery. Gorgeous in form and function, Mali had a definite appreciation for the bow. Tactically, however, Mali thought that having someone skilled with a bow would be a great back-up in a fight. Firing arrows from a range while she closed distance. Of course, that was assuming the new girl didn't cut her hand up by using her bow wrong.

That, was a blatant lie. Nobody from Maine is going to have trouble opening a bottle of water. Still, the girl had her own reasons to keep a secret, and Mali wasn't going to press the issue. The school probably knew, and that was all that mattered. Mali would trust that they wouldn't let someone dangerous into the school. "Okay." Mali smiled. "I've never been there before." With that, she didn't press the issue. No point in making the new girl nervous. "If you ever need anyone to help you around, show you things. After all, I've lived in Freedom City my whole life. I could show you all the best places. Where to get the best food." She tried to think of a way to let Tona know that it was okay to admit she was an alien, or from another country, another dimension, or wherever she came from where plastic water bottles were a mystery.

Mali merely smiled. "I'm not sure where you're from, but I have plenty of water. I'm just sorry that I don't have any more to give you." She didn't care about a little water. Besides, the new girl looked like she wasn't from around here, at all. "You...aren't from around here, are you?" She asked. "It's fine, I mean, I think we have some aliens, people from other countries, that sort of thing. But if you need a native to help you out with anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'm glad to help if you need it." She flashed her smile. "If it doesn't bother you, I think I'll sit here in the shade for a bit." She said.

Mali smiled politely and reached to shake the other girl's hand. "I am Mali, nice to meet you." She said, before reaching in her bag to fetch the water. It was still cool to the touch, having been stored in a bottle designed to keep temperatures. "Here you go, it should still bee pretty cold." She handed the other girl the bottle. "With the temperature the way it is, have to stay hydrated."

Benjawan Mali, also known as the Crimson Tiger, was walking through the quad just then. She had her work-out bag slung over her shoulder. She was wearing a baggy t-shirt and shorts, and sweating. She had a water bottle in her other hand, nearly empty. Her work-out routine never changed, even in the heat. But she was smart enough to always have water on her. When she spotted the new girl, baggage nearby, her mind immediately sprung up with the thought "New student!" So, she walked over to her and smiled politely. "Hi, welcome." She smiled. "It's awfully hot out here, would you care for some water? I have a spare bottle in my bag..."

Voltage cursed inwardly. The idiot may have played with power beyond his understanding, but Voltage wasn't about to let him die. He dove fast and matched Amber Curse's speed. As soon as he reached it, he reached out and plucked the unconscious man from the air. Slowing his descent gradually, he flew down and gently placed the man on the ground. "You are reckless, stupid, and playing with forces far beyond your control. I'm not about to let you die though..." He stood by, watching, making sure the man didn't wake up.

Voltage can get him, And does, with a 15

Robots, sentient A.I., sudden attacks. This was all very strange, and Voltage wanted to know more. Following Miss Americana to her lab and helping her would help satiate his curiosity. That, and he figured he could at least be a little bit of a help. "I wouldn't consider robotics to be my field of expertise..." Voltage began. "However, if I can be of assistance, I also want to know what happened here today." He glanced around at the robotics parts. With a proper lab and proper equipment, he was sure to be able to help deduce what was going on. Or, at the very least, he could help run whatever tests Miss Americana had planned. After all, a super genius wouldn't necessarily hurt.

GM There was an officer already there, dressed in his uniform, waiting for Lord Steam to arrive. "Hello Sir, my name is Officer Jennings, I'll be your...escort in all of this." He said, extending his hand to shake Lord Steam's. It was a fairly upscale diner, located not that far from the place of business the man died in. It catered, primarily, to professionals in the area. All in all, it was meant for quick, hearty lunches for a decent price. Standing in front of Lord Steam was a woman of around thirty five to forty years old. It was obvious to anyone who saw that she was quite shocked to see a man like Lord Steam enter her establishment. "Hello, um, can I help you Sir?"

Voltage Vanguard #1, the Inevitable, the Inexorable... ...For Services Rendered Pepper's Ghost Killer Frequency Voltage and Crimson Tiger Vignette; A Major Inconvenience Crimson Tiger Vignette; The Relentless Shadow GM Lord Steam and the Clockwork Assassins All GM points go to Voltage, please

Thomas was in a unique state. He could relate to the superhero business, but he couldn't afford to let her know that. He could barely relate to controlling parents. However, he did realize, and recognize, that it was a potentially dangerous thing to do, however... "I hear what you're saying. When you have a gift, you should use it to try to make the world a better place. I mean, if I had super-powers or whatever, I'd probably use them to help people too. The world is a dangerous place anyway, what with superhero battles going on. You can't make the world a perfectly safe place. All you can do is try to make it a better one." He hoped she wasn't some sort of psychic...because 'if I had super-powers' was more than a bit sneaky...

"Eh, kind of. My dad is a scientist and I'm a computer guy, but, there was a time after I got hurt where I could hardly breathe without my parents wondering where I was. It was annoying to have to check in, every hour, on the hour." To be truthful, he really couldn't relate to her in that respect at all. His parents had never put great restrictions on him, and they'd never interfered in his life. Still, though, if they ever found out he was Voltage...that might change things. He doubted his mother would like that very much at all.

Thomas merely nodded. He understood what she said, and understood exactly why she was annoyed about it. Of course, the fact that the young woman seemed smart enough to design said thruster unit didn't bypass his notice either. People that smart were a very, very rare find in this world. "I kind of know what you mean, a few weeks ago I did a repair on a PC for a customer, but they needed a component for the motherboard. I ordered it through our supplier, but it took so long the customer took their PC back in anger. Needless to say, I wasn't happy about it. Kind of why I'm here, actually. My father's trying to negotiate a parts supply deal with Dawes. Prompt service is absolutely necessary when you never know what sort of things you'll need for customers."