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11th October 2021 7.13am Sanchez's had been in Hardwick for around ten years now, a little café just off Pelecamos Street. Despite the sky-high rent; the business had trundled along by sheer popularity: the food wasn't complicated, but it was good; one of those places where the menu was an inch thick but the chef seemed up to the task. The windows were dusty and grimy, never quite able to get clean, the green paint around the frames flaking and worn to the decaying wood. The interior wasn't especially well lit, the walls painted in a splash of terracotta red, rows of small tables lined against either wall, leaving an alleyway leading to the creaking, worn wooden counter. "Eggs!" came a loud voice from behind the counter, a plate of the breakfast food being set on the ledge of the service hatch. Various commuters and early risers had already begun to filter in, some sitting down to their breakfast, some queuing for coffee, the two waitresses rushing and bustling to serve them with a smile. Osla stood in the line behind a couple of grumbling old gentlemen, sullenly looking to all as if she was ignoring the world. Her Converse were worn and tied loosely, her black jeans ripped at one knee. One hand was thrust into the pocket of a battered black leather jacket, the other hanging loose at her side, a white dressing on the palm, pink with blood in the very centre of it. Her impossibly blonde hair was pulled back in tight braids, pinned to the side of her head in looping coils. It didn't do much to hide the beginnings of blue and black bruise on her forehead. The shipment she'd stopped at the harbour last night had been more heavily guarded than she expected. One of the men clearly had combat experience, and she'd had no choice but to grab his knife. It could have been worse. At least she hadn't been the one being headbutted through a set of broken floorboards. The man at the head of the line filed back out of the store, the bell above the door ringing as he set off into the cool morning, cup of Joe clenched in his hand in a paper cup. Expression unchanging, she went to step forwards, pausing for a moment. One of the waitresses bustled past through the newly formed gap in the line, an apologetic smile on her face and a plate of pancakes in her hand. As soon as she passed, Osla took a step forward, moving along with the line.

OOC thread for https://www.freedomplaybypost.com/topic/13399-the-finest-organic-suspension-ic/ As I said, while there will inevitably be combat, the criminals are inevitably going to be low PL so any actual threat will be to civilians and secret identities.

GM Late September 2020 A cold evening in Oslo, near the Holmenkollen Ski Museum They all heard the call. A raven with a whisper came on the wind. The word is given. Come to Oslo. Odin is calling. To the eyes of any, they were a strange crowd. Mythic warriors, demigods, valkyries. People out of their own time, out of their own world, and yet, brought together by the words of the ravens. At the top of Holmenkollen, two ravens waited. A single bolt of lightning split the sky.

Stark Hill July 12, 2018 The world was on fire. But it took a long time for the ashes to reach some places. While the sky bled crimson and the towers of the capes burned off on the East Coast, Bedlam was in a state of gridlock. There was doomsaying, but only at a somewhat greater pitch at any other day. The Mayor had already talked about getting the National Guard ready to deploy, but word was the Governor was holding off until there was tangible evidence that the threat had gotten beyond Lake Erie - and even then, odds were he would be much more interested in anywhere that wasn't Bedlam. The Special Assault Squad was in the streets in force, but they seemed to be taking their exercise dealing with desperate and fervid individuals hoping to take advantage of an all-you-can-grab, end-of-the-world sale. And so, the morning of July 12 dawned in Stark Hill as it had any other day. With the blood being hosed into the gutters, with the rise of an oppressive heat fed by the winds off of Lake Michigan, with Obedieh Brick on the 12th hour of "BREAKING NEWS," screaming about the need to grab the biggest gun one could and use it as the ultimate deterrent against the death gods from outer space. The haze and the fury was growing, but it was the same haze and fury as might be expected as Bedlam approached the dog days of summer. That is, until the brownstone on 3rd Street was cut in half. Those who were nearby would say it started as a "flash of black light," a half-second glimmer of palpable darkness. Curiosity turned to panic as the sound of crumbling brick and creaking steel filled the air, as gravity took hold on the building and rent it like a hunk of bread, causing it to list and tilt towards the buildings at either side. And from within, there was still that glimpse of brilliant darkness...

GM August 15th, 2016, 6.00PM An abandoned subway car, underneath Stark Hill... It was a remarkably pleasant dream that Osla Jonsson was abruptly jerked from. Standing on the half-rusted roof of the car, eyes twnkling as he met the groggy woman's gaze, was a man in furs and leather with red hair that flickered and shifted like fire underwater. "Osla. Dearest debtor." His voice, as usual, was full of a childish self-satisfaction at talking down to someone who could never hurt him. It was, admittedly, a rare thing for the nominally-bound trickster. He began to pace the roof, his illusory booted feet making no sound "I have decided not to wait, as I'd at first expected. An opportunity has presented itself already." He grinned down at the archer "You are going to attack a superhero tonight. Not directly," he frowned and his pacing grew more rapid "Your victim is none other than that most valiant and stalwart champion of unalloyed justice, the Hammer Thereof. I have no wish to lose such a valuable fish, so this battle while certain to rattle will serve you danger's most minutest dish." "He has a safehouse for some weapons and sensitive information that he cannot trust to Stark Hill." As he spoke, the man took out his dagger and began idly scratching at the wall with it "You are to go to it and destroy everything in it. How hardly matters to me, though a little self-preservation and restraint never hurt anyone. All I care about is that it is done, and done tonight." "That's all. Be a good girl and don't die. I could never keep a straight face in front of your father if I had to tell him." With a snicker, the man was gone. But the scratches on the wall remained. Garf-Stav corner. Remember, a Hammer falls...

OOC thread for this thread. A simple sabotage mission. Against the local Batman. @Ecalsneerg

7:15 AM, August 4th. In Bedlam’s halls of power, nothing ever changed. On the streets, little ever stayed the same. It was about six in the morning that the first early commuters noticed that the front windows of Rothstein’s Jewelers were, for the first time in living memory, totally empty. Most of them just put their gaze right back down on the pavement; not their problem, not when they couldn’t afford breakfast and wouldn’t get dinner either if they missed their shifts. A few dared to wonder if the place had gone out of business, but that seemed odd. Not even the youth gangs spray painting swastikas on the façade had been able to drive Saul Rothstein out, and a man who at eighty-one could still pressure-wash them off personally seemed too lively to just up and die. It wasn’t until seven that someone thought it was odd enough to bother calling the police, and then only by dumb luck. Adam McConnell, who taught at Thaddeus Grissom High, had been saving up for almost seven months to buy that wedding ring in the center window display, and he came by every morning like clockwork to remind himself why he kept trying in a job that was killing him. He knew Saul personally; the old man had a grandkid at Grissom, and had cut almost half off the ring’s price just for Adam. He knew that Saul would die in that store if he had his way. Nothing else would make him close up. Police response time in Stark Hill, even at the edges, was about five minutes; the Bedlam PD actually cared about white folks, if no one else. But as far as they were concerned, Rothstein didn’t really qualify. They saw no reason to hurry if some Jew got himself robbed. So at 7:15 Adam was still the only person who had bothered to stop outside the store, increasingly worried not just about Saul but about losing his job if he didn’t show up by eight. The question kept running through his mind, though: why hadn’t any of Saul’s alarms been tripped?

Power Level: 9 (158/175 PP) Trade-Offs: +1 Attack / -1 Damage (melee), +2 Attack / -2 Damage (ranged); +1 Defense / -1 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 17 In Brief: Daughter of the first Arrowhawk using Norse artifacts to fight crime Residence: Abandoned subway station underneath Stark Hill Base of Operations: Bedlam, Wisconsin Alternate Identity: Osla Jónsdóttir, Osla Jonsson Identity: Secret Birthplace: Upon the Bifrost, outside the gates of Asgard Occupation: Superhero/honourary Valkyrie Affiliations: Aesir, Arrowhawk I, Loki (grudgingly), Valkyries Family: John Fraser (Arrowhawk, father), Vivian Kriger (Valkyrie, mother, deceased) Description: Apparent Age: Early 20s Gender: Female Ethnicity: Scandinavian/Scot (Caucasian) Height: 6'0" Weight: 175 lbs Eyes: Blue-grey Hair: Golden blonde Osla is an imposing young woman; tall, broad, and muscular. She takes very much after her mother, with pale skin, piercing blue eyes, and long blonde hair she keeps in a tight plaited braid. Her physique is very much one borne of practicality, muscular and strong without making sacrifices in speed or agility. Her movements are precise and graceful, her hands and forearms scarred and nicked from a childhood in a wild, often unforgiving environment. Her features also come across as a little harsh, the lines of her jaw and cheeks lacking softness, especially with her hair pulled back tightly. In her uniform, Osla dons armour of black leather, with strike plates of a carbide composite segmented over the more vulnerable areas. The Arrowhawk emblem is emblazoned across her chest in a white-silver hue. Her cape is a dark grey, with a hood kept up over her hair. Her features are obscured beneath the hood with a black domino mask, throwing her ice-blue eyes into sharp contrast. The more modern Arrowhawk costume is contrasted by the Norse artifacts she wields. She wears fingerless gloves of an intricately small chainmail, each with four carved metal claws on the back, stopping at the knuckles. Her boots are a soft dark leather, lacing up the side and with scale mail over their tongues and toes, with a faint engraved hoof design on each individual scale. A bronzed belt coils around her waist, made of a narrow chain that loops around three times, fastening at the front with a snake's head with ruby eyes. She also hangs her quiver from her belt, a battered, elderly looking construction of worn brown leather and fraying stitching. When not fighting crime, Osla favours simple, practical clothes; wearing thrift store work boots and worn blue jeans alongside flannel shirts and leather jackets. She often carries a shoulder satchel containing a couple of knifes or axes in case something happens and she isn't otherwise armed. Power Descriptions: Osla's heritage hasn't particularly given her many innate abilities. Her sight and vision is clear and sharp, and her health hale, resistant to the ravages of the time and the cold. If she inherited anything from either parent, it was a great physical prowess, being as strong, fast and tough as some of the greatest warriors with twice her experience, taking to combat and to woodmanship like a duck takes to water. Somewhat reluctantly, she has accepted gifts from the trickster god, Loki, to aid her in her efforts upon Midgard. Fenrir's Gauntlets imbue her with near-superhuman strength, allowing her to lift nearly half a ton without breaking a sweat, and hurl grown men around like ragdolls. Sleipnir's Shoes bolster her speed, allowing her to outpace the fastest steed, and keep pace with cars at a dead sprint. The enchantment on the Cincture of Jormungandr lets her obfuscate herself from view, obscuring the sight and scent of her from all but the most observant. All of these are also enchanted such that only a worthy warrior can wield them, someone willing to defend the weak and innocent, and also to battle those that would harm them both with violence and with terror. Her father also saw fit to give her her own suit to be Arrowhawk, based on modern fabrics and materials. The suit manages to be light-weight and easy to move in and don, while also being incredibly resilient. The hood can deflect a bullet of low enough calibre, and it's much less armoured than most of the suit. The most important part of her outfit is her bow. Named 'Arrowhawk' itself, it is enchanted to be able to strike even the intangible, and with the same restrictions upon its use as her raiment. It comes with a supply of enchanted arrows, able to burst into flames upon striking, cover a target in impenetrable icy bonds, or even explode like the lightning of Thor himself. The body and strings are also reinforced to allow Orheidr to not just be used as an improvised weapon, but as one in deadly earnest, able to deliver repeated blows with Osla's enhanced strength without taking damage. She also has a limited supply of arrows carved from fragments of the Bifrost, allowing her to punch temporary rifts in the fabric of the Nine Realms, stepping from one to another like walking through a door. History: Some years ago, Vivien Kriger, the Valkyrie, emissary to Midgard of the Allfather, was slain in battle with Doktor Archeville in a period where he was consumed by madness. Tragically, she was pregnant at the time. Having embarked on a brief relationship with John Fraser, the first Arrowhawk, neither of them knew this at the time. But despite their dismissal of Kriger, the Aesir were not utterly without merciless, and so they allowed Osla to be born despite her mother's technical death. Children were a rarity in Asgard, and so Osla grew up among Einherjar and valkyries, among gods and beasts. Despite her great talent for physical pursuits, she didn't have the physique of a literal deity. Even after training for hours and hours, her skill would never surpass the Einherjar's skill won of lifetimes and lifetimes. And technically residing in the afterlife, she never knew her father. Her mother was seen as something of an embarrassment and an outcast by the Aesir. Osla grew up very lonely, and without much in the way of friends. So she listened to the stories her mother told her of the Arrowhawk, a man fighting in the shadows against the worst of mankind, not stopping to bask in the glory or honour of it. Surrounded by people who found glory and honour in things not savoury enough to merit it, she found this intriguing, and sought to emulate it. As was the nature of time in the Nine Realms, Osla grew up within a few Midgard years, and was allowed to become a valkyrie. But their treatment of her mother chafed, and the condescension over her mortal nature hurt even more. But one day, a visiting member of another pantheon, the Heliopolitans, came to speak to her. Set informed her of the looming threat of Typhon, Father of Monsters, and his assault on the mortal realms. And of how he needed to recruit mortal warriors to do so, and of how one of them would be her father, if only he could get her across to Midgard... Without the resources and weapons her mother had been given, then stripped of; and without the backing of the gods to get across the Bifrost, Set took her to Loki. They made an open-ended deal. He would provide weapons and tools with which to fight, and a means to cross the Realms. She would in return do him a few favours, one day in the future... Reluctantly she accepted, and finally reunited with her father, and was shocked to find out the stories were true, but not quite so glorious. He was a sad, lonely old man, and didn't even know she'd been born. Making up for some lost time, they spent months together, before she broached the subject of doing what he did. After a few months more, he finally acceded, giving her the blessing to take up the Arrowhawk name and go to Bedlam City, in the hope of providing what aid she could to the denizens of this, one of the most blighted and dangerous places on Midgard. Personality & Motivation: Osla is a by and large a direct, motivated person. She favours economy of action, and of speech, often coming off as blunt and reserved because of it. The task in front of her is the most important thing to her. Osla's watchwords are stubbornness and directness; she's a doer even to the exclusion of tactics and in some cases even foresight. Her very isolated upbringing and the necessity of the arduous training and work needed to keep up with her near-superhuman companions has led her to place very little value on social interaction. As such, on those occasions where she does wish to be social and have companionship and friendship, she is less task-focused, but also quite awkward and inarticulate. Much of her motivation comes from her perception of never being quite good enough. Her parents' careers, the powers of the Aesir she grew up among, and the martial skill of the einherjar and valkyries have led her to have skewed perspectives on her in no way inconsequential martial prowess and combat effectiveness. But what primarily drives Osla is a sense of kinship with the underdog. She didn't enjoy being treated like the runt, like a mistake, and takes great umbrage with others being treated in the same way. This is why she chose to go to Bedlam, even if she doesn't quite consciously register it: she doesn't believe the city is beyond saving, or that it isn't worth the effort to do so. Complications: A More Civilised Weapon for a Bygone Age: The disadvantage of Arrowhawk using arrows as a primary means of attack is that this is 2016. Arrows are bulkier, and if they run out due to being much more limited in how much ammunition can be carried, restocking is only possible in a select few stores. And much of Osla's arsenal of magical, and thus can only be replenished if she spends time creating more in her downtime, not by simply walking into a sporting goods store. Deal With The Devil: In order to even be on Midgard, in order to be armed and equipped to deal with the worst it has to offer, to be the Arrowhawk, Osla was forced to make an open-ended deal with the Norse trickster deity Loki. In exchange for being able to cross worlds, and for being armed, Loki has the right to ask a number of favours of her. He's not foolish, though, and will tend to ask her for things she'd likely agree to anyway even if it didn't further his own ends. Double-Edged Arrowhead: As the second Arrowhawk, Osla inherits a fearsome reputation, but also the downsides of the legacy: organized crime the English speaking world over knows the Arrowhawk will come for them. As such, mafia families may have specific preparations for archers, or even come gunning for her personally. Has To Win The War, Not Just The Battle: Osla doesn't quite understand the sheer level of institutional rot and endemic corruption in Bedlam, and as such hasn't come to terms with the fact she may not be able to save the city. As such, she deeply struggles with the idea of a tactical withdrawal, and outright won't run away. This can lead to her being dragged out of hopeless fights, or only staggering away into the dark after enduring grievous and needless injury. Never Quite Good Enough: For all her skill, for all her power, Osla can't quite come to terms with the idea she's perfectly worthy of both her parents' mantles. She feels she isn't skilled or moral enough to take up either, and as such is driven to prove herself worthy of feats of great martial skill and derring-do, even if it would be smarter or less dangerous to those around her to stop and reconsider her actions. Stranger In A Strange Land: While Osla has been on Midgard a few months now, she still grew up on Asgard. As such, things we take for granted, she has no familiarity with, like how to drive or how to reset the wi-fi. She knows what these things do, but isn't practiced or particularly skilled in how to make them do it. As such, she cannot Drive at all, and any modern technology she uses a little slowly and haltingly for any task which is more complex than being able to read and press buttons. Additionally, her identification is fake and she doesn't have a legal birth certificate or Social Security number. ABILITIES: 8 + 8 + 10 + 2 + 2 + 4 = 34PP Strength: 22/18 (+6/+4) Dexterity: 18 (+4) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 14 (+2) COMBAT: 14 + 12 = 26PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +7 Base, +10 melee, +11 bow Grapple: +14/+17 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -4/2 SAVING THROWS: 4 + 4 + 8 = 16PP Toughness: +8 (+4 Con, +4 Protection) Fortitude: +9 (+5 Con, +4) Reflex: +8 (+4 Dex, +4) Will: +9 (+1 Wis, +8) SKILLS: 68R = 17PP Acrobatics 2 (+6) Bluff 4 (+6/+10) Diplomacy 0 (+2/+6) Gather Information 8 (+10) Intimidate 12 (+14) Knowledge [Theology and Philosophy] 4 (+5) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 4 (+5) Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+5) Language 1 (Old Norse [Native], English) Medicine 4 (+5) Notice 9 (+10) Perform [string instruments] 3 (+5) Sense Motive 9 (+10) Stealth 11 (+15) Survival 9 (+10) FEATS: 23PP Accurate Attack Attack Focus (melee) 3 Attack Specialization (bow) 2 Attractive 1 Beginner's Luck Benefit (Reputation: Arrowhawk) Dodge Focus 4 Equipment 0 + 4 [Veteran Reward] Evasion Fearless Luck 2 Move-By Action Quick Draw Startle Takedown Attack Track Uncanny Dodge [auditory] Equipment (20ep/20ep): Dane Axe: Strike 2 (Feats: Improved Critical, Mighty, Thrown) [5ep] Grappling Hook Pistol: Super-Movement 2 (slow fall, swinging) [4ep] Other equipment: Flashlight, Masterwork violin [2ep] HQ: Abandoned Subway Car and Station: 9ep Size: Small; Toughness: 10; Features: Communications, Concealed 2 [+10 DC to find], Gym, Living Space, Security System 2 [DC25], Workshop POWERS: 4 + 16 + 14 + 1 + 3 = 38PP Device 1 (5PP Container, Flaws: Hard to Lose [-1]) [4PP] (Arrowhawk Costume) Protection 3 (Feats: Second Chance [Toughness save vs bullet damage], Second Chance [Toughness save vs conventional blades]) [5PP] (armour) Device 5 (25PP Container, Flaws: Easy to Lose [-2], Feats: Restricted [only the worthy]) [16PP] (Orheidr) Bow & Magic Arrows Array 9 (18PP Array, Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Alternate Power 5) [25PP] Base Power: Blast 3 (standard arrows, Feats: Improved Critical, Improved Range [75' increment], Mighty 4, Progression [750' maximum range], Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) [14PP] (arrow, magic, variable) Alternate Power: Blast 3 (rapid arrows, Extras: Autofire [7]; Flaws: Action - Full; Feats: Improved Critical, Improved Range [75' increment], Mighty 4, Progression [750' maximum range], Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) [18PP] (arrow, magic, variable) Alternate Power: Blast 3 (flaming arrow, Extras: Secondary Effect [7], Feats: Mighty 4) [17PP] Alternate Power: Dazzle 6 (thunderbolt arrow; visual and auditory, Extras: Area - Burst [+1]) [18PP] Alternate Power: Snare 7 (ice arrow) [14PP] Alternate Power: Strike 2 (bow strike, Feats: Extended Reach, Improved Critical, Mighty) [4PP] Device 3 (15PP Container, Flaws: Hard to Lose [-1], Feats: Indestructible, Restricted [only the worthy]) [14PP] (Raiment of the Trickster) Fenrir's Gauntlets Enhanced Feats 2 (apply Affects Insubstantial 2 to unarmed strike) [2PP] Enhanced Strength 4 [4PP] (magic) Super-Strength 1 (Heavy load: 1/2 ton) [2PP] (magic) Cincture of Jormungandr Concealment 4 (normal visual and all olfactory; Flaws: Blending [-1], Passive [-1], Feats: Close Range) [3PP] (illusion, magic) Sleipnir's Shoes Leaping 2 (x5 distance, 80'/40'/20' jump) [2PP] (magic) Speed 2 (25MPH) [2PP] (magic) Immunity 2 (aging, cold, Flaws: Limited to half effect [-1]) [1PP] (divine, valkyrie) Super-Senses 3 (extended hearing [x10], extended vision [x10], low-light vision) [3PP] (divine, valkyrie) DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Gauntlets Touch DC21 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Arrows Ranged DC22 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Blast (fire) Ranged DC22 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy: Fire), Secondary Effect Dazzle Area [Burst] DC21 Reflex Blinded/Deafened Snare Ranged DC22 Reflex (Staged) Entangled Strike Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) TOTALS Abilities (34) + Combat (26) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (21) + Feats (23) + Powers (38) - Drawbacks (0) = 158/175 Power Points