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GM Vector November 28th, 2013, 12.04AM, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Sounding like a gurgling throat, the black waves beat and crashed against the dock. Their motion and power kept the small ship constantly moving despite thick lines mooring it to the heavy concrete and steel. The crew aboard it were crouched against the gunwales, watching the narrow road that quickly vanished into darkness until the main dock lights glared in a cacophony of hellish orange, occasionally shining on a truck rumbling past. Each time one passed by, they visibly tensed, only to relax as it disappeared. Then one turned. It was unmarked, save for a simple, generic logo on the sides proclaiming that it worked for one of the smaller shipping companies out of Gold Coast. It rumbled to a halt before the pier, and the back door swung open to disgorge several heavily-built men who looked about as nervous as the men on the boat, who scrambled to assist with loading long, heavy boxes from the boat into the truck. The driver remained in the cabin, but Vector could see that his eyes were wide behind the balaclava, and his knuckles were white on the wheel. With a dull thud one of the boxes fell from hands that were slick with sweat, and every last man there froze. As one they turned to look at the crate, and sagged with relief. Then glared at the one who had dropped it. "S-sorry" mumbled the man, looking askance as he reshouldered his burden "I just...not used to this stuff, won't happen again" "It better not" snapped a man thinner and more terrified than the rest who seemed to be in charge "None of us wanna get turned into dog food 'cause ya got nervous!" The unloading hurried along, everyone there desperately hoping they could finish their work quickly enough not to be seen first... Graft November 27th, 2013, 8.04AM, Waterfront, Freedom City, USA Tyrone had started hearing about the shipments only a couple of days ago. It had seemed like a normal, generic kind of freight truck that bustled about the metropolis until some of his patients had opened it, and decided to try and steal one of the boxes. Luckily they had survived the strange explosion with his help. Their muddled memory of the event had been light on a lot of details, but their description of the truck meant Graft recognized it at once when he saw it. Or at least one eerily like it. There hadn't been any companies registered with the brand emblazoned on the side(a red circle with a lightning bolt through the center), and the warehouse it stopped at had obviously not been properly used in the last decade, at the least. Rust hung on the main door as it creaked open, and the windows were cracked. Sure were a lot of very fit, very edgy-looking young men though. And the elongated bulges in their winter coats did nothing to make them suspicious. Stormbreaker November 27th, 2013, 8.04AM, Skies above the Waterfront, Freedom City, USA "Captain, ladyship!" barked the voice of Age's Lost's science officer, their multi-faceted eyes gleaming in the light of several data readouts on the bridge "I've got some kind of unusual energy signature, from the hyplothadrooga scanners it appears to follow the main wavelength associated with...Terminus radiation. Odd. A significant cluster of the energy sources is directly inside this structure." spindly fingers brought up a crisp picture of one of the innumerable warehouses far below. A large red rectangle pulsed in the center. "Shall we investigate, captain Silvia? I believe this is very atypical for Earth technology." the science officer's face nearly shone with hopeful curiosity.

OOC thread for Phantasmagore appears threatening Farside City, and there's a band of heroes ready to take him down!

GM April 1st, 2013. 11.45 AM Bridge of the Grievance Heart, In orbit of the Far Side of the Moon The red-skinned creature in the squat chair was thin and almost overcome by the folds, swaths and shadows of its voluminous red/black cloak and long green robe. Lean as a rail and with a narrow face drawn tight over its malleable skull supported by a hand cushioned with a supple black glove, two green eyes blazing luminously. The room about ihm was dark and cold, ancient metal supporting a myriad of viewscreens that droned out endless reports in languages even older. The lights scattered around the floor and ceiling burned with a crystalline blue, giving the place a mysterious cast that Phantasmagore, Grue Arcane and master wizard, liked immensely. He stared at the viewscreen directly before the chair once held by some forgotten child of the stars, gazing thoughtfully at the warm blue and green and brown circle shining in the distance, and from it to the gray fields of rock and dust of the satellite kilometers away, from them to the glittering city of spires in the smooth crater. 'No reason to overplay myself' the Grue thought placidly, tapping a nearby button that sent a roar of power into the engines of the Grievance Heart, one-time superweapon of the Lor Imperial Armada, and propelled the enormous angular craft serenely towards Farside City! One hour later... "Attention, people of Earth!" thundered the voice from every loudspeaker in Freedom City, as the unmistakable face of a Grue appeared on every screen. Glaring out at his audience, Phantasmagore stood in the middle of a mystic light show, rearing up to his full height as the wizard's robe swirled in a mysterious breeze. Pointing a hand at the screen, the alien mage declared "I have the city on the Moon in the sights of hundred-kiloton cannons, a full plasma battery and a planet-cracking beam. I dare you to stop me before I reduce your precious satellite to a cloud of dust! And by the way..." an ironic smile appeared smoothly as his face grew a mouth "If I detect anyone from the Freedom League, I will not hesitate to take action. The very best of luck to you!" With a faint electronic whine, the signal hijacking ceased and his image vanished. Approximately ten minutes and an emergency conference later, the Freedom League had sent out a quick series of coded messages to AEGIS headquarters and Director Harry Powers, a dispatch to the star galleon Ages Lost, Johnny Rocket raced to the door of Henry Mason, and Jennifer Fray at FLSCH(Freedom League Special Circumstances Housing) received a very terse call. All of them were directed to the same point, almost 20,000 feet above the city and directly above Freedom Hall..

Player Name: Blue Rose Character Name: Captain Silvia the Stormbreaker Power Level: 12 (153/177PP) Trade-Offs: Attack/Damage (Variable) Unspent Power Points: 24 Progress To Silver Status: 27/60 (Bronze Status earned with >Kit) In Brief: Former mystical space dragon turned mystical space pirate. Alternate Identity: Notus the Summer Breeze (lost) Identity: Public Birthplace: Wyrmward Gate Occupation: Intergalactic space pirate Affiliations: South Wind Pirates Family: None by blood Description: Age: Ancient Apparent Age: 34 Gender: Female (originally sexless) Ethnicity: Apparently caucasian Height: 5'6" Weight: 132 lbs Eyes: Green Hair: Blonde Captain Silvia, or Stormbreaker as has become her more common name when doing battle on Earth, looks nothing like a giant space lizard/deity. In fact, archaic dress aside, she looks like a perfectly normal human woman in her mid thirties, attractive but not extraordinary. A lean, slender body with a light layer of athlete's muscle beneath a face framed by shoulder-length, wavy flaxen hair. Her full features would likely be cheerful and pleasant, were they to move normally. They don't; a fact that's undeniable on sight, yet hard to pin down. The way her face expresses itself, the way she moves, it's all odd, unnatural, inhuman. It's all controlled and graceful, to be sure, but more akin to some breed of predator. Perhaps a cornered, feral cat. Even when supposedly "relaxed", her face appears constantly wary and her body is always ready to strike. Adding to the appearance is a slightly inhuman set of teeth, not monstrous, but seeming rather more fang-like than is the norm. Her bicuspids in particular are long and sharp, though the right front bicuspid is cut short. Her usual attire might have been considered the height of warrior's fasshion once upon a time, centuries ago, were it a time that accepted women in such a line of work as inserting long pieces of metal into people they don't like. Nowadays, it looks expensive if not high class and highly eccentric, though perhaps less so than those who go around in public wearing rubber pajamas. She wears an entirely functional chain shirt visible beneath her outer garments, usually some manner of gold- or silver-embroidered vest in a rich blue, violet, or green and all manner of battle-appropriate jewelry, from belt buckles designed in intricate knots of steel to amulets and clasps in the shape of various leaves, nuts, and emblems. On her back, she always wears a heavy cloak, less prone to billowing in the wind than many heroes', and always tilted to the left, covering her left arm. Or rather, the vacant air that would be her right arm; it was cut off past the elbow. And capping off the entire ensemble is a shining rapier of the highest quality, its hilt twisting in patterns of blue steel roses. A work of art as much as a weapon, but well-used regardless. Power Descriptions: Silvia's powers, relatively limited though they may be, revolve around the wind. As one normally can't see air, there is little to describe; she swings her sword, one does not see the shockwave flying through the air, and then a gash appears on her target. Her presence also calms the weather immediately around her. Nothing flashy, but one does tend to take notice when, in the middle of a hurricane, a woman walks along, everything around her hit by nothing more than a light drizzle. Expanding 'power' to 'property,' her most impressive possession is the Ages Lost, her ship. Her space ship, in fact, though it looks very much like a much larger, fancier version of a Spanish galleon. Just floating in the sky. And made of golden dragon scales. And equipped with an exterior hyperdrive. But that aside, it is much like a galleon on the exterior, even including a fully-functional weatherdeck, solar sails, and mooring lines, though the anchor is unlike anything seen on Earth; a large bulb with a gravity lock to hold itself in place, allowing it to anchor to empty space and sky. History: Notus the Summer Breeze. A dragon. A timeless, nigh godlike entity that took up residence in the Red Belt; a sector in space so named as a result of merchants' losses trying to conduct business in the area, only to lose their product to the storms. A calm spirit of the winds, Notus' presence brought peace to a section of the Red Belt large enough for trade to pass through. This place became known as Wyrmward Gate, and those reverent to the dragon (mainly some humans it had taken with it as its own personal cult) were permitted to settle on the now-habitable planets in the area, where they profitted greatly from their position on a now-vital trade route. Where Notus came from before settling in the Red Belt, no one knows. Even it did not recall, or at least did not care to answer when asked. The real story, however, is fairly uninteresting to those not studying the more esoteric aspects of the multiverse. This dragon was never born. Nor was it made. It was one of the oldest entities in the universe, and like life itself, simply came into being by... whatever it is that created all life in the universe. Will of God, natural processes, burgeoning cosmic ley lines, tap dancing pixies, or something of the sort. But some how, some cosmic storm took to consuming meteors and other spacial munchies, then excreting star dust and repeating the cycle, growing increasingly complex in the process over the course of eons, slowly gaining sapience as it drifted about the universe until it coalesced into the form of the godlike dragon, Notus. A living, intelligent being, in a manner of speaking, but so far removed from conventional mortals as to make the status meaningless. Once it landed in the Red Belt, it stayed for centuries. A choice. Perhaps the first real, fully-cognizent choice it had ever made; merely maintaining its own massive existence was an enormous feat, and the creature normally operated on instinct alone. So it found a nice place for a rest, sometimes chatting, sometimes hording, sometimes fending off invaders, but mostly sleeping and feeding on the Red Belt's hot gases and unstable energies, its mere presence bringing great fortune and rendering entire planets warm and fertile. Then, he came. Serge the Swordsmith, a warrior and craftsman of legendary pedigree, and one ruthlessly dedicated to his craft. First, he attacked by surprise, a single strike that claimed a single fang. It seemed like nothing at first; a grave insult, but no threat, but that was incorrect. With that piece of the great dragon, Serge was able to forge an incredible weapon, melding it with other stolen elements to create Fang of Five Dragons, one of the mightiest blades in the galaxy, whose creation syphoned much of the dragons power, in addition to it being an absolute defense against its power. In the second attack, Notus was defenseless; protected by the Fang of Five Dragons, the Swordsmith crushed the godlike being and this time, he claimed its left forelimb and left the creature to die. He began forging the limb into Lash of Four Winds, a yet mightier blade whose creation drained still more of Notus' power, reducing it to almost nothing (comparatively speaking), not even enough to retain her form, or her life. With her power gone and her wounds fatal, the Red Belt began to encroach on the gate once more, dooming the planets within to certain annihilation. Evacuations were conducted as best as possible, though growing storms destroyed many evacuation ships. However, a number of Notus' most loyal worshippers gathered, calling on great magics to save their god's life the only way they could. The vessel, the giant lizard? It was damaged beyond repair, yet it could be consumed, absorbed to create a new vessel for the creature's soul. A human vessel. Many sacrificed their lives in the ritual, and even once it was done, they had no way off the doomed planet and the former dragon's powers now failed to reach even a hundred feet. Thankfully, the survivors included several skilled spacefarers and a talented shipwright, and they gathered many of the dragon's shed scales, fashioning it into a crude ship (they made it a thing of beauty later). With the scales amplifying the human captain's power, they safely ignored the storms and escaped. Soon after, they took up their chosen profession, harassing the aggressive, oppressive nations in their quadrant, attacking their warships and stealing their goods for resale to more benevolent allies. A lucrative business, and they survived by fleeing into ion storms and destructive anomolies where they couldn't be followed, thanks to the power of their captain, who took the name Silvia and was given the title Stormbreaker. Her greatest goal, however, was to retrieve the swords made of her body, to regain her power, but the Swordsmith was a slippery one, especially with his masterwork incomplete. She eventually received word of those dealing with him taking base on Earth, a planet she barely remembered from the time before her transformation. There, she arrived to continue her old ways; thrashing evil, knicking their less intergalactically illegal stuff (and research notes as well), then selling it to the highest unobjectionable bidder. In the case of information, sometimes several times. The thrashing of evil was well received, though the knicking of stuff caused considerably more strife. To smooth such things over, she has people. She has a manager and an agent, both to work on her image both publically and within the crimefighting community, and to determine which villains are particularly worthy of an eye, due to the high value of their posessions. Both goods and clients are gauged carefully, and any particularly uppity hero who dare call her a soulless mercenary crook or some sort can get a nice, long look at the ledger for the ten million she received for sale of a dimensional generator a couple weeks back- formerly used to store enough poison gas to wipe out all of Freedom City, now being used to evacuate the population of a planet suffering natural ash storms violent enough to render it nigh-uninhabitable. Twenty million to medical research. Thirty million to educational programs. Forty million to funds meant to repair damage from supercrime in locations not fortunate enough to have their own guardian spirit. Five million to local works projects, including a much-needed renovation to South Freedom Elementary's library. And of course, a few million cut out for parts and fuel for her ship, food and supplies for her crew. And some new furniture for her room, a very nice new set of boots, a feast or five that wouldn't be out of place atop Mount Olympus... hey, there's nothing wrong with a little cut for personal foibles. Personality & Motivation: The dragon Notus was tired. Eternally tired. Even when awake, it was always at the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by its own physical and magical magnitude. There was much it aspired to do, yet it was always too weary, even with its infinite time. And every time it woke up, it was to the sound of hundreds of worshippers. Now, as a human, she is awake, and free to indulge in ambition to her heart's content. She does not stop and muse; she takes action, pouring all she has into everything she deems worth doing, eager to explore the world. Unfortunately, she's also used to mortals deferring to her in absolute reverence. She's gotten used to this no longer being the case, more or less, but insolence will still raise her ire far too swiftly. She also learns with exceptional speed, and takes great pride in this, always eager to compete in any field and grow stronger. She especially can't resist a challenge to a duel. Powers & Tactics: Face foe. Stab foe. If they are far away, cut the sky from afar. If there are many foes, engulf them all in slashing winds. If they're flying in the sky, slam them down to Earth. If the fight's in the open air, call in Ages Lost and blow the foe away with the cannons, then take the baddies' stuff and sell it. Silvia relies on mundane swordplay as much as powers, using them as a supplement rather than a replacement. Her wind powers, while useful, are far from the most impressive, though her ship is considerably more imposing. Either way, her means are rarely subtle. Complications: One Arm: The dragon Notus had its left forelimb lopped off, and the wound persisted into the human vessel, Captain Silvia. Although she can fight just fine with one arm, it does have its down sides. Draconic Arrogance: Silvia is used to being worshipped by mortals, and the bulk of her crew is still composed of survivors of her cult. While she's learned a little bit about how to have reasonable expectations of humans who don't worship her, she is brittle and easily insulted. Brash: Silvia's is a bold and adventurous spirit, still used to being a nigh-invincible dragon, even after that's been disproven. As such, with her newfound energy, she is far too apt to jump into a dangerous situation without a plan or go off and do something foolhardy simply because it's interesting. Enemies: The South Wind Pirates, Silvia's crew, are pirates known for taking on the most ruthless empires in the galaxy. As such, the bounty on the captain's head is astronomical. Unstable Cash Flow: While generally quite wealthy, Silvia's funds come from large, sporadic bursts of precious (legal) technology or information that she then sells to relatively trustworthy buyers. This is profitable, but inconsistent, and while she's still acquisitive as any dragon, she has also recently discovered the joys of spending money in vast quantities, meaning despite her incredible income and resources, she occasionally finds herself completely broke and struggling to even feed her crew. Duelist's Pride: Silvia's is a highly competetive spirit, eager to prove herself in any manner of competition. She has trouble turning down a direct challenge, especially if it's a fair sword duel. No tricks, no powers. Wind Reader: Sound is merely vibrations in the air. As such, Silvia is particularly aware of them, and far more vulnerable. Various sounds may effect her far more than her peers, in ways they could not possibly be affected. A shrill shriek her compatriots cannot even hear may bring her to her knees, and an enchanted song to bring her team into a daze may enthrall her outright. Abilities: 10 + 2 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 0 = 26PP Strength: 20 (+5) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +1 Attack: +4, +10 w/ Blast, +12 w/ Sword Grapple: +9, +16 w/ Hands of Air Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5, -3 flat-footed Saving Throws: 5 + 6 + 6 = 17PP Toughness: +10 (+3 Con, +4 Defensive Roll, +3 Chain Mail), +6 flat-footed Fortitude: +8 (+3 Con, +5) Reflex: +7 (+1 Dex, +6) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) Skills: 48R = 12PP Acrobatics 5 (+6) Skill Mastery Escape Artist 5 (+6) Intimidate 10 (+10) Skill Mastery Knowledge (Arcane) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Business) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Technology) 3 (+5) Notice 5 (+7) Skill Mastery Pilot 14 (+15) Skill Mastery Feats: 29PP Attack Specialization 4: Sword Benefit 3 (Crew, Wealth 2) Defensive Roll 2 Dodge Focus 6 Equipment 12 (60 EP: Sword [5], Chain Mail [3], Ages Lost [52]-Space Vehicle) Quick Draw Skill Mastery: Acrobatics, Intimidate, Notice, Pilot Ages Lost (Vehicle)Size: Colossal [4EP] Strength: 50 (medium load 8 tons, hvy load 12 tons, max load 24 tons) [0EP] Defense: 2 [0EP] Toughness: 13 [0EP] Feature: [1EP] Remote Control Powers: [26 + 21 = 47EP] Blast 12 (PFs: Accurate 2) [26 EP] Flight 7 (1,000 mph/10,000 feet per Move action) [14 EP] Space Travel 7 (100c) [7 EP] Chain Mail (Protection 3) [3 EP] Sword (Damage 3 [Feats: Improved Critical, Mighty]) [5EP] Powers: 6 + 3 + 10 + 7 + 27 = 53PP Environmental Control 3 (Calm Weather + Provide Breathable Air, 25-ft. radius) [6PP] (Stormbreak, Magic) Enhanced Environmental Control 3 (to Environmental Control 6 [250-ft. radius]; Calm Weather + Provide Breathable Air; Flaws: Only on Ages Lost) [3PP] (Enhanced Stormbreak, Magic) Flight 5 (250 mph / 2,500 ft. per move action) [10PP] (Wind Rider, Magic, Wind) Super Senses 7 (Accurate Auditory Sense [2], Extended 2 on all auditory senses [4], Ultra-Hearing) [7PP] (Wind Reader, Magic) Wind & Air Magics 12 (24 points; PFs: Alternate Power 3) [27PP] Base Power: Blast 10 (Extras: Homing, Accurate 3, Alternate Power 3) [27PP] (Sky Cutter, Magic, Wind) Alternate Power: Move Object 8 (Str 40 [med load 2 tons, hvy load 3 tons, max load 6 tons]; Extras: Range [Perception]) [24/24PP] (Hand of Air, Magic, Wind) Alternate Power: Nullify Flight 10 (Extras: Range [Perception]) [20/24PP] (Downdraft, Magic, Wind) Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Extras: Area [50-ft. Burst]) [20/24PP] (Slicing Gale, Magic, Wind) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECTUnarmed Touch DC20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Sword Touch DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Sky Cutter Ranged DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Magic/Wind) Slicing Gale 50' Burst DC20 Ref/DC25Tough(Staged) Damage (Magic/Wind) Downdraft Perception DC20 Will/Effect Nullify Flight (Magic/Wind) Hand of Air Perception +8 Disarm/Trip/Grapple Move Object (Magic/Wind) HoA (Thrown Object) Perception DC23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (26) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (17) + Skills (12) + Feats (29) + Powers (53) - Drawbacks (0) = 153/177 Power Points