Search the Community

Early Summer 2021 Strange noises often came from the vast honeycomb hives of the giant bees, towering as they did as probably the tallest artificial structures on this planet these days. Songs and dances like distant rumbling thunder, noises of birth and death and a million other things, one sometimes learned to tune them out. At least until a giant bee comes buzzing in, loud as a helicopter and long as a truck, zooming in overhead and landing in a large green space in the midst of human dwellings, roughly equidistant from the homes of the guardians of this planet. It was Super-Bee, wearing her domino mask large enough to cover the front of a Mack Truck. "HEROEZ!" she buzzed. "I HAVE CAUGHT AN INTERLOPER!" Sure enough, she seemed to be holding a struggling human pinned against the thick, sticky hairs on the side of her leg. "HE CAME FROM ZOME PLAZE WE COULD NOT ZEE!"

Late July 2021 Freedom Hall Okay thought Ashley, looking at her helmeted face in the women's bathroom mirror. It's just a normal briefing as part of a larger team meeting. You're going to introduce yourself, say you hope we'll have a good working relationship, and tell them what happened with Revere. We're all adults here and we're not going to fight over territory. Under normal circumstances, she'd have gone in without the mask and secret identity, but there was no reason in the world to have the Freedom League looking into the affairs or for that matter recent professional whereabouts of Secret Service Agent Ashley Tran. She took out her phone and texted a quick Going in. Talk to you later, babe. ? to an anonymous number that routed out to the depths of space before turning off her phone, putting it in her jacket pocket, and tugging it down to match the lines of her costume. No use looking like an ass. With that, and with a deep breath, she walked out of the bathroom, walked down the hall, and headed into the Freedom League meeting room.

It was warm where she was, warm like a sunny afternoon even though there was no light. She could barely move, surrounded on all sides by the darkness, but it didn't bother her. There was no need to move, not when she could just rest, and drift, and let the hurting fade away. Something bad had happened, she remembered vaguely. Something had hurt so much, something had been so scary. It was all gone now, though, and it didn't seem very important. Time passed, minutes or hours or days. She thought she slept, but it was impossible to tell sleep from awake. She could feel her body knitting back together. Sometimes she thought she talked to people or things she could not see, and they told her important things that she couldn't really remember or understand. Maybe that was sleeping too. It was nice. Eventually she became aware of a change in her world. Everything was still dark, everything was still close, but the closeness was softer now, more like being wrapped in blankets than tucked into an egg. The sudden deafening noise of her own heartbeat startled her; she hadn't noticed its absence until just then. She sucked in an involuntary breath, something else she hadn't been aware of not doing, her body jerking with the abrupt resumption of essential activities. The movement seemed to trigger something or break something, and suddenly the closeness was gone, replaced by air and cold and LIGHT! She gasped as her eyes opened, memory and energy and sensation all flowing back in one overwhelming rush! It had taken hours for anything to happen at all after Tarrant had carefully placed the earthen pod containing his friend's body into the newly-tilled soil of one of Mayberry's most distant fields. As dawn crept over the horizon, a tiny sprout had appeared, growing steadily as the hours passed. Over the course of two days it had grown to the side of a cornstalk, then broadened until it was the size of a small tree, for all it was obviously intent on blooming one single, perfect flower. The flower bud started out the size of a basketball and grew to the size of a truck tire before bending towards the ground under its own weight, still growing. Just before dusk on the second day, the furled bud of the flower finally began to move. It gave a single convulsive jerk and then opened wide, spilling out its occupant. Stesha, totally healed, nude as the day she was born, and tangled in her own green hair, rolled the few inches to the ground with a soft thud and lay there on her back, looking around wildly.

In some ways, going to Claremont Academy was like going to any high school. There was plenty of academic work, meals in the cafeteria, sports, dances, all the same drudgery and fun that any teenager could expect from their education. In other ways, though, it was very different. Not all students, for instance, got signed up to do after-school study with members of the Freedom League! Patrol with the Freedom League was something of a pilot program this year. The Claremont students got to experience patrolling the city with experienced heroes who could offer tips and answer questions, and the League members got to serve their community and build ties with the school. It seemed destined to be a winning combination. At least, Stesha certainly hoped it was going to be. Fleur de Joie had been a vocal proponent of the program, and she was eager enough to see it succeed that she volunteered to take the first patrol shift. When she'd gotten the profiles of the students she'd be working with, well, it had been easy to decide who she'd ask to work with her. Tiamat seemed a natural fit, and it would probably be very entertaining to watch her interacting with the kids. Claremont patrols started fairly early, around 9pm, so at 8:45 Stesha was waiting outside the school gymnasium, wearing her costume and browsing through the League's text-tip line to see if anything might be brewing tonight. "Well, here we go," she murmured to Tiamat while they waited for the students. "Ready to teach the next generation?"

June, 2017 There aren't a lot of things in Sanctuary that look at space. Maybe there should be, after the pirate attack a few years ago, but honestly that was repulsed easily enough that most of the citizens of Sanctuary paid it never-no-mind. They had Fleur de Joie, they had Gabriel, they had Gaian Knight, the giant bees, all their other strange protectors from other dimensions - why worry? And so it was that when the giant silver spaceship descended through the atmosphere on a direct course to Mayberry, close at hand to Fleur de Joie's house, hardly anyone realized it was coming until it had arrived in the upper atmosphere - and the locals weren't immediately inclined to panic. It hovered there visible by binoculars and the sharp naked eye, spinning slowly around its central axis, looking for all the world like a shiny chrome flying saucer from a science fiction movie of the 1950s, even down to extraneous fins placed in each quadrant. From above, with its tall central axis, it might have looked a bit like a compass. When reached by radio, the ship's feminine voice was tinny and old-fashioned too, sounding oddly like it was coming from a vacuum tube radio. "Greetings from the Stellar Ochlocracy! We come bringing gifts to facilitate relations! Where may we land?" The vessel was good-sized, at five hundred feet long, close to the length of a US Navy destroyer.

Gaian Knight Power Level: 15 (250/250 pp) [252] Trade-Offs: -3 Defense / +3 Toughness Unspent PP: 0 In Brief: Professor given powers over the earth by unknown forces, just out to do some good in the world. Alternate Identity: Tarrant David McLeod Identity: Secret Birthplace: United States, West Coast Occupation: Professor of Earth Sciences, Freedom City University Affiliations: Sanctuary, Freedom City University, The Freedom League Family: Parents (west coast), Brother (location unknown; estranged) Sidekick: Tiamat Description: Age: 33 (DoB: October 1984) Gender: male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 6' Weight: 190 lbs. Eyes: green (now flecked with gold) Hair: brown A tall man seeming to be in his late twenties to early thirties, Tarrant's quite fit but not overly muscular - he looks more like someone who spends a lot of time outdoors than someone who hits the gym five days a week. Short brown hair tops a strong, charming face with amused green, gold-flecked eyes. Left to his own devices he trends towards simple, durable clothing (jeans, simple t-shirts or button-ups, unadorned jacket), but dresses up a bit more for teaching (button-up shirt, vest, tie, and slacks). No matter what he's wearing, his footwear is practical - when asked, he generally offers something vague about personal comfort and the stride of his walk. His heroing gear seems serviceable but a little slapdash: black fingerless gloves, heavy brown boots, dark jeans, dark red cloth over his mouth and nose, and a long brown hooded coat. Only three items are truly notable: first, a dull metal platemail chestpiece under the coat, apparently designed with an eye towards flexibility; second, a pair of round goggles completely obscuring his eyes; and third, an antique-looking but well-cared-for sword which never leaves his side. Power Descriptions: Gaian Knight leverages the abundant nearby earth for his effects, moving or reshaping it to his own ends - attacking from various angles to surprise his enemies or strike from around cover. As a hobbyist sculptor he takes a bit of pride in the appearance of his creations, and while not flamboyant he always adds his own artistic touches when able. As his power is instinctive and rooted to his being he doesn't need to gesture or invoke his magic, per se, and he's perfectly capable of directing his attacks with both hands in his pockets and both feet firmly on the ground. Still, a little dose of dramatic hand-movement now and again doesn't hurt one's focus. His powers often causes a noticeable earthy-golden glow that becomes more and more apparent as he takes larger and larger actions, starting around his hands, then his eyes, and finally his whole body (and any rock nearby). Though he rarely notices, long-term use of his power leads to small rocks orbiting him or following him around through the air. History: Young grad student Tarrant McLeod lived a pretty ordinary life up until a friend of his - an archaeology student - called him up to help with a huge, unlikely cave they'd unearthed near an old ruined city. Upon entering and touching a distinctly out-of-place pedestal of polished stone he was transported to an unknown, seemingly endless plane of earth where a floating vision of a woman in flowing robes spoke to him in broken sentences and half-formed images, part of some ancient recording or ceremony; she called him the Gaian Knight, charged him with protecting "the sword", and implied the purpose of this place was to empower a defender for the surrounding city when it was at the height of its grandeur. When returned to the cavern he found he'd been linked into the earth: he could feel the stone around him, shape it, move it. He also found a sword and scabbard on the altar where there had been none and, unconsciously compelled to take it with him, made his way back outside more confused than enlightened. Since then he's spent quite a bit of time learning to control his power, and took advantage of his new abilities and intuition to complete his schooling in record time. Offered a teaching job at Freedom City University, he finally feels like he's in a place in life where he can apply what he's learned...in more ways than one. Personality & Motivation: Tarrant is, at his core, just a fundamentally nice person; the boy scout, the nearly-literal salt-of-the-earth type who genuinely likes teaching and helping others. This is arguably his greatest strength as a hero - the ability to believe in others, to trust in doing the right thing, to have the conviction to take a third option when the options presented are terrible - but it also leaves him somewhat naive and overly-trusting. He isn't stupid, mind you (he is, technically, Doctor Tarrant), and he's too experienced to set himself up for a knife in the back, but he fundamentally wants to believe that people are fundamentally good, and that isn't always a safe assumption when confronting villainy. Given the option, Tarrant will always do what's right, even if it isn't easy. He's friendly, affable, and unimposing with a noted dislike of violence, but anyone who tries to push him too hard is going to find out that he's as much mountain as man when he needs to be. Powers & Tactics: With his determination and power-reinforced body, Tarrant tends to be the proverbial immovable object in a fight: he won't walk heedless into danger, but if necessary he will stand and take his licks while giving as good as he gets. He's an experienced hero but no master strategist or tricky fighter - he tends to fight as simply and as effectively as he can while minimizing the outright damage he's doing to most opponents and the environment. Complications: Honor (Chivalry): Respect and honor; he's not an old-school knight, but nevertheless tries to hold to a code of behavior that isn't always to his advantage. Tarrant is unlikely to pick a fight without threat of immediate danger, he leans toward inaction if too unsure of the negative consequences, and he's quick to offer clean surrender or a chance at someone's redemption. Responsibility: Professor. He tries to arrange his schedule (and the assigned homework!) as best he can, but he does have students to help and classes to teach. Secret: Identity. Teleportal: Tarrant's portals require an anchor: he can only create a portal to somewhere he's already set up a special anchor stone, usually in the form of an archway. No anchor, no portal - and destruction of any anchor prevents him from opening a portal to that location until he can get there some other way to fix it. Time and Tide: Tarrant isn't immune to aging, exactly - even the greatest mountains erode over time. He does, however, age very, very slowly - sufficiently powerful aging effects or the like will affect him, just far less than they might otherwise. Abilities: 6 + 2 + 8 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 32pp Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18pp Initiative: +1 Attack: +5 Base, +13 Sword, +15 Earthshaping Grapple: +8, +30 (Earthen Hands) Defense: +12 (+4 Base, +8 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -9/-4/-2 Saving Throws: 9 + 9 + 9 = 27pp Toughness: +18/+8/+4 (+4 Con, +14 Protection or +4 Breastplate) Fortitude: +13 (+4 Con, +9) Reflex: +10 (+1 Dex, +9) Will: +12 (+3 Wis, +9) Skills: 88R = 22pp Climb 5 (+8) Concentration 7 (+10) Craft (Artistic) 7 (+10)SM Diplomacy 13 (+15)SM Knowledge (Earth Sciences) 17 (+20)SM Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 7 (+10) Notice 7 (+10, +6 Nightvision)SM Perform (Oratory) 8 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+11) Sleight of Hand 9 (+10) Feats: 55pp Attack Specialization 4 (Swords) Dodge Focus 8 Equipment 6 (30EP) Luck 2 Precise Shot Sidekick 33 + 15 (Veteran Award) = 47 Skill Mastery (Craft [Artistic], Diplomacy, Knowledge (Earth Sciences), Notice) Equipment: 6pp = 30ep Customized Platemail Chestpiece (Protection 4) [4ep] Goggles (Flash/Nightvision) [4ep] League Communicator (Communication 5 (Radio; Extra: Area (5 miles), Flaw: Limited [Other League Communicators]) [5ep] Masterwork Sculpting/Carving Tools [1ep] Flying Islands (PL12 HQ) [16ep] A handful of small islands floating above the surface of Earth-Sanctuary. The largest, central island has a very nice castle, of all things. A platform on the ground offers a gateway to transport others to an island-based entry courtyard. Size: Colossal [5ep] Toughness: +10 [1ep] Features: [10ep] Holding Cells (Toughness +15) Infirmary Isolated Library Living Space Pool Power: Teleport 5 (gateway; Extras: Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal, Selective; Flaws: Anchor; Feats: Progression 1 [10' portal]) [26pp] Power System Sealed Workshop Powers: 1 + 6 + 52 + 3 + 3 + 5 + 14 + 12 = 96pp Burrowing 1 (1mph / 10ft per Move Action) (Earth, Magic) [1pp] Device 1 (5pp Container, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Indestructible, Restricted 2 [can only be wielded by the current Knight]) [6pp] An old and modestly ornate masterwork sword. Strike 4 (Feats: Mighty) [5pp] Earthshaping 20 (40pp Array, Feats: Accurate 5, Alternate Power 7) (Earth, Magic) [52pp] Base Power: Create Object 15 (15 cubes, Supporting STR 75 [Heavy Load: 400 tons], Toughness +15; Extras: Duration [Continuous]; Flaws: Action [Full]; Feats: Innate, Extended Range 2, Precise, Progression 5 [250ft cubes], Stationary) [40/40] AP: Blast 15 (Feats: Indirect 3, Split Attack, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, piercing, slashing]) [35/40] AP: Blast 15 (Extras: Area [General, Shapeable]; Flaws: Action [Full]; Feats: Indirect 3, Progression [Area] 5 [15 to 750 5ft cubes], Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, piercing, slashing]) [39/40pp] AP: Snare 15 (Feats: Indirect 3, Obscure Senses 5 [All], Reversible) [39/40] AP: Burrowing 10 (1000mph / 10,000ft per Move Action; Extras: Affects Others +1, Area [General, Burst, 100ft diameter tunnel], Feats: Progression [Reverse Area] 9 [10ft-100ft tunnel], Subtle) [40/40] AP: Move Object 20 (Lifting STR 100 [Heavy Load: 12.5K tons]; Extras: Range [Perception], Flaws: Limited [Earth]) [40/40] (Earth Control) AP: Move Object 15 (Lifting STR 75 [Heavy Load: 400 tons]; Extras: Damaging; Flaws: Distracting; Feats: Precise) [31/40] (Earthen Hands) AP: Super-Movement 3 (Dimensional Movement 3 [Any], Extras: Linked [Teleport], Portal, Flaws: Action 2 [Standard Action to open portals]) [6pp] + Teleport 11 (2 million miles ["Earth To Past The Moon"]; Extras: Accurate, Linked [Dimensional Movement], Portal, Flaws: Action 2 [Standard Action to open portals], Feats: Progression [Portal Size] 1 [10ft x 10ft], Complications: Medium [Anchor-Stones]) [34pp] [6 + 34 = 40/40] Flight 3 (50mph / 500ft per Move Action; Flaws: Platform) [3pp] (Earth, Magic) Immunity 3 (Aging, High-Pressure Environments, Suffocation [underground]) [3pp] (Earth, Magic) Immunity 10 (All Fire Effects; Flaw: Limited [1/2]) [5pp] (Earth, Magic) Protection 14 [14pp] (Earth, Magic) Super-Senses 12 (Earth Awareness: Common [2], Mental, Accurate [2], Acute [1], Analytical [1], Extended 2 [2, 100x], Radius [1], Ranged [1]; Tremorsense: Tactile Sense [1], Ranged [1]) [12pp] (Earth, Magic) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC18 Toughness Damage (Physical) Sword Touch DC22 Toughness Damage (Physical) Blast Ranged DC30 Toughness Damage (Physical) Area Blast Ranged/Area DC25 Reflex 1/2 Effect DC30 Toughness Damage (Physical) Snare Ranged DC25 Reflex Entangled/Bound Disabled (All Senses), Tethered Create Object Ranged DC25 Reflex Trapped Dropped Object Ranged/Area DC25 Reflex No Effect DC30 Toughness Damage (Physical) Thrown Object Ranged DC30 Toughness Damage (Physical) Abilities (32) + Combat (18) + Saves (27) + Skills (22) + Feats (55) + Powers (96) - Drawbacks (0) = 250/250 Power Points

Tuesday April 26, 2016 3PM Palermo Time - 9AM Freedom City time There's an English-language newscrew in Palermo this afternoon, the BBC crew's report on Italian tourism having been transformed into a worldwide spectacle by means of the Internet. "Some sort of hideous monster moving its way through the city-" A hazy image of a warped parody of a man, some eight or nine feet tall and nearly nude, dressed only in rags and covered in hideous, pustulating boils. "seemingly emerged from the bay and is now making its way through the heart of this beachside community-" It becomes abundantly clear as it, he, passes, that whatever he is is infectious - a wave of that giant fist, and a barricade of the city's Carabinieri, military police posted here for anti-Mafia duty, are on the ground, screaming and writhing as boils erupt from their own flesh. "rampaging through this historic city like nothing we've ever seen before-" He doesn't even bother to knock down the house at the end of the seaside street, instead simply powering through it as he heads into the older, more built-up, more populated parts of this city over half a million. It's abundantly clear that there is no power on Earth - or at least no power in Palermo, that can stop him. "With the current Papal crisis occupying Italy's defenders, we may be alone. This is-" The newscaster screams, his handsome face writhing in agony as the boils erupts from his flesh, and the camerawoman drops her camera and screams as well, catching one last image of the monster leering at them as he passes by. - This is the fourth day of the crisis. By the time the Freedom League arrives in Palermo, everyone knows what they're dealing with. This is Shkhin - this is the Plague of Boils.

Here it is

Gaian Knight Power Level: 13/15 (225/250 pp) [252] Trade-Offs: -3 Defense / +3 Toughness Unspent PP: 25 In Brief: Young professor, given powers over the earth by unknown forces, just out to do some good in the world. Alternate Identity: Tarrant David McLeod Identity: Secret Birthplace: United States, West Coast Occupation: Professor of Earth Sciences, Freedom City University Affiliations: Sanctuary, Freedom City University, The Freedom League (reserve) Family: Parents (west coast), Brother (location unknown; estranged) Sidekick: Tiamat Description: Age: 29 (DoB: October 1984) Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 6'1" Weight: 170 lbs. Eyes: Green (now flecked with Gold) Hair: Brown A tall man seeming to be in his early to mid twenties, Tarrant’s fit but not overly muscular: he looks more like someone who spends a lot of time outdoors than someone who hits the gym five days a week. Short brown hair tops a charming face with amused green, gold-flecked eyes. Left to his own devices he trends towards simple, durable clothing (jeans, t-shirt, unadorned jacket), but dresses up a bit more for teaching (button-up shirt, vest, tie, and slacks). No matter what he’s wearing, his footwear is practical – “death before dress shoesâ€. His heroing gear seems serviceable but a little slapdash: black fingerless gloves, heavy brown boots, dark jeans, dark red cloth over his mouth and nose, and a long brown hooded coat. Only three items are truly notable: first, a dull metal platemail chestpiece under the coat, apparently designed with an eye towards flexibility; second, a pair of round goggles completely obscuring his eyes; and third, an antique-looking but well-cared-for sword which never leaves his side. Power Descriptions: Gaian Knight leverages the abundant nearby earth for his effects, moving or reshaping it to his own ends, attacking from various angles to surprise his enemies or attack around cover. As a hobbyist sculptor he takes a bit of pride in the appearance of the things he makes, and if he's able he likes to add his own little artistic touches. His magic often causes a noticeable earthy-gold glow that becomes more and more apparent as he takes larger and larger actions, starting around his hands, then his eyes, and finally his whole body (and any rock nearby). Though he rarely notices, long-term use of his power leads to small rocks orbiting him or following him around in the air. History: Young grad student Tarrant McLeod lived a pretty ordinary life up until a friend of his – an archaeology student – called him up to help with a gigantic, mysterious cave they’d unearthed near an old ruined city. Upon entering and touching a distinctly out-of-place pedestal of polished stone he was transported to an unknown, seemingly endless plane of earth where a floating vision of a woman in flowing robes spoke to him in broken sentences and half-formed images, part of some ancient recording or ceremony; she called him the Gaian Knight, charged him with protecting “the swordâ€, and implied the purpose of this place was to empower a defender for the surrounding city when it was at the height of its grandeur. When returned to the cavern he found he’d been linked into the earth: he could feel the stone around him, shape it, move it. He also found a sword and scabbard on the altar where there had been none, and (unconsciously compelled to take it with him) made his way back outside more confused than enlightened. Since then he’s spent quite a bit of time learning to control his power, and took advantage of his new abilities to complete his schooling in record time. Offered a teaching job at FCU, he finally feels like he’s in a place in life where he can apply what he’s learned...in more ways than one. Personality & Motivation: Strange sense of humor and (sometimes forced) cheer; Tarrant’s a decent guy at heart, level-headed, stubborn, and somewhat 'salt of the earth' – he feels bad when he sees bad things happen, he wants to help when someone’s in need of help. He never paid much attention to superheroes growing up (something he regrets, now), but he genuinely enjoys helping people, even if he’s aware that may be occassionally naïve. He enjoys cheap magic tricks and carving/sculpting small art pieces in his spare time. Powers & Tactics: With his determination and power-reinforced body, Tarrant tends to be the proverbial immovable object in a fight; he won't walk heedless into danger, but if necessary he will stand and take his licks while giving as good as he gets. He's no master combatant or tricky fighter - he tends to fight as simply and as effectively as he can while minimizing the outright damage he's doing to most opponent. Complications: Honor (Chivalry): Respect and honor; he’s not an old-school knight, but even before getting his powers he was of the “won’t hurt a lady†sort. Though he’s not usually compelled to fight fair (since your average mook isn’t going to extend him the same courtesy) he can be easily convinced to listen to his opponent’s side of things... and to fight a fair battle against an enemy he knows (or thinks) is honorable. Responsibility: Professor. He tries to arrange his schedule (and the assigned homework!) as best he can, but he does have students to help and classes to teach. Secret: Identity. Teleportal: Gaian Knight's portals require an anchor - he can only create a portal to somewhere he's already set up a special anchor stone, usually in the form of an archway. No anchor, no portal - and destruction of any anchor prevents him from opening a portal to that location until he can get there some other way to fix it. Abilities: 4 + 0 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 = 24pp Strength: 14 (+2) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 18 + 14 = 32pp Initiative: +0 Attack: +9 Base, +13 Earthshaping Grapple: +11 Defense: +10 (+7 Base, +3 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -8/-3/-1 Saving Throws: 10 + 8 + 7 = 25pp Toughness: +16/+7/+3 (+3 Con, +13 Protection or +4 Breastplate) Fortitude: +13 (+3 Con, +10) Reflex: +8 (+0 Dex, +8) Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7) Skills: 72R = 18pp Climb 4 (+6) Concentration 12 (+15) Craft (Artistic) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Earth Sciences) 13 (+15) Notice 12 (+15, +11 Nightvision Goggles) Perform (Oratory) 5 (+7) Sense Motive 8 (+11) Sleight of Hand 10 (+10) Feats: 36pp Dodge Focus 3 Equipment 6 (30EP) Luck 2 Precise Shot Sidekick 24 + 15 (Veteran Award) = 39 Equipment: 6pp = 30ep Customized Platemail Chestpiece (Protection 4) [4ep] Goggles (Flash/Nightvision) [4ep] League Communicator (Communication 5 (Radio; Extra: Area (5 miles), Flaw: Limited [Other League Communicators]) [5ep] Masterwork Sculpting/Carving Tools [1ep] Flying Islands (PL12 HQ) [16ep] A handful of large land masses floating above the surface of Earth-Sanctuary. The largest, central 'island' has a very nice castle, of all things. Size: Colossal [5ep] Toughness: +10 [1ep] Features: [9ep] Holding Cells (Toughness +15) Infirmary Isolated Library Living Space Pool Power: Flight 8 (Extras: Duration [Continuous]) [24pp] Power System Sealed Workshop Powers: 1 + 6 + 54 + 3 + 3 + 13 + 10 = 90pp Burrowing 1 (1mph / 10ft per Move Action) (Earth, Magic) [1pp] Device 1 (5pp Container, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Indestructible, Restricted 2 [Current Knight]) [6pp] An old and ornate-looking masterwork sword. Strike 4 (Feats: Mighty) [5pp] Earthshaping 22 (44pp Array, Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Power 8) (Earth, Magic) [54pp] Base Power: Create Object 13 (13 cubes, Lifting STR 65 [Heavy Load: 100 tons], Toughness +13; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Range [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Precise, Progression 3 [50ft cubes], Stationary) [44pp] Alternate Power: Blast 13 (10 130ft Range Increments / 1,300ft Max Range; Extras: Autofire, Feats: Indirect 2, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing]) [42pp] Alternate Power: Blast 13 (1,300ft Max Range; Extras: Area [General, Shapeable], Feats: Indirect 2, Progression [Area] 2 [65 5ft cubes], Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing]) [44pp] Alternate Power: Burrowing 10 (1000mph / 10,000ft per Move Action; Extras: Affects Others, Area [General, Burst, 100ft diameter tunnel], Feats: Progression [Reverse Area] 10 [5ft-100ft tunnel], Subtle) [41pp] Alternate Power: Move Object 22 (Lifting STR 110 [Heavy Load: 50K tons]; Extras: Range [Perception], Flaws: Limited [Earth]) [44pp] (Earth Control) Alternate Power: Move Object 11 (Lifting STR 55 [Heavy Load: 24 tons]; Extras: Damaging) [33pp] (Earthen Hands) Alternate Power: [10 + 34 = 44pp] Obscure 5 (Visual Senses, 500ft Max Range, 100ft radius; Extras: Independent, Total Fade [10 rounds]) [10pp] Snare 13 (10 130ft Range Increments / 1,300ft Max Range; Feats: Indirect 2, Obscure Senses 5 [All], Reversible) [34pp] Alternate Power: Super-Movement 3 (Dimensional Movement 3 [Any], Extras: Linked [Teleport], Portal, Flaws: Action 2 [standard Action to open Portals]) [6pp] + Teleport 11 (2 million miles ["Earth To Past The Moon"]; Extras: Accurate, Linked [Dimensional Movement], Portal, Flaws: Action 2 [standard Action to open Portals], Feats: Change Velocity, Progression [Portal Size] 2 [25ft x 25ft], Complications: Medium [Anchor-Stones]) [33pp] [6 + 36 = 42pp] Alternate Power: Transform 10 (Earth Into Earth, 1000 lbs., 10 100ft Range Increments / 1000ft Max Range; Extras: Duration [Continuous/Lasting], Feats: Precise) [41pp] Flight 3 (50mph / 500ft per Move Action; Flaws: Platform) [3pp] (Earth, Magic) Immunity 3 (Aging, High-Pressure Environments, Suffocation [underground]) [3pp] (Earth, Magic) Protection 13 [13pp] (Earth, Magic) Super-Senses 10 (Detect Earth 2 [Mental, Extras: Accurate, Acute, Analytical, Radius, Ranged], Tremorsense [Tactile, Extras: Ranged]) [10pp] (Earth, Magic) [table]DC Block ATTACKRANGESAVEEFFECT UnarmedTouchDC17 Toughness (StagedDamage (Physical) SwordTouchDC21 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) BlastRangedDC28* Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) Area BlastRanged/AreaDC23 Reflex1/2 Effect DC28 Toughness (StagedDamage (Physical) Create ObjectRangedDC23 ReflexTrapped Dropped ObjectRanged/AreaDC23 ReflexNo Effect DC28 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) Earth ControlPerceptionGrapple checkPinned/Bound Move ObjectRangedDC26 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) Thrown ObjectRangedDC28 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) SnareRangedDC23 Reflex (Staged)Entangled/Bound Disabled (All Senses)[/table]*Up to DC34 with Autofire. Abilities (24) + Combat (32) + Saves (25) + Skills (18) + Feats (36) + Powers (90) - Drawbacks (0) = 225/250 Power Points Character Name: Tiamat Power Level: 11 (195/195pp) Trade-Offs: -4/+4 Attack/Damage, -4/+4 Defense/Toughness Unspent Power Points: 0 In Brief: A dragon stuck in the modern world, with a chance at a clean slate and a society with fewer torches and pitchforks. Alternate Identity: Teagan Delphyne Identity: Secret Birthplace: Europe, Alternate Earth Occupation: Part-Time Translator Affiliations: Gaian Knight, Sanctuary Family: None local. Description: Age: 297 Apparent Age: Mid-Twenties Gender: Female Ethnicity: Lizard (Caucasian, in human form) Height: 6' (human), up to 16' (dragon) Weight: 165lbs / ~6 tons Eyes: Red Hair: Dark red, down to her shoulder blades Tall and fit with dark red hair and red eyes, few would disagree that Teagan is attractive, but not the sort of attractive one finds on a runway or the cover of a magazine; where willowy supermodels may look like they'd be blown over by a strong wind, Teagan Delphyne is better described as the strong wind itself. Strong, pleasant features built on a (deceptively) strong frame, she wouldn't look terribly out of place in a suit of armor at the head of a medieval army. It's something she's likely well aware of, as when fighting crime she dons a dark grey and red chestplate and cape over dark red pants and sturdy boots, her hair pulled up and her identity hidden under a simple domino mask. When she changes to her true form, though, she looks like the thing the army rides against: large and truly powerful, a European-style quadrupedal, horned dragon straight out of myth and legend. Her hide runs dark along her underside but a deep crimson everywhere else, a huge creature of teeth and scales and awful beauty. But for all her savage glory, the intelligence behind her slitted red eyes mark her unmistakeably as above a common beast. Power Descriptions: Teagan's powers are typically either subtle or inherent to her being - the major exception to this is her fire breath, a directed storm of billowing red and orange flames. When changing shape her personal belongings disappear, clothes and mace simply lost from existence until she changes back. History: Once upon a time there was a dragon, living in a world where magic had never quite been traded in for science, and where the populace knew that dragons were something to be feared and destroyed, lest they destroy cities and eat livestock...or worse. And that's precisely what dragons did, too: difficult to gather together when your species is so competetive, and nigh impossible to blend into human society (even if you could disguise your eyes and hair and hide from too-clever wizards) when the magic that offered you human form left you marked with a symbol of what you truly were. It was simply the way of things. It was how Teagan was raised, and it was how she lived, until one day she encountered a dimensionally-displaced heroine from a far-away place called Freedom City. They fought, of course, but even a mighty dragon isn't prepared for modern technology; her last waking memory on her home was hitting the ground and assuming that the nearby peasants would take advantage of her weakness and finish her, once and for all. And then she woke up somewhere very different with a very strange man nearby. He smelled of earth and old magic, and patiently explained that this may have been the way of things, but circumstances had offered her a new way: a clean slate, in a new place, full of strange people and powers. A place where she could blend in, if she wanted. Where her kind was the stuff of unbelieved but fondly-remembered legends, where - if she chose, and wanted it badly enough - she could be respected, not feared...or at least, only feared by those worth being feared by. Where every day could be something new, and interesting, and carry fights to remember. Personality & Motivation: Teagan is proud, and she can be more than a little brash and hot-headed, but with a new chance and a clean slate her heart's in the right place. Helping people - and having them thankful to be helped! - is both novel and deeply gratifying, and the ability to fight truly worthy battles is the delicious icing on a delicious cake. She's loyal to a fault (once you earn that loyalty), enjoys a good challenge (and generally respects those who give her one), and willing to stand her ground, no matter the cost, for a good cause. She has a lot to learn about her new world, but she's not as thick-headed as she'd like to appear - she learns quickly, and looking foolish or out of place hurts her dignity enough that she puts real effort into trying to fit into modern day America. Powers & Tactics: No matter her form or the battle, her strategy is pretty straight-forward: hit it until it stops fighting back, and then stop hitting it. She's a little too used to being able to win by pure, overwhemling force, but she's a clever and experienced fighter (if largely self-trained) coming from a lifetime of conflict. Complications: Compu-whatnow?: Teagan's adjusted well enough to modern life, but where she's from they didn't have 'computers' and 'cars' and 'cell phones'. Dragon: Dragon. Secret: Identity. Abilities: 14 + 2 + 14 + 4 + 2 + 4 = 40pp Strength: 24 (+7) / 40 (+15) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 24 (+7) / 32 (+11) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16pp Initiative: +1 Attack: +4 Base, +5 Melee, +6 Mace, +9 Unarmed (human) / +7 Unarmed (dragon) Grapple: +16 / +30 / +40 (Super-Strength) Defense: +9 (+4 Base, +5 Dodge Focus) / +7 Dragon, +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3 / -15 Saving Throws: 3 + 7 + 9 = 19pp Toughness: +7 (+7 Con) / +15 (+11 Con, +4 Protection) Fortitude: +10 (+7 Con, +3) / +13 (+11 Con, +3) Reflex: +8 (+1 Dex, +7) Will: +10 (+1Wis, +9) Skills: 64r = 16pp Bluff 8 (+10) Intimidate 16 (+18, +22 dragon) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 8 (+10) Language 1 (Draconic [native], English) Notice 10 (+10) Search 3 (+5) Sense Motive 8 (+8) Survival 10 (+10) Feats: 16pp Attack Focus (Melee) 1 Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 2 Dodge Focus 5 Equipment 1 Fast Task (Startle) Power Attack Ritualist Set-Up Startle Takedown Attack Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Equipment: 1pp=5ep League Communicator (Communication 5 (Radio; Extra: Area (5 miles), Flaw: Limited [Other League Communicators]) [5ep] Powers: 53 + 4 + 16 + 3 + 6 + 6 = 88pp Alternate Form 9 (45pp Container; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Drawbacks: Action [Move]) [53pp] (dragon form; magic, shapeshifting) Damage 3 (stacks with Damage 8 below; Extra: Area (General, Cone), Feats: Alternate Power 1) [7pp] Alternate Power: Super-Strength 10 (Heavy Load: 3,200 tons; Feats: Super-Breath, Thunderclap) (22/22) Flight 2 (25mph / 250 ft per move action) [4pp] Growth 8 (Extras: Duration [Permanent, +0], Feats: Innate) [25pp] Protection 4 (Feats: Innate) [5pp] (dragon hide) Super-Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling) [2pp] Super-Senses 2 (Auditory (Extended), Visual (Extended)) [2pp] Comprehend 2 (Speak Any, Understand Any) [4pp] (gift of tongues) Damage 8 (Extras: Area (General, Cone)) [16pp] (fire breath) Device 1 (Flaw: Easy-to-Lose) [3pp] A heavy, unadorned dull steel mace with a leather-wrapped handle and a hanging leather loop. Feature (Masterwork; +1 Attack) [1pp] Strike 3 (Feat: Mighty) [4pp] Immunity 11 (Aging, Fire Effects [Flaw: Half]) [6pp] Super-Senses 6 (Detect Magic [Olfactory, Extra: Acute], Infravision, Ultra-Hearing) [6pp] [table]DC Block ATTACKRANGESAVEEFFECT Unarmed (human)TouchDC22 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) Unarmed (dragon)Touch (10')DC30 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) MaceTouchDC25 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Physical) Fire Breath (human)80' coneDC23 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Fire) Fire Breath (dragon)110' coneDC26 Toughness (Staged)Damage (Fire) Thunderclap55' radiusDC21 ReflexDeafened DC21 Fortitude (-1/round)Recover[/table] Abilities (40) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (19) + Skills (16) + Feats (16) + Powers (88) - Drawbacks (0) = 195/195 Power Points

GM High Earth Orbit The Lighthouse December 25 th, 2014 9:40 PM Greenwich Mean Time (4:40 PM Freedom City) The last nearly two months had been busy ones aboard the orbital headquarters of the Freedom League. With so many of the senior league members off in space trying to help against the Communion, the work load for the remaining League members had increased, the team feeling rather stretched at times. The information sent back by the League members in space had done little to easy the stress of those remaining behind. As shocking as it had been to learn of the destruction of Lor-Van, what the Communion had done with the planets and peoples they did not just outright obliterate was perhaps even more horrific. But there had been little time to fully dwell on things, as there had been crises around the world and coordination with heroes across the world to try to be ready should the Communion turn towards the Earth. And then a few hours ago, the League members in space had sent a message back to the Lighthouse, stating that they had located the Communion's world killer spacecraft, and it was heading towards Earth. The remaining League members on Earth had moved into action, contacting the various heroes they had spent the last two months connecting with and getting people moving to various parts of the world to prepare should the Communion make it past the League members in space. Freedom Hall had served as a launch point for many, teleporting them up to the Lighthouse, and then back down to Earth to the various League teleport locations that had been set up over the years. For a time, everyone had been so busy organizing things, there was little time for anything else. But once they had coordinated setting things in motion, there was little to do but wait for news from the League members in space, of for the Communion to just arrive if there was no one left to hear from.

OOC for >this thread.

November 1, 2014 Sanctuary It was midnight and the bees were SCREAMING. Comrade Frost, as awake as ever, was sitting outside in a small clearing, looking up at the so-bright stars overhead and thinking of the past. It had been a strange week, particularly since it had begun with Fleur de Joie approaching him and asking for help. Thousands of domestic animals had been brought to her adopted homeworld by the recent refugees from Entropy; thousands of unvaccinated animals in primitive conditions without access to 21st century medicine. There were veterenarians in Freedom City, it was true, but none with his experience, none with his training, and none with the willingness to drop everything to travel to another world to conduct perhaps the fastest rinderpest vaccination campaign in history. In the last few days, he'd been calling on the skills of Dimitri Peshkov far more than Comrade Frost, among these people who had no idea there had ever been a Russia. So he sat beneath the half-Moon and sipped a hot drink, and thought about the past. When he turned around and saw the earth-walled barn behind him and heard the snoring of the cattle, when he looked further to see the ramshackle dwellings in which the farmers hereabouts lived, it was like he'd stepped back in time. To another place, another life. Then the bees started screaming. Frost jumped to his feet, his drink set aside, and watched for a moment in shock as gigantic cries erupted through the half-grown forest - and a moment later the sound of fiery eruptions and the glow of red and orange stood out on the smoky clouds that dotted the sky above. "Pizdets!" he swore as a gigantic insect body, lit from the fires below, swooped up again and then straight down as if dive-bombing something. Without hesitating, he left aside the past and erupted forward into the forest, a cloud of icy mist racing towards the apian creatures and their distress.

The Lighthouse November 10, 2014 The transportation platform of the Lighthouse flashed, as an incoming transport arrived from Earth. Velocity materialized on the platform, fully dressed in her costume, although she was still feeling the lingering effects of sleep. The alert that had come over her League communicator had awoken her well before her alarm was set for. But she had wasted little time in getting up and responding, getting over to Freedom Hall and then beaming up to the Lighthouse. Standing near the pad, awaiting her arrival was the cloaked form of Dr. Metropolis. "Good morning Velocity." The enigmatic figure stated in his deep, rumbling voice. "The others have already started to gather in the main meeting room." "Morning, Doctor." Velocity stated with a small smile. "Thanks. I'll get right over there, but first will want to make a small stop for some coffee." The speedster was then off in a blur of yellow, heading towards the space station's galley. A few moments later, she had coffee mug filed with the hot liquid and then made her way to the main meeting room. As Dr. Metropolis had indicated, there were already some League members gathered. Captain Thunder was there, looking a bit tired and worn and seated at the center seat of the large table that was at the center of the meeting room. Johnny Rocket was also sitting along one side of the table, doing his best to patiently wait for everyone to arrive. Standing off to one side were Daedalus and Star Knight talking. Maria had her helmet off at the moment, and looked rather upset. "Good morning Velocity." Captain Thunder said in greeting. "Please have a seat, hopefully the others will not be too long."

GM Freedom Hall, City Center Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday August 6, 2014; 5: 35 PM The late afternoon was a rather typical weekday in Freedom City, although the rush hour traffic was a touch lighter than normal, as vacations had helped cut back on the numbers of office workers starting their way home after a long day. The heat of the day was passed, but the air was still heavy with the humidity so common at this time of the summer. In the heart of the City Center, just a few blocks west of Centennial Circle, traffic made its way slowly past the slightly pyramid shaped form of Freedom Hall. Set off from the sidewalk and behind a seven foot walls, the headquarters of the Freedom League was a familiar sight to those that lived and worked in this part of the city, to the point that most hardly noted it as they made their way past. Today found the interior of Freedom Hall more deserted than typical. Of course, "Cynthia," the League's robotic receptionist, was present in the lobby, as was always the case. The only other two occupants were in very different parts of the building. Comrade Frost was up on the rooftop landing pad of the building, lying back in a deck chair with a sun tanning reflector, enjoying the last bit of sunshine before the sun passed too far to the west. Gabriel was in the Hall's monitor room, keeping an eye on the mostly quiet communications while he worked on the lesson plan for the class he would be teaching in the fall. However, his concentration was interrupted as a voice came over the AEGIS/US Government frequency. "This is Major Ellis, United States Army, with a priority alert. We are in need of the League's assistance, please respond."

Freedom City April 2014 The Crime Lab (Remote Site) Richard Cline was not one for advanced planning most of the time, but then again most of the time he wasn't going back to dinosaur times. "All right, the advance team has been on the island for almost a week, and they haven't run into anything larger than a Great Dane, so I think we'll be all right." He let one of the techs pop a USB into the computer's port (something he had deliberately notmastered), playing what looked like an iMovie recording of a mostly-deserted tropical island, complete with birds in the air and animals on the beach - until the viewer saw the teeth and scales on the feathered fliers overhead, or realized that those weren't dogs fighting over the washed-up fish on the beach. The island looked to be in the center of a small bay, with low hills and a river visible on the opposite coast a few miles away. "They're almost exactly at the site of Chicxulub, good good. We're lucky that island was there, the ultralights they sent out said it's all swampy marsh on the mainland." Fred Tanzin, the second unit director for Supercrime!, focused on the special guests. "We'll do some footage of you for the promos, either here in the studio once you come back or while you're in the field. We're still on for filming all the way from the 22nd through the 25th, local time. I know you've had a chance to read our briefing packet and be introduced to the on-air talent - but do you have any questions I can answer for you about the show?"

Okay, IC thread is up I am going to say that Velocity is listed as available to be called for any alerts, though she is off in England. Of course, that hardly means it will take her long to get back to FC and where she needs to go. I will leave it to Electra and Fox to determine where Fleur and Gaian/Tiamat are, although, might be helpful if both were off in Sanctuary, so it would not take long for Fleur to dimension portal them all back to Earth Prime. Totally up to you two.

Let's see, go ahead and give me an unmodified d20 roll for this one.

Set, God of Awesome @readySETgoWhat ho faithful followers! Spy you any unrighteous badness for Set to practice pugilism upon? #crowdsorcery #heroics Obsidian Nighttalon @charizardking@readySETgo All is quiet in Port Regal, hero, but the night is still young! We remain vigilant. #crowdsorcery #nightwatch Peter Benjamin @jamminpeteAnybody know if @readySETgo is for real? If he is, nothing to report in Hanover, I guess. #fake? #overhanover Queen Nefertiti @setsgurl5492@readySETgo "What ho faithful followers!" The ho would tote be @setzgirl1337 #burn Jeralie Sena @jerajerajeraAshton is fine, too. Totally doing a class project on crowd sourcing, this is so smart! #crowdsorcery Nile Princess @setzgirl1337@setsgurl5492 Whatever Hefertiti, y u even trying to start something? Ur not even big in the fandom #poseur #whatever John Cannes @mractivist@setsgurl5492 @setzgirl1337 So a guy can't even use medieval talk now without it being an insult? So a double standard. #misandry "Intolerable prattle!" Sekhmet growled in abject frustration as she turned from reading over Set's shoulder to pace aggravatedly across their shared apartment in the Cline Building. The goddess dragged a hand over her face, momentarily pulling lips back from pronounced canines as she grimaced. "Thou cannot possibly believe there to be value in this stream of inane mortal chirping." "Tweeting, dear Lady of Slaughter," the red haired godling corrected, sitting crosslegged atop the couch and tapping away at his tablet as he carefully chose a reply, "and by the sound of things, someone needs to check her divine privilege. You look upon the modern prayer! How better to know where we be needed?" With a distinctly feline sound of annoyance, Sekhmet crossed her bare arms over the front of her shendyt robe. "And so imply thy intent to in fact go to do such honored deeds rather than watching thy trough of words until the journey of glorious Ra's barge is past halfway." She didn't completely understand just what his charge did with his rectangles of lit glass until the small hours of the morning but she doubted it was a good use of even an immortal's time. "Where did thee procure the coin for thine baubles in any case?" "The nights have been slow of late," Set admitted with a cough, still not looking over at the Mistress of Dread. "And said coin was won fairly, through crafty auctioning of commercial forum space upon my social media presence! My Tube of Yous is much beloved and so most lucrative." He made no attempt to hide how pleased he was with himself for having managed to solve their lack of funds and continue to grow his base of followers in one fell swoop. Sekhmet's eyes only narrowed. "Which does not explain from whence thy first bauble came." There was an awkward pause as Set finally glanced over to her. "For a timeless avatar of abstract concepts, you are awfully hung up on linear causality," he noted with a defensive sniff. Knocking her forehead into the half-wall that separated the apartment's main room from the small kitchen, Sekhmet came to a decision. Her duty on the mortal plane may have been to guard Set in both senses of the word but she suspected if she were forced to spend one more night cooped up with the godling and his ego he would not make it through until the morning. "I am going out, liesmith. 'Do not wait up', aye?" "Out? What do you mean out? Without m--?" As Set uncrossed his legs and scrambled to his feet, he was interrupted by a slamming door. Standing nonplussed with his hands on his hips, the godling pursed his lips. "Well. Rude!"

For rolls!

Freedom Hall Monday, September 30th, 10:23 AM For all its international presence the Freedom League could sometimes be viewed as American ambassadors in questions of law and often more importantly public perception. Questions of jurisdiction became very muddled very quickly in the wide and wild world of superhuman powers, brightly coloured costumes and brass tacks politicking. When it came to the Igneous, a thriving subterranean civilization with settlements and tunnels far, far below the surface of much of North America and north-eastern Asia, the question of borders turned suddenly difficult. Thus it was that a team of Leaguers, including their resident Russian liaison, had been requested for a joint mission with the representatives of the nationally funded Canadian super team True North to respond to a reportedly tense and escalating situation deep within the section of the Rocky Mountains that crossed the 49th parallel. Besides Comrade Frost, who had had some dealings with the underground culture when the Kola Superdeep Borehole had found a little more than it had expected in the 1970s, the geokinetic Gaian Knight had been a natural choice, along with the famously diplomatic Fleur de Joie. The team gathered about a conference table littered with briefings on the area's geography, past encounters with the Igneous and the members of True North they'd be meeting with, familiarizing themselves with all of them before departing.

Feel free to ask for any information you think should reasonably be part of their briefings and make and Knowledge or Gather Information checks you'd like now, before they head out.

Tuesday, February 26th 4:18 PM The observation deck at the top of Pyramid Plaza was empty, save for one woman. No one else wanted to be in there right now, except for the people who were paid to be there. Around twenty minutes ago, the young woman had entered the observation deck. There wasn't much odd about here - sweatshirts, jeans, sneakers, short and somewhat untamed hair. She stood before the windows of the deck for about five minutes, not moving. And then she'd started pressing her hands against the glass, and slowly, it had begun to crack. The visitors began to move back when they saw what was happening, while the guards quickly moved forward. They didn't get within ten feet of the girl - she looked at them, and within seconds, they were asleep, passed out on the ground. In two minutes, she was the only person left at the top of the Pyramid. In five, the glass on all sides had cracked, with nothing but air surrounding the frame of the peak. For ten minutes, she stood up there, looking out over the city. Looking out... and waiting. STAR personnel were sweeping over the scene, keeping their rifles trained on the pyramid in case anything happened. The heroes would be arriving soon enough; if nothing went haywire until they arrived, maybe this could end peacefully.

April 1, 2013 In downtown Freedom City, the shops about the base of Pyramid Plaza bustled with customers looking to make up for the day prior's holiday. The spring weather meant lighter jackets than the receding winter chill had necessitated but the light cloud cover kept the breeze cool as shopping bags were juggled and grumpy children coming down from an excess of cheap chocolate added to the general din of the street. That noise was abruptly overshadowed by a booming rumble in the skies above, the clouds directly over top the towering Plaza darkening into storm clouds without warning. Another peal of thunder sounded almost immediately, lightning flashing amidst the slate coloured sky, red-tinged and angry. A city all too familiar with the malicious exploits of Dr. Stratos and similar villains glanced upward warily, the more cautious among the shoppers already looking for the shelter of overhangs or awnings. Even they were surprised, however, when a streak of blindingly crimson lightning speared downward and struck the middle of the street, sending bits of pulverized pavement flying outward. There was just enough time for panicked screams to register as vehicles were abandoned and pedestrians fled backward from the manhole cover sized crater before another bolt struck the same spot, accompanied by another boom of thunder. The next bolt came more quickly, then another even sooner after, building to a column of white hot fury searing a red after-image into the vision of those brave or foolish enough to still be watching. Just as suddenly the barrage from on high stopped, nearby shopfronts still vibrating from the reverberating thunder. At the center of the cracked street and the circle of hastily vacated cars stood a young man looking inquisitively about with piercing grey eyes. Appearing no more than seventeen, he had a slim, well defined build amply displayed by his lack of shirt and a skirt of overlapping white cloth bordered with red. Simple sandals adorned his feet while ornate gold armlets stood out against flawless skin bronzed from the sun and thick dreadlocks of deep red hair. Black markings framing his eyes completed the look of someone who had just stepped out an Ancient Egypt exhibit at the nearby Hunter Museum. Placing his hands on his hips, the figure offered the stunned crowd a broad, self-assured grin. "Hail, mortal realm!" he greeted them resoundingly, a note of laughter in his voice as he threw his arms up into the air. "Tis good to be back!"

For rolls and such! Feel free to make whatever Knowledge, Gather Information or Sense Motive checks seem appropriate.