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GM Hong Kong, Night time The moon was on form, tonight, shining over a cloudless city, surrounded by twinkling stars. It was a beautiful city. Madame Raven knew that on the ground, ugliness was afoot. A trial of gossip and rumour had pointed the way, and her spirit of adventure had driven her. Here, at Superior Silk Industries. At first glance, it looked ramshakle, a production factory for textiles, a rather high end product. Then why did it look so broken? Because it was not. This was a facade. Well hidden camera's, superior locks, and subtle reinforcements all made this more of a fortress than a factory. And the remarkable Raven could see it all. Something bad was happening at Superior Silk Industries, something tonight. the company had a crooked reputation (although it did produce fine garments). Criminal activity under the disguise of legitimate (even successful) business. Exports to Europe, America. Conflict with Dr Sin and his leutinenats. Bribery and corruption with the Chinese goverment. And a deeper layer of rumour - hard to believe. Sorcery, Kung Fu, Masters of Ki, Ninja's. The usual hotch potch of Martial Art baloney, for sure, and yet the Raven detected some grain of truth within the soup of gossip.

GM It was raining. A warm rain that muted the sun and carpeted the dry island. A healthy rain, one might say, one that promised green amid the desert. A beautiful rain, that splintered the horizon into a double rainbow. An uncommon rain, for these time of the year in Socotra. A rain that smelt of a storm to come. Through the rain, flew an old aircraft. World War 2, by the look of it. It sailed through the air unpetrubed by cloud or rain, looping into a curve and descending gracefully. Finally, it reached a dirt track and landed, flawlessly. The precision was remarkable, for it was only a couple of dozen of yards of taxiing until it reached right by the feet of Giang Trang, aka Xian Lou Khan, aka Tsunami. The hood of the plane opened up, and a man stood up. He was dressed in antique fighter pilot wear, complete with jacket and goggles. Sunburnt, one might say, or sunweathered, with bleached blond hair, stubble, and a handsome (if worn) face. Bizzarely, he was holding a wooden cane, one you might see an elderly gentleman (or gentlewoman) use to walk. In his other hand, a silver compass. He consulted it for a moment, and, ensuring that the needle had stopped right at Giang, introduced himself wih a short bow. "Giang Trang I presume? I am Harry Cane. Mr Murk sent me."

Port of San Juan San Juan, Puerto Rico, US Wednesday, April 1st, 2020 3PM local time "He has not called me once." Princess Thaelia of Atlantis explained to her former roommate Giang Trang. The conversation had gone as such for the former roommates. Catching up on their lives, the latest subject was her awkward not quite courtship of Elias Silvestri. "I own a cellular device, and yet no distance calling." Thaelia was dressed in ceremonial Atlantean armor, an object wrapped in a large cloth the size of her body tucked underneath her arm. Thaelia, Giang, and Heroditus were in the port of San Juan. One of the busiest ports in the Caribbean. Which on this day had an entire passenger ship dedicated to them. But, the trio would not be actually utilizing the ship. Though the pier was crowded with many dockworkers and potential passengers traversing, no one paid mind to the otherwise empty dock as they approached. Unlike when General Dalekos had dragged Heroditus out of Claremont some months ago, Thaelia didn't set up a meeting with Headmaster Summers. Simply arriving at Claremont and essentially kidnapping the Atlantean scholar. Leaving Giang with the job of apologizing to the Headmaster, who was both already aware of the kidnapping, and subsequently tracking them down. Where Thaelia explained that she needed inquisitive eyes for a task. The Atlantean Senate had unilaterally requested that three abandoned Atlantean outposts be investigated. After reports of salvagers in the area they dare not have Atlantean technology taken by those who may wish to do Atlantis harm. Though at least that was the public stance, never one to mince words Thaelia openly theorized to the others that certain members of the military may also be looking to reoccupy some of those outposts. Their first stop was to be her grandfather's base of operations during surfacers' second World War.

Claremont Academy Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday November 27, 2019, 11:00 AM "I appreciate your willingness to mentor another student Giang." Headmistress Summers stated as she and an Asian young woman walked down the path from the administrative building for Claremont Academy towards the Roberta Isley Gardens. "I believe Heroditus could benefit from being able to talk to someone who had a similar experience as something of the outsider among the other students. Your familiarity with Atlantean culture will be an added benefit." "As always, I am very happy to help Headmistress." Giang Trang replied as she walked alongside the older woman. Giang stood about five foot three, with a lithe build and moved with an easy, fluid grace. Despite the cold of the late November morning, she was not at all dressed for the cold, wearing a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt and a red windbreaker. However, the Asian young woman did not seem bothered at all by the cold. "Although I am curious why you thought of me and not Thetis or Thelia?" Callie Summers gave a small chuckled as she glanced over to Giang. "Well, certainly either has had a similar experience as Heroditus. However, both are also members of the Atlantean royal family, which could make it more difficult for him to fully feel comfortable expressing concerns to them." "I see." Giang replied simply with a small smile and a nod as the two continued toward where Heroditus would be waiting.

GM Dec 10th, Hong Kong Agent Sunny Fields had almost tore her hair out trying to track down the stolen daka weapons that she had the Scarab had dealt with in Cairo. Yasser, the Daka-powered gun runner had already started dealing, and with a good bit of old fashioned detective work, they had found that the destination was Hong Kong. W.E.S.T was still on the case, but the matter was now more about intelligence and investigation than exotic science. Still, the weapons were clearly dangerous, and W.E.S.T had asked the Scarab to help. And detective Jackie Wu was her contact. A short, strong man in his fourties who liked dark suits and dark glasses, and clearly knew what he was doing. "Pleased to meet you" he bowed, with good command of English and a professional handshake as they met on the HK airstip that had flown the Scarab in. "Things are going crazy in Hong Kong. Dr Sin has been arrested in Holland, and all the gangs and right hand men are stepping up to try and make a power play. They are going to be fighting over those weapons. And probably fighting with those weapons. I'm no scientist, but from what I understand if they go wrong they could level a block...." Meanwhile... Club Immortus, Hong Kong Who had arrested Dr Sin? Why, The Immortal trio of Comrade Frost, Voin, and Dreadnought. And whilst an apparently great success, Dreadnought and Voin had been called away to baby sit a wild card, the ancient immortal called Morgen they had found from that adventure was causing rumblings in the green fields of Wales. And meanwhile, the mysterious Mr. Murk had asked Comrade Frost and Tsunami to see what the fallout in Hong Kong was. He was rather concerned, and felt responsible. But Mr. Murk operated from the shadows, and this needed someone who could walk in sunlight. Sonny Cho, an immortal who lived in Hong Kong, greeted Comrade Frost and Tsunami. He knew the former, of course. And Sonny Cho knew the streets of Hong Kong like nobody else - he was well aware of Tsunami's connections...

GM San Diego, California Friday January 4, 2019 8:22 PM local time The night air was cool, at least for San Diego. But to Cassidy Collins, it felt almost comfortable, seeing as it fifteen degrees warmer than Freedom City had been. Dressed in his costume as Dust Devil II, Cassidy was standing atop an office building about two miles inland from the coast along a La Jolla Village Dr, near where it intersected with Interstate 5. Cassidy had come to San Diego after he had seen a news report about an armed car robbery in La Jolla a few days ago. Brazen as the crime might have been, Cassidy likely would have paid it little heed (there was more than enough crime to focus on in Southside), had it not been for the report included a short video clip from a traffic camera, that had shown one of the robbers carrying a high-tech weapon, one Cassidy had seen before in the crates his Uncle Ben had taken into the Southwest. However, after deciding to investigate the appearance of at least one of those weapons, he had not quite anticipated just how spread out San Diego and the surrounding cities were. With miles of canyons filled with corporate parks, shopping centers and residential development, there was no telling where the robbers might try to strike next. Cassidy was currently at a section of University City, a few miles from the location of the last robbery. Both La Jolla Village Dr. below and the nearby interstate were busy with traffic. Across the wide road from his location was a large, open-air shopping center, Westfield UTC, filled with some high end stores. With little else to go on at the moment, he was gambling that perhaps the affluent area might be a tempting target for the robbers.

West End, Freedom City, New Jersey Saturday February 10, 2018 9:34 PM Mali Benjawan was standing on the rooftop of a four story building in West End dressed in the costume she wore as Crimson Tiger. Over the past couple of days Mali had been investigating the disappearance of several young people in some of the lower income parts of Freedom City. Her investigation so far (read: some roughed up criminal informants) had led her to believe that these disappearances where the work of the Dark Fist, a street gang connected with the On At-Zhang, a Triad that operated in parts of the West End. While Mali would normally not be overly afraid of pursuing things further on her own, as luck would have it her friend and former classmate at Claremont, Giang Trang, had reached out about wanting to help Mali with anything she might be working on. Giang had explained she was helping a current Claremont student with some things and wanted to get her a bit of crime fighting experience as part of the process. So the two had arranged to meet here. Mali had arrived a bit early, to watch over the location that her sources had indicated was a hideout for the Dark Fist. It was an old warehouse on the West End’s boarder with Grenville For the most part the warehouse was dark and appeared abandoned, but from her vantage point, Mali could see that the section toward the back had lights on, and there were lots of motorcycles parked out near the back entrance and occasionally people coming and going out there. A few blocks away Jessica Witchblood was on a Freedom City Transit bus, on her way toward the southeastern edge of the West End. The young woman had been looking into the disappearance of Hannah Ryan, a girl that was a peripheral member of the group of friends who worked in the clubs that Jessica was part of. Despite warnings from Jessica and some of her other friends, Hannah had gotten at least partially involved in some of the more dangerous criminal elements of Freedom City. And now no one had seen Hannah in a couple of days. Not convinced the police would put this as a high enough priority, Jessica had started looking into it herself. So far the best lead she had was that it might somehow be connected to a street gang known as the Dark Fist. So, now she was on a bus headed toward a place the gang was known to hang out at. The next stop would get her a few blocks from the address.

March 2018 UC-San Diego The UC-San Diego campus wasn't quite dead during spring break. They had far too many residential students, and students who lived on-campus, for that. But as Mark Lucas sat on the soft green grass of the Warren Mall, he mostly had the place to himself, minus a picnicking couple down the way and a guy doing his best to study despite the occasional gust of wind kicking up the pages of his textbook. He wasn't really paying attention, though. "I've been keeping an eye out and so have our friends, but so far there's been no sign of any assassins. I think maybe this was another empty threat. Listen, I promise I'll Skype you once we get there - yes, my phone has service in Dakana. I'm just waiting for my friend so I can give her a ride. Love you too, babe, and give the baby a kiss for me." Feeling sentimental, Mark hung up the phone and checked the West Coast time - did he had time to pop back over and see his wife and son before playing taxi for Tsunami? Probably not. With a sigh, he slipped his phone in his pocket and waited for his rendezvous.

GM Saturday, Feb 24th, San Diego... Gilbert Gibbens was a short man, in an apparently ill fitting suit that seemed to show his sweating body off very well. "I have a condition!" he would explain, wiping his brow with his handkerchief. Sometimes he would sneeze as if to punctuate said condition. He had thinning hair, and looked as if he was in his mid forties. He could of course not track down Tsunami, but he had hedged his bets. And so here he was, trying to be patient, sitting in a park which was moderately busy, by a pool, under a tree, having a coffee that used to be hot, but was now getting cold, at midday. He had placed a series of cryptic messages and symbols in the local newspapers and magazines. It had cost a small fortune to do so, but he had enough money to meet the need. A student of Eastern philosophy would understand. The Sun, at midday, by still water, under wood. Life in the midst of steel and masonry. Stillness admidst motion. And so he hoped that Tsunami would get the message. He presumed that she would come in disguise, or incognito. But he really had no idea if she would come at all. But he was at least trying to reach out.

Claremont Academy Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday January 17, 2018; 3:28 PM "Thank you for taking the time to come and meet with one of my students Giang." Callie Summers said as she walked down the hallway of a Jasmin Summers Administrative Building. Walking alongside the school headmistress was a twenty-two year old Asian woman with shoulder length black hair. Standing about five foot three, the young woman had a lithe build and moved with an easy grace. She was dressed in dark blue jeans and wore a jacket much to light for the cold weather outside, a red windbreaker with a Del Mar Lifeguards crest on the left front breast. "I am always pleased to help Headmistress." Giang Trang replied. "And it is always nice to have an opportunity visit once again." "So you will be finishing your degree this Spring correct? Settled on any plans for the future?" "Nothing definitive. There are a few offers for research projects I could work on for the short term. But I likely will take a bit of time off to visit Lord Zandar and his family in the Lost World, and likely spend a bit of time in Atlantis with Thaelia." "I trust those destinations were not choose just because they are beyond the reach of your father?" Headmistress Summers asked, glancing over at the young woman beside her. Giang gave a small smile. "No, although it is much easier to relax when one is not looking over their shoulder." She paused a moment and then asked, "so, is there something in particular you are hoping I can help Zhu with?" "Well, beyond just being a well-grounded, non-teacher young adult that she might feel more comfortable talking to and confiding in, she does have some confidence issues and has frozen up in stressful situations." "Not exactly uncommon for most teenagers, although here it is somewhat less so and certainly is a problem in situations many of us tend to end up in." Giang stated with a nod. The two continued to talk a bit more as they began descending down the building's central stairway. A short while later they arrived down in the main lobby of the building, where Zhu Xieng had been instructed to meet the pair. Quickly spotting the teenager, Headmistress Summers moved over toward her. "Good afternoon Miss Xieng, may I introduce one of our somewhat recent alumna, Giang Trang." Giang gave Zhu a small formal bow as she was introduced, along with a warm smile. The Asian young woman possessed something of a serene presence, combined with a casual confidence. <"I am pleased to meet you Xieng Zhu."> Giang said in Mandarin. The Mandarin style she used, along with her accent, was a bit formal, but perfect.

Water between Townsville and Magnetic Island. Queensland, Australia 2017 Thursday, February 2nd, 2017 9:00 AM It was a brisk and cool morning, and four Claremont Alumni found themselves leaving Magnetic Island back towards Townsville, Australia. Specifically to the Australian institute of marine science. Having spent the weekend near the vicinity of the Cockle Bay Reef, for Giang Trang's studies. Aside from surfers, fishers, and those preparing for tours the morning was relatively calm. All in all, it was a good start to the day. In the distance, Kimo Keli'i was steadying himself on his surfboard. Freedom College wasn't swimming in money, it took an entire semester of fund raising just for the surf club to save up for this three day trip to Australia. As such no one was looking to waste the opportunity as a swell began to form. Unfortunately, one of the less experienced members of the club fell off his board in between waves and began frantically splashing around worriedly.

Friday April 22, 2016 It's an ordinary Friday afternoon - if you count news of a terrorist attack on Ocean Heights Amusement Park as ordinary. No one on the police scanner is entirely sure what's going on - there are reports of multiple officers down, some sort of massacre, "blood, blood everywhere," but whatever it is, it's very bad! If Nina was honest with herself, the main reason she was at mosque today was because she was in costume. The little Kingston storefront mosque wasn't the sort of place she'd go to worship even if she was feeling so inclined - too humble and unadorned, with the sort of simplicity that bespoke the sort of temporal poverty she still wasn't accustomed to. But speaking to the handful of young women at the mosque, most of them black Americans, well, that was a satisfying experience for the princess of Socotra. "From Nusayba to Queen Arwa, women have led, women have ruled, women of the Faith have fought from the very beginning. Never let anyone tell you you cannot be what you are because you are a Muslim." She looked around and struck one hand against another, her voice rising. "And never let anyone tell you that you can only ever be a Muslim - our faith is a finger on the hand that we raise to fight against injustice." When her police beeper went off, she reluctantly made her excuses, leaving behind her card before she headed outside to don her shoes and gather up her sword. Looking back as the glass door closed behind her, she waved to the excited young women inside, many of whom were taking pictures on their phones, before she began leaping from rooftop to rooftop, propelling herself towards the Amusement Park that was evidently the scene of some serious crisis.

Go ahead and get initiative up!

Nơi mẹ Restaurant, San Diego It was one of those small out of the way places that only the locals knew about that served possibly some of the best Vietnamese food outside of the country. Blodeuwedd was quite proud that she'd been able to track down the place despite having only been in town for a few hours. Having just finished up some business for the Order and having a few hours before her flight back to Freedom City she thought she'd catch up with her old friend from Claremont Giang Trang. Right now was almost unrecognizable in a well cut suit her hair pulled into a severe bun playing the part of the young businesswoman. To be honest she'd be happy to get out of character into something much more comfortable.

GM Neptune City, Kingdom of Atlantis Approximately 75 miles NorthWest of the island of Tenerife (At the Ocean's floor) Saturday, June 7, 2014 2:14 PM It had been a couple days after Giang and her graduating class had ended their tenure at Claremont. In honor of such an event Thaelia had seen fit to throw a graduation party of sorts for her, now former, roommate. It wasn't the first lavish celebration for a Claremont graduation that Atlantis had thrown. Thetis' own party a few years ago being a fresh memory amongst the royal guards. Whom found themselves in competition with her 'norse suitor' for the king's entertainment. The undersea kingdom's environment limited the number of the pair's academic peers which could easily attend significantly. At least without taking steps to try and make the sea more hospitable for most. However, the triton Wave-Eye and the half water elemental Temperance found themselves welcome additions to the walls of the Sea King's Northernmost palace. The seafaring heroes were led to a large circular room in the walls of the palace where they were instructed they could rest while preparations commenced on the celebration. Various pieces of furniture and Atlantean cuisine were prepared so as to make their stay more comfortable. The room, like other Atlantean structures, was kept well lit by glowing fungal infested rock. Atlanteans did not necessarily need the illumination of course. However, the lighting system had a secondary purpose of providing an artificial catalyst for photosynthesis. Brightly colored coral lined much of the architecture which otherwise was reminiscent of Ancient Rome. With most buildings favoring a circular design.

OOC for >this thread.

OOC for >this thread.

GM 70 Miles South of Japan Monday, October 13, 2014 3:20 PM At 11:00 AM a scientific expedition to the ocean's depths uncovered what they thought was the lost ruins of an abandoned civilization. They sent two divers to explore the ruins. What they discovered instead was a dimensional rift to an undersea society of Shark Men. The Sharkpeople immediately attacked the scientists and stormed the vessel. For whatever reason, the leader of the Sharkpeople broadcast a ransom demand for the world to see. Requesting a sum of sixty five million dollars. As well as for the waters surrounding a five mile radius from their rift to be declared foreign lands under their control. Demanding that even Atlantis had no claim to their waters. A concession that the Sea King found both odd and insulting before refusing. Leading the Japanese Government in a bit of a bind. Desperate for a solution the Japanese Government reached out to Glamazon, Temperance, Tsunami, and Myrmidon. Their exploits with the >Sea Cruise Magnificent had given three of the heroes a bit of a reputation in the nautical community. Myrmidon's own reputation of quality assurance preceded even theirs. Whether well earned or not , the four were eager to help out. Greeted by the locals as they arrived one by one, the Japanese Coast Guard provided a Tsurugi Class Patrol ship as well as a small crew to close the distance. Trusting that the shark men could not utilize the delicate instruments aboard the ship, the skipper allowed them to get within fifty feet of the much larger ship. The crew all lined up once the ship came to an abrupt stop. More than one curious eye glancing with binoculars at the interesting sight in front of them.

OOC thread for this thread. Tag and follow!

GM UC San Diego; San Diego, California Wednesday, February 18th, 2015, 4:04 PM Giang Trang's was no less active outside of the comforts of Freedom City. The Environmental Systems Major was always on the move in one way or another. In the interim between her classes she had only had enough time to make it back to her apartment for a quick change before heading out. Being a lifeguard was a seasonal occupation, but a need for pay was not equally so. And if it wasn't for the man laying outside the entrance to her dorm Giang may have had a shot of finishing another workday. He was badly injured in jaguar print loincloth, which even in Southern California was less than conspicuous. The lacerations throughout his body were made all the more concerning by the fact that he seemed to not be actively bleeding despite how fresh they seemed. Instead the wounds seemed to be cauterized. With matching burn marks to show for it. - Bayview; Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday, February 18th, 2015, 7:04 PM It was a normal quiet evening in Freedom City. Or as quiet as Freedom City got. The sky was blue, the birds were chirping. Everything was copacetic...with one small issue. There was a gigantic, even in scale of dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex charging through Bayview. Vehicles scrambling to get out of the creature's way. Some parked cars already had the unfortunate opportunity of meeting the creature's maw. The neighborhood famous for the sheer number of superpowered teen hero appearances within its confines was no stranger to having a bit of the unusual rampage here and there. The news copters were able to get into position to capture the footage so quickly it might have been a record with a number of local stations having running their traffic feeds. Not that one needed to be paying attention to the news to catch the commotion.

GM Post Calcutta, India 1892 AD "... which is why me and my Associates are very displeased with your policies in the Bengali province, Captain Ayres." The man in the red suit said. "We are invested in the proper development of the area, and quite frankly, your policies, appart from brutal, are in conflict with our interests." The man in the blue suit added. "Your objections are noted, gentlemen, I assure you. However, understand that I have to deal with a rebelion here, one incited by Korean spies who would sooner see India burn than have it prosper under Brittish rule. I've always acted on the behalf of the Company's interests, which I was given to understand were YOUR interests as well." Captain Ayres was very upset, but he held on. The men in the suits were hard to deal with, given that they always seemed to be wearing their expressions like a man wears a suit; fittingly, but it was obvious that the clothing was not an actual part of said man. "And that was why you chose to align yourself with Feng Huan Po?" "..." That had hit a nerve. Captain Ayres had taken the utmost of precautions to ensure that whatever dealings he had with Feng Huan Po remained under wraps. "Surely the governor-general isn't very appreciative of your alliance with a follower and representative of the Old Ways." "Feng Huan is... a necessary concession on our part. He ensures that the Chinese will keep to themselves, while also posing a significant threat to the Koreans from attempting an outright invasion." He tried to explain. The expressions of the two men warped, as they tried to imitate concern. "He is more dangerous than you realise, Captain. Feng Huan Po moves in circuitous ways, ensuring that his actions largely remain concealed from our eyes." "It is imperative for our plans that the people of Calcutta, and India in general, enjoy a secure, safe, and prosperous for them enviroment." "If you fail..." "... we will have to take action against you. Even if that means..." "... that the East India Company meets a premature end." "It is our hope that we have made ourselves clear." "If you think... IF YOU THINK THAT I WILL CAVE UNDER YOUR HOLLOW THRE-" "There is NOTHING hollow about our threats, Captain." "As your superiors no doubt have informed you, the Spanish once tried to dare us into action." "You ARE aware of the Battle of Gravelines, aren't you?" "Heed our words, Captain Ayres. You are walking a very thin line as it is." "Do not cross us." "..." The Captain remained further silent, as the two men took their leave. Their warning was clear as a day. However, the Captain remained undeterred in his resolve to proceed with his plans. "If the East India Company is the sacrifice needed to ensure 'our' future... then so be it." He silently mouthed. He knew that forcing the two men into action was tantamount to challenging god's wrath. So that was why... Present Day, Freedom City Tuesday, June 16th, 2015 Midday, 14:35 The tears closed as soon as they opened, and everything they enveloped vanished completely. Sometimes, other random stuff would emerge from those energy swirls. Not only where they fast, the tears appeared at random places, from the City's center to Parkside, from there to Hannover, then the Great Bay, Lincoln, Riverside, Ashton, and Southside. The tears would continuously open and close in each of these areas for approximately an hour, before moving on to another place. This had been going for the better part of the last day, with reports of similar phenomena accross the country. The superhero community were as stumped as the scientific one, about what was going on, much less its cause. Thankfully enough, though, the tears didn't seem to affect humans, so barring a few indirect injuries caused by the odd falling piano, there was very little cause for panic. The news made sure to keep updates of this peculiar phenomenon, keeping the citizens informed of the tears' current emergence location. Last sighted, they'd appeared in Kingston, while for the last 10 minutes, they seemed to start appearing over at West End.

OOC for >this thread in which we aim to punch UFOs while riding dinosaurs Those in FC. Feel Free to give me a few rolls DC15 Notice Check DC20 Current Events

Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan 29th March 2015, Hanami With the Cherry blossom in full bloom it seemed that the whole of Tokyo was in the park enjoying good food and good company. The corner of the park you find yourself is a huge public part put on by Sanshain KinpÅge. Sunshine Buttercup was an idoru an sophisticated AI, that maybe fully aware, that wrote record and sung her own rather bouncy J-Pop. Right now she was chatting to and signing "autographs" with a bunch of excited fans, soon she was due to perform to the delight of many gathered in the area. The sun was shining people was happy and the food and entertain were flowing frely, what could possibly go wrong?

Robert Moses State Park Massena, Upstate New York Friday, November 22, 2013 10:24 AM Cold winds whipped across the waters of the St. Lawrence river, the major waterway that formed part of the international boundary between Ontario, Canada and New York State in the United States, before traversing through Ontario and Quebec before opening into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. Massena was one of the many towns that lay along the New York side of the river, just before the point where the river continued northeast into Quebec. Located along the St. Lawrence Seaway, a pair of locks were located near the town, Massena was a logical location for a number of manufacturing and industrial sites in the Twentieth Century. But like many such towns in the past couple of decades, many of those business had closed up and moved away, though there were still a few such plants in the town. Located to the north of the town were a number of larger islands out in the river, much of which were covered by Robert Moses State Park, which contained thick wooded areas and wetlands, as well as beaches, boating areas, as well as a wide variety of other recreational areas. Given the current cold temperatures that were hovering only a little above freezing, the park was understandably less than crowded. Out on the eastern end of the inner island on which the park sat, a group of white vans pulled into the nearly empty Hawkins Point visitor's center parking lot. After the vans came to a halt, the driver’s side door of the lead van opened and out stepped a man in his early fifties with dark grey hair, who stretched slightly before looking over at the other occupants of the van who were also exiting. The man was Professor Walter Morris from Freedom City University, who was part of the environmental sciences department. Inside the two vans were just over twenty students from FCU, Freedom College, as well as a couple of community colleges and even a couple of high schools in Freedom City that were involved in environmental studies courses at their schools, all of whom had signed up for this little trip to study the ecosystems in the wetlands and forested areas of the park. "Okay everyone." He called out to the students exiting the two vans as he pulled on a pair of warm gloves. "I know it has been a long drive, but we have about an hour and a half until lunch time, so we don't want to waste it." Alexander Cross made his way along one of the trails through the woodland areas that dotted Hawkins Point in Robert Moses State Park. Having recently found himself in a time rather removed from the one in which he had retired from several decades service as a locomotive engineer. He had been able to resettle himself somewhat, finding work as a night guard at the Museum of Science and Industry in Freedom City. When a chance to take a bit of vacation time had come up, Alexander had decided to revisit the area along the St. Lawrence river, recalling how more than three decades ago he taken trains along the river, delivering and picking up loads from the various industries that had sprung up, before carrying them further into the American heartland. Things had certainly changed in the intervening years. Many of the industries were gone, the towns clearly suffering from the loss of jobs. Most of the railways in the area were all but completely abandoned, over grown with weeds and other plants and generally not being utilized any longer.

Player Name: Vahnyu Character Name: Volt Scorpion Power Level: 10 (154/154PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30 In Brief: Former street punk Martial Artist with a shocking punch. Alternate Identity: Kang Jin-Ho Identity: Secret Birthplace: Seoul Occupation: None Affiliations: Dr Sin, Lady Shen Family: Unknown Description: Age: 20 (DoB: 1995 [12, October]) Apparent Age: (24 years old) Gender: Male Ethnicity: Asian (Korean). Height: 6' 2" Weight: 183 pounds Eyes: Brown Hair: Dark Red (Bleached. Natural: Black) Lean and well-muscled, Kang Jin-Ho has unrully medium-short bleached red hair and brown eyes. He usually sports a self-sure grin. His casual attire consists of blue jeans, brown hiking boots, black shirt, white leather jacket, and black finger-less gloves. His costume is mostly grey, composed of a spandex-like material, covers most of his body, except the face and hair, and it has extra pockets strapped at his thighs. He wears red boots with black stripes, a red sash around his waist, a black jacket with red shoulderpads, and red heavy gloves covering his hands up to his elbows. Power Descriptions: Kang Jin-Ho is a skilled martial artist, specialising in aggressive takedowns and combat, while foregoing defense. A combination of Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Kickboxing, Shotokan, and Wing Chun, his Total Style Martial Arts allows him to strike with power, precision, and flexibility. Furthermore, Volt Scorpion is able to augment his normal strikes with bio-electricity, running through his nervous system and muscles. Not only do his strikes become more powerful and more fast, but a well-placed strike can also cause the nervous system of his foes to collapse, and it is especially devastating against electronic equipment. Aside from his strikes, Volt Scorpion can also enhance his mobility by pumping his leg muscles full of bio-electricity, which grants him superhuman speed and jumping power. History: Kang Jin-Ho cared for only one thing; proving that he is the strongest. To that end, he pursued and mastered various martial arts, and got to fights wherever he found them, whether they were random street fights or illegal underground tournaments. By the time he was 16, Jin-Ho was already becoming notorious among Seoul's gangs. It was at that time that he got involved in an accident. While beating up a bunch of delinquents, a van hit him in an abandoned street, rendering him unconscious. The driver, at the behest of his employer, a scientist by the name of Myung Do-He, took Jin-Ho inside the van, and taking him to the scientist's lab. Through this unfortunate event, Do-He saw a great opportunity to test her teleportation device on a living subject. The experiment proceeded, but it was less than successful, due to a malfunction that caused the equipment to explode, and the entire building to catch fire. Do-He and her employee left the scene with haste, leaving the still unconscious Kang Jin-Ho to his fate. By the time he woke up, the entire building was engulfed with flames, and the only way out was through a window. The problem was that the window was situated too high for him, and there was nothing nearby that he could use as a makeshift ladder. Finally, desperation drove him to start jumping randomly, and it was at this point that he realised that he could jump at incredible distances, way beyond those of a normal human. Jin-Ho had managed to save his own life, and soon, came to realise the extent of his newfound powers, which he took great advantage of, establishing himself as Seoul's #1 undefeated martial artist. It was this that attracted Lady Shen's attention, as she was scouting through Asia for disciples. Not particularly caring about her motivations, Jin-Ho nevertheless saw a great opportunity to further refine his martial prowess, accepting her invitation. Personality & Motivation: Brass and self-sure, Kang Jin-Ho has a fiery temperament to match his bleached hair. He usually doesn't bother being mean towards those he deems inferior to him, and may even treat them with something akin to kindness. However, he does not hesitate to reveal his fangs to those who could provide him with a decent fight. The only thing he cares about is getting stronger. Money and fame don't even begin to enter the picture for him. After the events with Lady Shen's capture of Tsunami and her friends, Kang Jin-Ho fought Net Fly in a sparring match, and though he initially defeated the young mutant, Net Fly turned the tables around when he was making his escape, forcing Jin-Ho to retreat in order to avoid capture. As such, Jin-Ho holds something of a grudging respect for the hero, and wishes to have a definite rematch with Net Fly. Powers & Tactics: Rather straigth-forward in his tactics, Volt Scorpion runs headlong into his opponent, tackling them and pummeling them to submission. When the foe exhibits a bit more fight in them than that, he abandons recklessness for calculativeness, assessing the situation and responding in accord. Thanks to his powers, he is also able of engaging his opponents in hit-and-run tactics, and he can mow down a group with brutal efficiency. Abilities: 10 + 10 + 12 + 0 -2 + 4 = 34PP Strength: 20 (+5) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 22 (+6) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 8 (-1) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 20 = 30PP Initiative: +5 Attack: +10 Melee, +5 Ranged Grapple: +15 Defense: +10 (+10 Base, +0 Dodge Focus), +5 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3/-5 Saving Throws: 3 + 3 + 5 = 11PP Toughness: +10 (+6 Con, +4 [Defensive Roll]) Fortitude: +9 (+6 Con, +3) Reflex: +8 (+5 Dex, +3) Will: +4 (-1 Wis, +5) Skills: 96R = 24PP Acrobatics 15 (+20)Skill Mastery Climb 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Concentration 10 (+9) Escape Artist 7 (+12)Skill Mastery Intimidate 15 (+17)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Streetwise) 10 (+10)Skill Mastery Language 4 (Native: Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai) Notice 15 (+14)Skill Mastery Sleight of Hand 5 (+10) Stealth 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Swim 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Feats: 26PP Acrobatic Bluff All-Out Attack Assessment Attack Focus (Melee) 5 Defensive Roll 2 Distract (Intimidate) Elusive Target Evasion 2 Fearless Grappling Finesse Improved Grab Improved Pin Instant Up Move-By Action Power Attack Skill Mastery 2 (Acrobatics, Climb, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge[streetwise], Notice, Stealth, Swim) Startle Takedown Attack 2 Uncanny Dodge (Hearing) Powers: 6 + 18 + 5 = 29PP Damage 5 (Extras: Linked[Volt Amp], Feats: Mighty) [6PP] (Total Style) Volt Amp 8 (16PP Array; Extras: Linked[Total Style], Feats: Alternate Powers 2) [18PP] Base Power: Autofire Extra on Damage 10 (Extras: Linked[Trip]) + Trip 10 (Extras: Linked[Damage], Flaws: Range[Touch], Feats: Improved Trip) [10 + 6 = 16PP] (Lightning Barrage) Alternate Power: Penetrating Extra on Damage 3 (Extras: Linked[Drain]) + Drain 10 (Toughness; Extras: Affects Objects, Linked[Penetrating], Total Fade Flaws: Limited[Electronics], Unreliable Feats: Affects Insubstantial, Incurable, Slow Fade) [3 + 13 = 16PP] (Short-out Strike) Alternate Power: Penetrating Extra on Damage 6 (Extras: Linked[Paralyze]) + Paralyze 10 (Extras: Alternate Save(Fortitude), Linked[Penetrating], Flaws: Unreliable) [6 + 10 = 16PP] (Thunder Strike) Bio-Electric Agility 2 (4PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power) [5PP] Base Power: Speed 4 (100mph/1'000ft per Move Action) [4PP] Alternate Power: Leaping 4 (x25 per Move Action, 750ft running long jump, 375ft standing long jump, 187ft standing high jump) [4PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC20 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Bludgeoning) Total Style (Damage) Touch DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Bludgeoning) Lightning Barrage (Damage+Trip) Touch DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Bludgeoning+Electricity) 1d20+10 vs. STR or DEX(worse) Trip Short-Out Strike (Damage+Drain) Touch DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Bludgeoning+Electricity) DC20 Reflex (Staged) Drain (Toughness) Thunder Strike (Damage+Paralyze) Touch DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Bludgeoning+Electricity) DC20 Reflex (Staged) ParalyzeTotals: Abilities (34) + Combat (30) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (24) + Feats (26) + Powers (29) - Drawbacks (0) = 154/154 Power Points