Shadowland - The Vanguard Issue #1 The Shadow Deepens

OOC you have 2 frames then initiative time. You'll have half a dozen ghouls on you apiece, and I probably don't have to tell you what a wound from one of these things will do to you, eventually.....

ooc: Um ... give us cancer that only our Dark Powers can keep in check?

"Let's retreat back down the hallway," Anyman suggests. "You slow them down and I rip their heads off one by one. And That was pretty gross even for me!"

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Let's retreat back down the hallway," Anyman suggests. "You slow them down and I rip their heads off one by one. And That was pretty gross even for me!"

Frostbite replied, with a grim smile, "Oh I don't know thought you were making a rather good job of it."

With that they moved further back, Frostbite forcing the ground to become slippery underfoot or creating thin ice walls that would force the creatures to slow down to break through funnelling them, for Anyman to pick them off as they got closer.

Sj

Moving and acting as a team, the leaders of the Vanguard funnelled the undead with solid ice constructs and fallen bodies as Anyman plucked their heads from their shoulders, his fantastic superhuman strength proving more than a match for the undead. Though they were essentially fuelled by a form of adrenaline that gave them unnatural strength, it was still only at a human level.

Anyman had the strength of 100 men, or more!

Not short of superhuman muscle himself, Frostbite scooped up a fallen body and tossed it into the face of another Ghoul who savaged it like an animal then ploughed on, only for Anyman to twist its head backwards then pluck it from the creatures shoulders.

The fighting was fierce, but one sided. Finally, buried under a thick crust of ice, the undead fell silent. Beheaded, immobilised. Not alive. Not dead.

Just... existing.

"My saviour!" said a man from down the corridor. He stepped up to the twisted metal door, glass bubble helmet cracked in several places but more or less intact. He clapped slowly, looking at the frozen tomb of the corridor.



Damon Trowers looked at Anyman and Frostbite. "Frostbite. Leader of the Vanguard. Leader of the forces that successfully saved hundreds of thousands of troops on the shores of Normandy against overwhelming odds. You achieved the impossible. You are... impossible. An American, no less. And yet... and yet our historical records told us of a group of superhumans in the early 21st Century led by a man codenamed Frostbite. Relative of yours?" he smiled.

Trowers turned to the bandaged man. "Anyman."

He let the silence hang for a moment.

"Scourge of the Nazis. Bane of the third reich. Butcher of Berlin. Responsible for the death and destruction of countless superhuman operatives and trainees. You... you are legend. The German people tell their children to behave, or the Anyman will come. He can be anyone, anywhere. Any time."

He let the silence hang. He was joined a moment later by another man.



Claude Bentham looked at the Vanguardians, his gaze seeming to appraise them. Frostbite was aware that he faced the man with possibly the highest IQ in this or perhaps any other age. He lacked the charisma, imagination, vision to lead or concoct the 'grand plan'. Trowers was a large part of that process.

But Bentham? A genius with genetics, physics, engineering, electronics... the list went on. Everything he could put his mind to.

"Don't try anything" said the man in the battered looking spacesuit, bubble helmet scuffed but otherwise unmarked. "Or I'll blow you sky high."

He pointed to the undead in the ice.

Frostbot moved forward in the scuttling robot. "Scanning. Interesting. Many of the dead Nazis have a small object inserted into their flesh. Sca..."

"I wouldn't, robot." said Bentham. "You might set them off...

Trowers smiled, then turned to Anyman and Frostbite. "So, gentlemen, what can we do for you?"

Anyman caught a glimpse behind Trowers into the room. There was a large machine, about the size of a truck, circular and with a metal arch stood over it. All sorts of machines were plugged into it, wires and tubes, piping and other things Anyman didn't recognise. Trowers stepped to the side slightly and added "Well?"

Admin wrote:Trowers smiled, then turned to Anyman and Frostbite. "So, gentlemen, what can we do for you?"

Anyman caught a glimpse behind Trowers into the room. There was a large machine, about the size of a truck, circular and with a metal arch stood over it. All sorts of machines were plugged into it, wires and tubes, piping and other things Anyman didn't recognise. Trowers stepped to the side slightly and added "Well?"

Frostbite looked somewhat weary, his respect for and appreciation for the his friend Lionheart, who'd faced these formidable pair on many an occasion was only enhanced. He spoke up for the first time, "We've come because we thought you might need rescuing, since the Devourer has stopped here at this time and place, clearly our being here together..." And at this point Frostbite stopped and indicated not only themselves but Bentham and Trowers also,

"...Must mean something. But if we are to defeat and turn back the Devourer then, as the old adage goes, 'the enemy of my enemy is my new friend.' Gentlemen we want you to join our side against the Devourer. Either that or we can leave you to get out on your own. No doubt you will, but it will take a lot longer and can you be certain that you'll gain or loose more if you wait? Bentham do the math, you know what I am saying makes sense."

Frostbite paused, only too aware that both men would turn on them in a heartbeat, seeking always only to serve their own ends. He had to wonder if Bentham could outlive his usefulness when Trowers got what only he could deliver. He waited for their response...

Sj

"So these are the two you have been hunting," Anyman says conversationlly to Frostbite. "Impressive. Oh, and I didn't destroy Berlin. One of the Furher's Own did it when his powers went out of control. I just blew up and burned a few buildings, he did all the rest."

"I have a plan to ... stop or disperse the Devourer, who is actually made up of a large number of ... us," he waves to include the living in the room, "from various alternate dimensions...other Earths. So if you flee to another one without helping us, please make sure it isn't one where a fragment of the Devourer calls home and that no one with super abilities lives there because that draws it like a flame for a moth."

He smiles at the two men and stands relaxed.

"Think you can get away from it or think it would be better to hear my plan and figure out if it will work?"

Bentham was about to speak but Trowers cut him off. "Gentlemen. We appreciate the assistance." he said. "As you may have realised, our plan to place Adolf Hitler in power and thereby establishing a thousand year reich, save that there would be a few... modifications. Your friend, Lionheart, was to be the template for the new master race. No more war, a life of order, peace and plenty for everyone. We would save humanity from itself. Can't... heh, make an omelette without breaking a few eggs though, eh chaps?" he smiled. "The weak would have been rooted out, the impure. Hitler was mad enough, and evil enough, to do it, with no qualms or conscience. When things were set in place, our second phase would kick in."

"Plans. All dust. My friend here can compute percentages and probabilities better than any computer." he added, "But there was a constant, shifting variable which he could not plan for. The Vanguard. You. As you can imagine, he is not a man who enjoys being thwarted, but we are finished here. This... place... all of this, is done, and our futures are as ash."

He chuckled, then wiped dirt from the outside of his fishbowl helmet. "We planned on manipulating a madman. The only problem with that is that the man is mad. You think you are manipulating them, and all seems well." He paused "You should never be surprised when a rabid dog turns round and bites you."

Bentham interrupted "I can still fix this."

"Ah yes, your 'doomsday' plan. And what a plan!"

He chuckled, and patted Bentham on the shoulder. "Lunarium. Given the correct catalyst it generates more specific energy output than any element in the known universe. Another unknown variable. As it happens, my friend here is attempting to create a machine that will tear open the fabric of time and space, a way out. The only downside? It needs more energy to power it than the sun gives out. Gentlemen, we have a solution. You're standing on it."

Frostbite and Anyman looked at each other, but Frostbot voiced their thoughts "You plan to blow up the moon"

"It'll be gone in days anyway. Earth will be gone. This timeline will cease to exist, and the ripples will wipe out neighbouring timelines. If Earth continues to exist after this, it won't be the Earth we know. That thing out there exists in this time and space, and many more besides. It draws power from all those other countless places. It cannot be stopped, reasoned with or..."

He stopped.

Looking at the other three, he turned to Bentham. "Tell me, would an explosion that could dwarf the suns output be used in theory to send that thing away, or destroy it?"

He turned and shrugged. "The Earth and solar system will be destroyed, but other universes will avoid this ones fate. Just a thought. What's your plan?" he asked cheerfully, turning to Anyman.

"Interesting theory..." said Trowers. "But if this thing is 'you' or at least alternate versions of you, then will it know what you plan? If the thing cloaking the sun is made up of countless other versions of you, what hope have you of making a dent in it?"

Bentham frowned "Make you a machine to focus and redirect your power? We could do that - if we had time." He thought for a moment. "Perhaps there might be a way to use the Lunarium to generate a wave of power that you could gather, focus and use to banish that thing, if it were even possible. Your plan has merit if you can handle all that power."

Trowers looked at the pair "If you have that much power, then we never had a chance of success with our plan, did we? Tell me, what drives you, the pair of you, to use your powers in the service of weaker, lesser people? You could have become rulers, shaped and saved Humanity, stopped all wars, want, crime... a truly utopian society was in your grasp..." he chuckled and shook his head. "Perhaps you feel you are better serving the greater good with some misguided notion of being a 'hero'. A reality check, I think. The people of the Earth will thank you for saving them all, if by some miracle we survive this. About 10 minutes later, the words from their lips will be 'when are you leaving?' "

Bentham took a flat panel of glass and started tapping on it. "These calculations and the machine needed to start a chain reaction in the mines will take hours, perhaps a day or more." He arched an eyebrow and turned to Anyman "Does your plan involve us staying alive that long?"

"Skrrrzzz calling Anyman and Frostbite. We have detected movement from the cloud. An object is heading directly towards the Earth! Your orders?" said Frostbot, relaying a message from the Robo Carrier...

Frostbite glanced at Trowers and Bentham. The men seemed calm and Trowers seemed to consider for a moment. "We will need to work here. We need protection from the walking dead, and whatever it is that cloud is made of. Once my friend here is done, the rest is up to you..."

Bentham arched an eyebrow and turned to speak to the Vanguardians. "As a matter of interest, are you both aware you have been subject to an unusual amount - lethal to an ordinary human being by a factor of 14.2 actually - of radiation? Your cells are mutating at an alarming rate. Unless you receive treatment, you may find that your bodies don't survive whatever change they are undergoing in the next 24 hours..."

OOC Bentham and Trowers appear to be resigned to helping you. You have something approaching the Earth at high speed and are currently on a moonbase overrun with undead. Whatever it is Bentham is building will take time. After that? We'll see how your plan works...

Admin wrote:OOC Bentham and Trowers appear to be resigned to helping you. You have something approaching the Earth at high speed and are currently on a moonbase overrun with undead. Whatever it is Bentham is building will take time. After that? We'll see how your plan works...

OOC:
Ok what do you think Dave?

Does one of us stay behind to protect the troublesome duo? Is sentinel about so that he might be able to help with the situation re the thing flying toward the earth? I don't mind taking the quick flight through the rock to the ship, to intercept but I am concerned about the amount of radiation we've absorbed and what - if anything we can do about it.

Frostbite looked to his friend, in truth he didn't quiet know what to do with the plethora of option that confronted them. Pulling his friend to one side, so that they might confer without being eaves dropped on and turning so their lips couldn't be read, Frostbite said to his friend, "I don't trust them, as ever this could be a trap. We don't know if they will try and use this yet to achieve some twisted goal, or utilise us for their own ends. Still we've little choice. If I leave you with Frostbot to mind these two, I can get back to the ship and see if I can intercept the occurrence heading to earth. Ok?"

OOC:
Since I can only anticipate what Dave will say, I'll have to wait for him to come back, before I know whether to do any more or not right now.

Sj

"Can we contact the others and see if they can handle it," Anyman asks, knowing that probably isn't going to happen. "We haven't heard from them so maybe things are going well at their end. If not, then go and I will stay here."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Can we contact the others and see if they can handle it," Anyman asks, knowing that probably isn't going to happen. "We haven't heard from them so maybe things are going well at their end. If not, then go and I will stay here."

Frostbite turned to Frostbot, "Can you get a signal back to ask if Sentinel can handle this?"

OOC:
Like Dave I assume this is going to be a no, so in which case I will go and leave Frostbot, with orders only to allow Anyman to tell it what to do and to be wary of Bentham and Trowers, before leaving through the walls as fast I can, to make best speed for the ship."

Sj

"We've heard nothing from Silver Sentinel sir" said a crackling voice through the comms system on Frostbot. "The range of the sensors on these ships is... incredible, real science fiction stuff, but the last we saw he was a dot and he left out range some time ago."

Frostbite turned to Anyman, they conferred, then he changed to his intangible form and left.

Anyman watched his friend go, then turned to the two men working on assembling a machine. The technology was far beyond what Anyman could comprehend, and looked to have been jury rigged from panels and robots, with parts strewn all over the place. They were being assembled into a rough looking platform, though it looked far from finished.

"Don't worry Anyman." said Trowers "My friend here is the smartest man alive, at least when it comes to technology. He may not have superhuman powers like you, but his mind works in a different way. He looks at something, and he overlays a diagram of what the assembly should look like, layer by layer. Some people are wired like that. So... would you like me to diagnose your condition whilst we're waiting?"

Somewhere from a corridor in the place there came sounds of objects being moved, and the flap of feet on cold stone corridors... Frostbot confirmed by declaring "Over a dozen moving objects are heading this way. No life signs."

"Oh dear. We're about to have company again." said Trowers. Bentham barely looked up, then continued soldering with a small handheld device and a sheet of something stiff and hard in his hand, covered with small intricate objects and wiring.

=========

Avoiding contact with the undead he saw, Frostbite made it through the base whilst flying at top speed

He felt a little dizzy and sick, but brushed it aside to fly towards the V-Ship. On board safely after some minutes, he headed to the airlock, unsuited, then when it cycled went to the bridge. A peeler vacated the Captains chair as he saw Frostbite approaching. "Sir? Are you all right? You look a little pale... even for you. Anyway, there is an object approaching Earth. The computers can hardly track it - greater than light speed is the estimation. It should..."

The screen flicked to a picture of the Earth, and the Robo Carrier orbiting it and waiting for Frostbites V-Ship to dock. There was a sudden flash of light, the robo carrier opened up with thousands of rail guns and hit empty space, then the Peeler turned. "Ah. Whatever it was has arrived on Earth. It slowed enough to track... it landed on the continent of America. Tracking... come on you damn thing!"

Frostbite slumped into the Captains chair. Looking at the screen he saw the Robo Carrier looming larger into view. He felt like throwing up.

"New York. Sir, it landed in New York. No reports on the radio of casualties. Let's see if... tune into local stations."

There was a pause of more than a minute, then the speakers rang out on the bridge...

"...is amazing! Central Park, ladies and gentlemen, is the scene of an amazing sight! Due to the blackout we found it hard to make out details at first, but there appears to be a man, glowing brightly like... like the sun! And he's warm! The snow near him has melted, and the light he's giving off... just to repeat, only a few minutes ago this reporter observed what many thought to be a meteor coming to crash land on this great city of ours. I have to tell you, I thought my number was up! Instead the light slowed, then leveled and reformed into the shape of a human being! We've seen and heard of some amazing things, thanks to those British superhumans called the Vanguard. We even briefly had our own superhero, until the recent loss of his powers. Then we have an end to the war in Europe, an Alien invasion, and now the sun has simply 'gone out!' The populace is on the verge of panic! Rioting, looting, crime on the rise! The army has taken to the streets to restore order, but in truth there IS no order! Many are calling this the 'end of days'. They may be right, but right now there is a ray - quite literally - of hope standing in Central Park! Even as I speak there is a swift thaw spreading outwards revealing lush green grass and trees! There are more people arriving by the second! I can hear police sirens, but surely, this is some sign that things may not be all that bad!"

The transmission fade out, but the Peeler turned to Frostbite. "The robo carrier to New York sir? They may not be too happy about us violating their airspace, but this might be something new - we need to check it out, surely?"

Frostbite looked grime as he steepled his fingers. He had thought he was being summoned to avert some impending disaster, it might still turn out that way. But with a long weary sigh, he thought better of turning away and gave the order to get them to New York. With all the dark and damage going on, its not like they were going to be that obvious.

But more curiously he had to wonder what and whom had come from the Devourer.

Sj

"Oh dear. We're about to have company again." said Trowers. Bentham barely looked up, then continued soldering with a small handheld device and a sheet of something stiff and hard in his hand, covered with small intricate objects and wiring.

Mutering under his breath, Anyman looks to re-barracade the doorway, leaving just enough of an opening so that he can reach through and twist heads off.

Anyman worked tirelessly, though his body protested! It seemed he was getting short of breath, and running low on energy! Nonetheless the clutter and rubble he gathered seemed weightless to one with the strength of an army, and he left a gap enough to reach through and grasp heads.

When it started to become cold in the lab, he wondered if Bentham was doing something, but he saw the man shivering and finding it hard to concentrate.

"T...the atmospheric controls w-were running on e-emergency power... now they are t-turned off..." said Trowers, trying hard not to shiver. "E-Even in these suits I'm s-starting to f-feel the c-c-cold!"

Bentham had a look of anger on his face and went over to a console, stabbing at buttons with numb fingers and fumbling to pull off a panel. He plucked a board clustered with tiny components, jabbed a metal rod to several places, where Anyman saw components fuse or melt, and slammed the board back in. Instantly there was a hum in the place, the lights came on much brighter, and there was a roar and WOOOOSH! as machines started pumping fresh, warmed air into the room, which promptly leaked out through dozens of gaps into the hard vacuum of the corridors. The noice of the undead working at the barriers competed with it, and Anyman stretched his arms through the gap, feeling about and grasping heads, giving them a twist.

The strange tingling sensation in his limbs continued. What had the Lunarium done to him this time?

=========

The Robot carrier diverted to aim towards the United States, transmitting messages of peace to the nervous US armed forces, anxiously watching the skies

Even so, searchlights lit the black sky up and shone on the underside of the Robo Carrier as it passed over the Statue of Liberty. On the bridge, Frostbite had mostly left the food that'd been prepared for him. He didn't feel hungry, at least for food. It was almost as if his body required different sustenance.

Shaking off his distraction, he watches the main scree, as did the other bridge crew, and saw a strange sight. Central Park shone, as if a sun were shining upwards from the centre! Thousands of people had gathered to bask in the glow and warmth, and the snow had completely melted not just from the park, but the buildings nearby!

"Zoom in. See what that is." said Frostbite. The Peeler nodded, made adjustments on scanners, and homed in on the figure at the centre of the glow. The glare was far too bright, and automatic filters dropped into place to reveal a dark figure in the midst of a globe of light, some 10m high and across. It was too painful to look at directly, much like looking at the sun!

"Can't you do something with that image?" asked Frostbite.

The Peeler thought for a moment, then turned to a Skrall technician. The alien nodded, then made lightning fast adjustments. The dark figure became much clearer. It was a human male, dressed in figure hugging body suit up to his neck. The head turned and looked up towards the distant Robo Carrier.

The Peeler gasped, and turned to look at Frostbite. He was trying to keep the astonished tone from his voice, but failed. "Sir! That... that's you!"

=========

Minutes turned into hours

Anyman was growing tired, and had to rest after fending off each attack. The creatures had concentrated their efforts and seemed to know nothing of fatigue, tirelessly dragging the barricade away as fast as Anyman could build it! They found it harder when Anyman started to tear arms off at the shoulder, then bat them around the heads with them!

Just then Trowers, hunched over a machine and pulling the wiring out, painstakingly forming the spaghetti like stuff into an ordered bundle, cried out. He shouted "Look!"

Mist rose from vents in the floor in three separate places. Bentham called out "That's nothing to do with the air conditioning system... and besides..."

"Someone just turned it ..."

The lights went out, the humming sound stopped. The trio were plunged into darkness - save for the fact Anyman glowed slightly red!

"...off"

Anyman turned to look where the other two had mentioned mist was rising...



And a ghostly white woman formed up in front of him, fangs bared!

OOC David/Anyman - be careful! You could only recover HTK via medical equipment or the dark power before. Now, it's even worse! (But you do get a benefit - add another single power grade or a new power of 1 grade to your character)

Dave/Frostbite - Frosty is suffering from the same affliction as Anyman, but less severe. Even so, he cannot now heal naturally! He needs the Dark Power or medical attention to heal HTK injuries... He also gets to add 1 grade of power to an existing or 1 grade of a new power...

Admin wrote:The Peeler gasped, and turned to look at Frostbite. He was trying to keep the astonished tone from his voice, but failed. "Sir! That... that's you!"

=========

Frostbite stared, somewhat aghast. But then from what he knew, these were them. The Devourer was made up of the Vanguard or people like them from the multiple earths on which they'd found someone, like him, able to withstand the transfer of the Shadows and not burn out. But what had taken place, a dark melding. The Shadow he had, always spoke of a greater purpose a nobler path. Of being thrown out of the royal court and being deposed for their radical leadership and ideas. Finding in him something like kindred spirit.

He had to wonder how these other Spirits melded with their counterparts and they yet survived.

Breaking in on his reverie, he shook himself. "Well if it is me, standing up here won't find the answers we seek. I better take a look, send down a division or robot warriors with me. I want to make sure others stay clear and that I have some advantage against..." He paused, wondering what and who he faced. How alike would they be.

"Never mind, get the Robots ready to meet me there, hold position and await further orders."

And with that Frostbite turned intangible and dove through the floor toward his counterpart.

Admin wrote:Dave/Frostbite - Frosty is suffering from the same affliction as Anyman, but less severe. Even so, he cannot now heal naturally! He needs the Dark Power or medical attention to heal HTK injuries... He also gets to add 1 grade of power to an existing or 1 grade of a new power...[/i][/color]

OOC: Hmm new power how about regeneration ;-) or is that me being naughty. I guess it would make sense to go for Energy Manipulation grade 2.

Sj

And a ghostly white woman formed up in front of him, fangs bared!

OOC David/Anyman - be careful! You could only recover HTK via medical equipment or the dark power before. Now, it's even worse! (But you do get a benefit - add another single power grade or a new power of 1 grade to your character)

"Please tell me you are an experiment of the Nazis and I can reason with you and get you on my side as I try to fix everything and save the whole universe," Anyman says, without any hope of any such thing. "That's what we are trying to do here, you know, save the universe."

He cocks his head and thinks a moment.

"I guess, actually, we are trying to save a whole bunch of universes. So another ally to help do that would be appreciated."

He smiles at her hopefully.
action: Since she can turn to mist, I guess getting some kind of ego attack that can affect intangible people would be the way to go.

OOC Frostbite - We'll have to thrash out the details of the Energy Manipulation grade 2. Aside from greater range and more damage (I think we decided that grade 1 does x2 damage, grade 2 would do x3 with increased dividers by -1 I should think) it'd also give extra effects and tricks that Frostbite can try.

Anyman - Ego attack is part of PSI powers, which costs two grades. If you're wanting something to affect intangible, we can hash something out. Intangibles can be affected by things which reduce dividers (so long as they aren't intangible grade 2). An energy attack of some kind that fits in with his powers might suffice. That said, for a grade PSI attack (Ego vs Ego, damage x2 ignores dividers, 20m range, no need for PSI points) for 1 grade isn't unreasonable, so if you want that, you can have it. Because this is a worse form of the radiation sickness (grade 2), Anyman takes an extra 1d10 per blow that gets through of HTK damage. Even if 1 point gets through, it adds 1d10 damage...

Whilst the creature in front of him looked like a human, she acted more like an animal, and paced around her foe, looking for an opening! Behind her, more mist poured through the vent...

Trowers called out "Another of Hitlers experiments. His brief was to create the ultimate soldier. We... ah... gave him that. There were side effects, a consequence of using the Lunarium."

Bentham called out "You need a holy weapon to harm them. Not kidding. Or ... " he looked about, then sighed. "Silver. I'll need that back!" and he tossed a small 'brick' of silver which he'd been cutting slivers from to use in his construction. Anyman, trying to reason with the thing in front of him, caught the 'brick' in his left hand and frowned. Things were so messed up - whilst they fought for their lives the Earth was running out of time! When the Devourer made it's move, they would have to be ready to act! He glanced over the shoulder of the woman and saw the piles of partially assembled machinery... and his heart sunk!

The creature in front of him resembled a vampire of legend - it would have enhanced speed and strength, superhuman resistance to just about any form of attack and ignore harmful environmental effects, like the deadly cold, hard vacuum or the need to breath!

He wondered what would happen if it bit him... It seemed not to have heard his question, and was looking at him as if he were on the menu!

OOC Anyman 10, Vampire 8. you have 1 frame... Your new PSI power will manifest this fight, but you'll need an action to attack with it. Grade 2 will give a x1 damage quick blast and x3 damage action blast.

OOC Forgot to mention Dave - Regeneration would only affect your HTC. Your HTK is a bit of a mess at the moment, thanks to the Lunarium exposure!

Frostbite soared through the walls and corridors of the huge Robo Carrier and finally emerged, glancing behind to see a group of 25 flying robots, about the size of dustbins and armed with large rail guns which, whilst devastating at close range, did little to reassure Frostbite!

He headed towards the gathering crowd. People were streaming from across the city, many holding candles or matches, burning brands or torches, lanterns even. Did they know they were walking, Lemming like, to their doom?

The dark figure looked up, and from this distance it was impossible to be sure, but Frostbite thought he smiled... the Vanguardian flew on towards the massing crowd and lush green of Central Park.

That's when the creature spoke.

It wasn't a bellow, or loud enough to rattle windows, but all intelligent living creatures in and around New York, and for miles around, heard it.

"People of Earth. I greet you. Your sun has gone dark because you are being punished! You have been tolerant with this race of men and women who would be gods, and rule over you! We are here to right that wrong, and to prove we are not your enemy, we will consider restoring the light and heat of your sun to you - but only if you renounce the so called 'Vanguard'!"

There was silence, and murmuring as confusion swept through the crowd. One man called out "The Vanguard? Those limeys? Why should we care about them?"

"They are mankinds enemy! It is because of them we have come to exact retribution! This is, quite literally, mankinds darkest hour! You must go from here and heed my words! Tell them to your neighbours, family and friends! Let the word spread, and the word is this - unless the world renounces and turns against the Vanguard, there will be a time of eternal darkness and suffering such as this world has never faced before! Brother will turn on brother, father on son, mother on daughter! The world will become a charnel house of death and torment! And for what? Restore the status quo! Bring these Vanguard to justice! Strike them down! hound them wherever they go! Fight them with your weapons, your hands, any rock that lays near your feet! They are your enemy, and will be your undoing, unless mankind unites! Heed my message, and heed it well!"

The figure turned to look at Frostbite, closing in on the scene now. He added "Here comes one now. If you wish the sun to return... the Vanguard must die!"

He raised his arms and smiled... and the eyes of the crowd - thousands of people, swept to look upon Frostbite!

He wondered what would happen if it bit him... It seemed not to have heard his question, and was looking at him as if he were on the menu!

OOC Anyman 10, Vampire 8. you have 1 frame... Your new PSI power will manifest this fight, but you'll need an action to attack with it. Grade 2 will give a x1 damage quick blast and x3 damage action blast..

actions: Punch iit with the brick of silver squeezed around my fist.

Admin wrote:He raised his arms and smiled... and the eyes of the crowd - thousands of people, swept to look upon Frostbite!

At this point Frostbite wished he had his USA uniform. "Very clever, making a problem, them blaming on someone else and then coming in to seemingly save the day. Nice way to cast yourselves as the 'heroes' when you have no such aspiration. So how does this go, we trade banter, then we get down to a fist fight. But you wait for me to move first, so that you can seemingly offer up the point of being the innocent in this fight!"

Frostbites voice, his American voice, clearly range out over the hushed silence of expectancy that hung in the air. He made no attempt to quieten his voice, not to act in anyway hostile to the man before him. He knew that whatever happened here, would cement in people's minds the imposters view especially if he appeared to attack in an unprovoked manner. So for now he had to wait and see if he couldn't goad the man into acting first.

Unless that is, he had some other means to coerce Frostbite into acting.

OOC:
Ok so I know this guy can beat me up in a heart beat without my Shadow Demons help, so I've little choice but to try and play it smart! And resist fighting till its quiet obvious who is at fault here. To that end I will signal my Robot forces with back off, I don't want anyone to misconstrued my actions as a threat so I won't do it unless I can find a way that it won't be turned against me. I don't want my doppelganger attempting to attack on the pretence that I was appearing to order my forces to attack.

Sj

Anyman swung with the silver brick in hand!

OOC 2d10=17 and clobbers the Vampire. WC3 + DC6 +17 (-17) = 9 accuracy, plus 12 from the brick, plus 25 from strength

Clack! The silver brick hits solid, surprising the vampire (and hurting it as well!) The creature cries out, falls back and dissolves into a fine mist! The others hiss and snarl as they form into humanoid shapes, but eye the brick warily, and the man wielding it so skilfully and powerfully, even more so!

Looking about, Anyman notes the mist like wraiths are staying well back, and the creature he struck is disappearing back into the ventilation shaft. Then he hears crashing in the corridor, and knows that the undead are back, this time in force.

"I need more time!" shouted Bentham, and for the first time a tinge of panic entered his voice! Anyman thought it a little ironic - two of the men responsible for altering time and giving these futuristic and world changing weapons to the Nazis, not to mention discovering and mining Lunarium and making deals with alien empires to conquer the Earth for them, were seeking his help! His! He was the sworn scourge of the Nazis, their most hated foe, the man parents told tales of to frighten their children to sleep on a night!

Trowers came up to stand next to Anyman. "This is a touch ironic." he smiled, grim. Anyman was about to answer when there came a huge roar from the corridor. Trowers hefted a wrench, glanced at the back of Anymans head, then thought better of it. With a sigh he muttered "What I wouldn't give for a flamethrower." He clammed up when the sound of heavy crashing came from the corridor...

Something big this way comes... and it smells the blood of living, breathing, human flesh!

OOC The combat was over pretty quick because whilst you're not using the Dark Power, you're still superhuman and more than capable of flattening a few young Vampires, especially with a solid hit! The creature that's is on its way to the lab is something else though. The room is barricaded but hordes of zombies and ghouls in the corridors are clawing at the desks, chairs, tables and broken machinery to get in. Claude Bentham needs more time to finish his machine... does Anyman go out there to clear the rabble, or wait in here to see what is coming to them?

Trowers came up to stand next to Anyman. "This is a touch ironic." he smiled, grim. Anyman was about to answer when there came a huge roar from the corridor. Trowers hefted a wrench, glanced at the back of Anymans head, then thought better of it. With a sigh he muttered "What I wouldn't give for a flamethrower." He clammed up when the sound of heavy crashing came from the corridor...

Something big this way comes... and it smells the blood of living, breathing, human flesh!

OOC The combat was over pretty quick because whilst you're not using the Dark Power, you're still superhuman and more than capable of flattening a few young Vampires, especially with a solid hit! The creature that's is on its way to the lab is something else though. The room is barricaded but hordes of zombies and ghouls in the corridors are clawing at the desks, chairs, tables and broken machinery to get in. Claude Bentham needs more time to finish his machine... does Anyman go out there to clear the rabble, or wait in here to see what is coming to them?.

"Any oxygen bottles around that you can use to make a flamethrower," Anyman asks curiously, extremely calm now. He knows using his Dark Powers will be the last free will decision he will make and is ready for it. "Or any alcohol to make a Molotov cocktail?"

"If I head out to fight whatever is coming, I guess these vampires will come back in and suck your blood. Don't want that. At least, not until we save all the universes we can. So I guess I'm stuck in here and hope to fight whatever is coming at the barricade."

actions: stay in the room and hold off all monsters as best he can. Also this is probably my last post until Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

It was unnerving, looking at a mirror image of himself. Dressed in what turned out to be a white skin tight costume from foot to neck, the Shadow Emissary considered Frostbites words then smiled.

"Oh, I'm not here to fight! Why, it's clear that you and your friends in the Vanguard who have upset the balance of world power and are probably planning to usurp governments across the world..."

His words were drowned out by the crowd booing and baying at Frostbite, even as the robots turned and started back towards the V-Ship.

With a smile, and gesture to quieten the crowd the doppleganger continued. "Think about it, people. A group of half a dozen or so individuals, wielding more power than any army on Earth! What is to stop them if they decide to set themselves up as... as gods?"

The deafening screams and jeers filled Central park and the streets around as the warming glow drew more people, and the mans words seemed to carry without shouting or amplification to everyone gathered.

The Emissary turned to Frostbite once more. "Will you let this man and his friends determine your fate? Will you meekly lie down whilst they gamble with your lives? I have made no aggressive move, in fact, I bring respite from the darkness... LOOK!"

He pointed to the sky. The darkness seemed to part, as did the clouds, and a ray of sunlight shone down on the entire city!

Frostbite felt rather than saw the people respond with joy and elation - it was as if the entire city of New York erupted with happiness and relief - the deliverance from the darkness, even if it had been present for but a day, was palpable!

The doppleganger floated up above the crowds, to within 20m or so of Frostbite. With eyes fixed on his twin the Dark Emissary spoke, his voice carrying somehow despite the cheers of the throng below.

"I'm not here to fight you, Frostbite. I am here to beat you." he said. His quiet voice continued "This war could be fought between us, two 'gods' clashing in the sky, shattering mountains and levelling cities. The people would look into the sky and be fearful as our righteous fury lights up the skies and shakes the ground! Two Dark Powers... brothers... opposed and yet inextricably linked."

He turned, waving a hand at the cheering, weeping, joyous crowd. "Look at them. Sheep, in need of a shepherd. How easy it was to turn them to my will. I give them back what was taken away, and they revere me. You ended a world war, delivered the planet from years of terrible conflict, continue to battle for their worthless lives... why? They hate you! They see you as the threat now, and wonder if by dethroning Adolf Hitler you have taken his place as the biggest threat to world peace!" he paused, then added "Ungrateful wretches. Join us! Surrender your Dark Power to the Devourer! Persuade your friends to do the same, and the Devourer will leave!"

He smiled "Though personally, I'm hoping you make a fight of it." though there was no warmth in the sound.

Claude Bentham glanced about. "Oxygen. Yes, we have that. I jury rigged an air conditioner to extract oxygen from what remains in this vile, dead place. If we use it to power a flame thrower, we will have less to breathe."

"Damned if we do, damned if we don't." said Trowers. He laughed, shook his head "Don't have much choice old chap. Best get on with it whilst we can."

Bentham shrugged, gathered an unused metal container, drilled a hole in it, screwed a fitting into the hole and disconnected a pipe from a machine. White gas boiled out, freezing and hissing before the pipe connected to the container and within moments, he plucked it free and reconnected to the machine. "Compressed air. Be careful with that." He offered up a small hand held heater. "Turn the nozzle, point towards the flame and stand back."

The pounding of heavy feet and the crashing of metal got louder.

Anyman held the barricade down easily against the clawing undead hands on the other side trying to pull it away. Trowers saw how little effort he was using and smiled "With your strength we could hold them for years! I don't see what..."

Anyman pulled his hand away as a section of barricade was yanked from him! He held a section of torn metal in his hand and looked through the gap. The Undead on the other side had been pulverised, little left but ichor rolling down the walls!

"Saves us... a job..." said Trowers, stepping back and holding up the makeshift flamethrower...



The rending groan of metal caused even Bentham to look over "I say, how about a little quiet! This is delicate..."

Trowers muttered "Shut up Claude..." and glanced at the large head peering through the gap in the barricade, the gaping maw and malice etched face! "I think I'm going to need a bigger flamethrower..."

There was a crashing of metal and wood as a large hand reached through the gap in the barricade and started to probe around for something living to eat!

OOC The hand is near 3 foot long and 2 foot wide, ending in claws! This thing is night on 20 feet tall and terrifically strong - its carving out a new corridor shape, albeit at a slower pace. Whatever it did to the Undead outside didn't seem to help you. It seems able to absorb organic matter into itself, even dead stuff... Over to you...