The NEW Vanguard! red Dragon Issue 1: "When you clean up your hands get dirty..."

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

Merlins Mount.

Looked like another hill amidst a sea of heather covered hills lost in a multitude of valleys, and all of them rained on near constantly. He chuckled. Even with all that had happened to him he had time to come home and moan about the weather.

There was little to mark the hill as the resting place of the legendary Merlin the Magician, a man steeped in legend that didn't even come close to the truth that he was a powerful sorcerer in life, and in death left a gaping hole in the defence of the land he loved.

"He's not dead you know." said a voice behind Matthew.

He whirled, then relaxed. A naked man, heavily muscled and quite hairy, stood twenty feet or so away from him. "Pardon the dress code, boyo. Just a word of advice. Don't tell no one or they'll start talking, eh?"

One of the 'Wolf Pack'. This one, a man name Tristan Llewellyn. he moved to sit down on a jutting rock and looked about. "Beautiful land. Shame about the blood rain all the time."

Matt chuckled and walked towards the other man who looked back at him. "Fancy costume. Remember to wear the mask though. If they find out who you are, everyone you know, who EVER knew you, will be a target."

"They?"

"Your... 'friend' Morgan has friends in very high places. He wants to hit the big time, and word on the street is a boat docking in Barry docks tomorrow is bringing the means ta do it. We don't know what is on it - our 'informant' fell off a cliff. Clumsy really. Annoying, but he was wettin' himself when the others closed in wearin' the wolf."

Wearing the wolf. The phrase given for lycanthropy. The 'Wolf Pack' were a group* of Lycanthropes who could control the change thanks to Merlins magic, a special concoction of chemicals including silver nitrate in minuscule amounts, and yoga. Superhuman strength, speed, near instant recovery from harm, razor sharp senses and telepathic contact with the rest of the Wolf Pack ensured there was a network of capable agents dedicated to rooting out evil in Wales and the rest of Britain.

And Morgan was very, very evil.

"We think the boat is worth checkin' out. It's comin' from China. We think the Triads are lookin' fer ways to get a foothold. Drugs, Prostitution, Racketeering, Weapons, Terrorism, Extortion, the list goes on. There's probably a fancy acronym for all that stuff, but we just call 'em targets. Your targets. Time ta start repayin' the old mans faith in you Matthew." he stood, back turned to Red Dragon. "We figure you have a few options"

OOC And they are:

1) Find out where the boat is coming from and intercept it before it makes landfall
2) Pay it a visit when it lands
3) Watch it, and follow. After all, arrests without due process and evidence don't stick, and it means Morgan gets away clean. Again.
4) Another plan?

*hope you don't mind the twist

Matthew moved up alongside the naked man and looked out over the country side with him " Tristan why is it you don't take the ship out when it docks and don't give me all the mumbo jumbo about it being a test I got enough of that from the old git. No the pack could do it a lot more effectively than me....." he let the question hang in the cold mountain air not expecting an answer from the large man next to him.

He sighed after a while and pulled his mask back on. "Well keep safe Tris and say hy to the rest of the dogs for me." Matthew wasn't a small man but next to the naked man he seemed like a boy even so he slapped the man on the back as he stepped back away from him to protect his friend from the heat as his flame wings ignited and took form.

"Well I might just go take a look at the ship out at sea though I think I'll wait till it docks before I do anything just in case they are trafficing people. The last thing I need to deal with is a sinking ship with inocent people on it."

With that he took to the air, the wings taking him swiftly into the sky on the waves of heat they produced round his body. He would never get tired of flying, he thought having power over people and intimmidating them into doing what he wanted was a rush but this and the rest of his powers were totally off the chart for the rush. And he evern got a feel good feeling from using them to help others.... not that he'd let Tris or the other know it ...wouldn't be good for his hard man rep.

With a simple nudge the wings beat and he turned to fly out over the cliffs and on ove the cold blue sea towards the ship and his targets.

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

The Lycanthrope smiled...

"You're the one with all the power boyo. Me? I'm just a doggie wi' a nose, sniffin' about for trouble." he looked around and tipped his head up slightly. "An' there's trouble comin'. I can smell it. Hell, I can taste it. Not just here." he turned to face Matthew. "Mind how you go, Mattie lad. There's forces at work here that don't feel natural, or right. I ain't talkin' bout them lunatics on the evening news that wear tights and toss cars about. Something else is brewin'..."

He looked to the North.

"Something big, and bad, this way comes."

"You sort th' ship out. It's your job. Mine is ta tell ya of this stuff as soon as we hear of it. An' the knowledge don't come cheap. Time to pay the piper, as they say. The Myst Lady wants a rival takin' down a peg or two, so I've got an errand ta run. Eye for an eye an' all that, plus I always pay me debts. Be well. Wear the name and wield the power with honour boyo, and you'll do alright."

He flowed into the form of a huge wolf, nearly the size of a horse! It rose up to stand some nine feet high on its back legs and grunted as paws extended into near human hands, albeit clawed. He turned his great wolfs head at Matthew. "Watch out lad. Beware who ye trust." With a great HOWWWWWWLLLLLL! he loped off down the hillside at a speed scarcely believable and soon vanished from sight amongst the trees and woods of this wild green land.



=========

The sea was vast, dark, rolling and uninviting

Superhuman endurance meant the cold didn't bother him, so the shiver down his back was something else. The mist rolling in was unnatural, and not forecast. It would be easy enough with a map and compass to follow the shipping lanes out to sea, or he could wait here and identity the ship - the Xiang Lu - when it turned up. He'd arrived at the ports to look around and been surprised when a car had rolled up, given that he was in costume and stood in the shadows of deepening evening. "Don't say I never give ya nothin" said David Jones, another Lycanthrope albeit smaller than Tristan and not as versed in his powers. He was useful in other ways though, given he was a policeman. "Keep outta sight best you can boyo." he offered, looking about. He handed over a piece of paper. "Friends in ... varied places. The ship and its expected time of arrival. Forecast is clear. You should see it for miles."

David had turned and sighed when a call went out over the radio. "Duty calls. Be watchful, Dragon." With a nod he turned the police car around and the blue lights went on as he raced off to another call, probably a domestic incident.

Red Dragon had bigger fish to fry.

Now he waited in the still and calm, some ten miles from shore and surrounded by this unexpected fog. He'd flown above it, only to see it stretched in every direction out to the sea and was met by continuous cloud going up beyond a couple of hundred yards.

OOC Go looking in the fog, or wait for the ship to arrive? I need to make a couple of changes to the character. His Lycanthrope network 'Wolf Pack' could prove to be very useful and so must be paid for, like anything else of u9se That means a few points juggling about. I was also thinking about a miscellaneous drawback whereby his own body attacks itself if he acts at any time with less than honourable intent. That's not as bad as it sounds, but can rob him of Body points on a roll of 11 or more.

RedDragon still couldn't get used to the Wolf Pack turning up all the time with info and leads then just blending back into the night. Still it was always sound information and he trusted them.

But now he was floating on hot air high about the fog bank and not being able to see a thing. He knew the ship was down there somewhere below him and he had no choice but to drop down and look for it.

With a little aprehension he turned and headed down into the rolling fog below. As he entered his vision became less than the nose on his face but he pushed his senses to the limit to make sure nothnig would surprise him. Down and down he went hoping that the fog would clear just a little to allow him to see the ocean and the ship.

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

The fog was so thick and cloying it was hard to make anything out...

Until he soared too close to the rolling waves and had to pull up, lest he crash into the sea!

OOC Perception check 4,3 (7) Fail.

Damn! Where was it? With this mist it could pass right by him in the fog and he'd know no better!

Just then he heard something and whirled about!

Preparing himself for anything, he tensed, clenching his fists... only to gasp with surprise as the tiny dragon he'd befriended when he'd gotten his powers soared out of the mist and swooped around him! He laughed out loud, then watched as the dragon peeled its wings back and smashed into the water, emerging a heartbeat later with a fish in mouth! With a few gulps and the crunch of teeth the fish vanished and the Dragon barked in pleasure!

A small torrent of flame jetted from the creatures mouth... and the mist melted away in an area around it, revealing the waves and for a brief moment, the sky above.

Red Dragon had seen what a small flame, albeit intensely hot, could do to the mist.

If he couldn't find the ship in the fog the chances were it would dock and any chance to inspect it would vanish! He looked around, knowing that the ship *must* be somewhere in the vicinity!

Red watched the little dragon fly round him flames vapourizing the mist and smiled. Hovering in the air he reached into himself and felt the flame of justice flare in his heart. Grabbing the raw power of kings he pulled it and shapped it with his mind and forced it into the shape of a great sword that materialized in his hands as a bright shaft of flame.

Rotating slowly the Dragon hero of Wales swung the fire brand through the air and watched with a smile playing across his lips as it started to cut through the thick fog

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

With his mighty sword of fire burning the mist from all around him, the area became clearer with each passing moment.

That the fog was unnatural was clear. Why it was here, and how were the questions that needed answers.

Red Dragon swooped about. With every moment his speed picked up and he scythed lines through the fog. Where a gap appeared the remaining fog dispersed to fill it and thinned the remainder out.

In moments the fog had thinned enough to see the white wake of a ship and Red Dragon followed it to see thick fog a mile in the distance.

=========

Closer, the fog thinned as he soared up behind the ship.

It was a large container vessel, no unusual markings and no sign of crew on deck though that wasn't unusual. As he hovered, looking from behind and down on it, the Dragon flew up to hover beside him and hissed at the ship. He noted the Chinese markings on the side and knew he'd found the boat he sought. It should be a straight forward board and sort out a few lowlife gangsters, turn their stuff over to the Police and make himself scarce before they got there.

Should be....

OOC Fly down and land on the vessel?

Although he knew this should be straight forward, red pushed some of his power through to his left arm and a flaming shield appeared.

Satisfied he was as prepared as possible he turned to his little scaled friend " well little one you stay up high and cover my back. I could never do this work without you great strength so be ready to do your usual and pull my fat out of the fire"

With that red dragon dropped onto the deck of the ship. Landing in a crouch shield up and sword ready for action

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

Red Dragon left his tiny companion hovering and circling the ship whilst he soared down and landed on the expanse of its deck

The rolling seas made it tricky to stay upright for a moment or so, but Dragons incredible balance and agility made short work of that. He looked about. There was no one on deck, but the large forecastle where the ship was being steered from looked to be occupied, with figures moving about.

The flame that crackled from sword and shield made any attempt he might make at stealth pointless!

A second later a klaxon rang out across the ship, and Red Dragon whirled about...

A door set into the floor clanged open, then another some thirty feet to the left, and hands started to pull the rest of the body of chinese sailors - though they were burly and mean looking for the most part, and AK47s slung across their backs suggested they were not your usual sea farers...

OOC Fight, flight or try to see what's going on by means of a friendly chat? There are two men coming out of the hatches in the deck some twenty feet ahead and thirty feet to the left of Dragon and maybe more behind them. the bridge crew have spotted Dragon easily given that his flame is bright and burns the fog away. Perhaps it's a simple case of protecting themselves - after all piracy in this day and age is not only a reality, it's almost common in certain parts of the world! or... or perhaps they have something to hide...

Red dropped into a protective stance shield up and sword held across his body but he didn't attack holding off for a moment.

" I am red dragon and I am here to search your vessel. I do not wish to harm anyone but if you insist on getting in my way I will use force to carry out my work" he let the message sink in for a moment. At the same time he gritted his teeth and formed the image of himself attacking them knowing that if they were innocent his powers would painfully let him know he was taking the wrong path so he readied himself just in case.

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

More and more muscled goons climbed out onto the deck, armed to the teeth with AK47s and crude weapons such as chains

They seemed neither surprised nor intimidated to discover the superhuman standing on their deck and didn't respond to his challenge as they spread out in a semi-circle readying weapons with loud CLICK! CLACK! sounds. Then they simply stood their, waiting.

A man walked out of the bridge and looked down on the deck. Red Dragon noted that he was a stocky Chinese man with a bald head and mean stare. His suit was at odds with the crew who were in jeans or work trousers with wife beater vests or scruffy oil covered t-shirts. He looked at Red Dragon for the moment, then seemed to consider. "I give you... ten thousand of your pounds to ... as you say, 'get lost'." he barked.

Mmm this is a tricky situation, thought Red as he eyed the thugs with guns, not that he much cared about them his tough hide had taken much worse hits from much bigger guns than that but the man before him interested him. He seemed very convident for someone who had a fire breathing dragon on his boat, he would have to play carefully with this one.

"10,000 .... interesting offer but sadly I don't even open my eyes in the morning for twice that so you can see it will cost you a little bit more to ...as you say .... get lost."


Red studied the man trying to judge if he was just the owner of the ship or someone like him... a super. Whatever he was Red readied himself for an attack from him knowing that with a little fire and his friendup in the sky above him the thugs would be little trouble.


OOC: sorry for lack of post busy week

Red Dragon

Body	10
Mind	7
Spirit	7
Hero Points	0

OOC Been hammered for time these last two weeks myself, don't worry about the delay. With single player games, the pacing is dictated by you That said, we have a few rocket fast posters who must think I'm a snail when it comes to replying

The fellow considered. "You ... hero? Maybe money not your thing. I make deal. You get lost, I will not arrange for an explosion at local police station." He turned and nodded, and a man on the bridge picked up a telephone, starting to talk into it...

He eyed Red Dragon up and down. "You westerners. So much in love with dressing up and charging to the rescue, like John Wayne in old movie. You blunder into things you know nothing about, then blame others when you make a mess. I seen it all time. You don't know who you messing with mister. Better go now while you still got time."

The guards raised their guns, aiming...

Dragon stood stock still fiery wings burning on his back hands by his side flames liking up his arms. In a deep rumbling voice.

"I take responsibility for what I do .... If you set off a bomb you will be the first to die I promise you" he then lifted his head and looked at those around him " and none of you will leave this boat alive that is my promise to you all and my judgement and sentence on you all"

With that he shot forward on fiery wings flaming hand out stretched aiming for the leaders throat.



OOC: really sorry RL has been so hectic one project deadline after another which has reduced my posting over the last month next to nothing. Hopefully the bulk of it has been done and I can get back on track with my character .

OOC Now worries about the real life saga - understandable. The game will continue at your pace :)

Leaping forward Red Dragon saw the mans confident look turn to panic as the superhuman reached for him!

Guns barked and fired, time and again trying to cut the hero from the air before the thugs leader could be reached!

OOC Half a dozen shots go off - the rest aren't in position to fire and miss their boss/the ship in general. These guys are dumb, but they're not stupid :)

Not really possible for a team attack as they are doing their own thing, but they get -1OV due to flank/rear/below shots. Six attacks:

2d10 → [7,2] = (9) Miss
2d10 → [4,9] = (13) Miss
2d10 → [4,4] = (8) DOUBLE plus 2d10 → [4,4] = (8) DOUBLE (I'm not making this up - blame invisible castle) plus 2d10 → [8,6] = (14) = 30. Hit (needless to say) and 3RAPs. 3 points of damage. Red Dragon is on 7/10 Body
2d10 → [8,9] = (17) Hit no damage
2d10 → [6,8] = (14) Miss
2d10 → [10,5] = (15) Hit no damage

Red Dragon weaved up and around the hail of gunfire and had almost reached the gang leader when something had smacked him in the side and knocked him off course! He felt a sharp pain when he touched his ribs and knew he'd been shot. In other places on his body the bullets had smacked like peas from a childs pea shooter and flattened against his skin. These had punched deeper, causing bruising and possible bleeding underneath the costume. He knew then that these people weren't messing around! An ordinary person would have been chopped to mincemeat by that hail of gunfire!

He swooped around then dove to grab at the leader with a fiery hand!

OOC 2d10 → [2,2] = (4) DOUBLE plus 2d10 → [9,1] = (10) = 14. Hit and you grab the man. He instantly passes out from the searing heat and flame on Red Dragons hand!

With a simple grab Red Dragon grabbed the leader who cried out and sagged in his hands, near weightless thanks to the Dragons superhuman strength! He turned to see the thugs had stopped firing, having seen their leader dropped so easily! Red Dragon was still vastly outnumbered but whatever these men were carrying on the ship, it was clear he couldn't let them dock - they had enough weapons to start a small war!

"Hey! You let boss go! We give you... money. Lot's of it. How much you want? Twenty grand? Fifty?" called out one of the goons with an AK47. "We give you drugs if you like. You like that? You sell. Street value very high, maybe million dollar?"

Red Dragon found it hard not to be staggered by the offer - with a single gesture he could leave the boat and would do so as a rich man! A million dollars worth of drugs plus a pile of cash... enough to set up his own gang? And far away from here too - let someone else sort these goons out. Or maybe he could drop off an anonymous tip...?

The Dragon frowned. Where had those thoughts come from?

"Well? What answer? You give boss back, we give you cash and drugs, you get lost. All good?"

OOC Red Dragon is on 7/10 Body...