The NEW Vanguard! FROSTBITE Issue #2

Admin wrote:With that she turned to the lift which had swished open and gestured for Joe to go in. "After you." she turned to the guards. "back to your posts. Get that security gate fixed and have patrols increased. I shall deal with all of you individually later..." She turned to face Joe and raised an eyebrow. "Well?" she asked, looking towards the lift.

It was at a time like this that Frostbite thought how handy it would be to have Lionheart's danger sense.  Not that it might matter, when you are in the midst of a hornets nest what can you discern over the angry sounds to differentiate the urgent threat from the really important and imminent one closer to hand.  Still he'd got this far on a bluff, he'd have to see it through.  Acting surprised, might give the game away - of course unless the lady expected him to know better?  Was this a test.  

"Funny, despite the vast changes of our age, I am unaccustomed to be less than...chivalrous.  Despite the marvels we hope to bestow on mankind, its the small things that separate us from the Apes, don't you think?" And with that, Frostbite swept low and mockingly bowed a little to indicate the lady should go first.  Hoping that by his impudence and charm he might win the 'frostmaiden' over or at least flush out a potential trap she intended him to know about if he was truly from Destiny.  

If all else failed he might in 'ruffling her feathers', gain some insight into her true intentions and or something more about what was going on here.  But from what she'd already given away, it did seem that Joe Rigdon and those whom they might also have 'in residence' were here to be used as components or experiments in advancing science beyond what we'd achieved by honest work and brains alone.  

OOC:  OK try to make a outrageous attempt to bluff here, with me seeking to either expose the lifts danger or and cover my ignorance at the same time.  Anyword from Frostbot, has he been able to extricate himself yet?  What, if I am permitted to know has happened to him?  In any case sounds like the dice were as consistent for me as always?  

Sj

The woman pauses, then shrugs. She steps into the lift, turns, waits for Frostbite to step in.

Meanwhile he feverishly tries to communicate with his silicon partner. The 'backup, a mere shadow of the main program, tries to explain.

'The computer system in this place must be as advanced as we are. Even in this era the computer software and hardware are relics. That means to entrap our main program in this system we are dealing with something not of this era. Tread carefully.' explained 'FrostbIt'

As the door swishes shut behind Frostbite, leaving him alone with the woman, it starts to descend at a very fast rate...

"The scanners reveal you are, at least, some form of superhuman. Who are you?" she asked. She looked confident, assured. Capable of looking after herself.

Even against a superhuman?

'Skrrrz... crackle... Frostbot!' fizzled a voice inside Frostbites' head. Eh? What did that mean? Frostbot calling out it's... his... own name?

Admin wrote:'Skrrrz... crackle... Frostbot!' fizzled a voice inside Frostbites' head. Eh? What did that mean? Frostbot calling out it's... his... own name?

It bothered Frostbite greatly that his friend was in such obvious trouble, but with no obvious way for him to help or deal with it. In fact it often the case that Frostbot offered help but Frostbite could only gratefully receive it. When it came to do his companion a good turn, what could he do that would make any kind of difference to Frostbot?

He tried hard to distract himself from giving away the obvious consternation he felt about the situation. Focusing instead on what the woman clearly knew, but also what she probably didn't know, such blindspots gave him the chance to keep up the charred a bit longer.

"Hmm, Destiny warned me your facility was good. Well as you can appreciate our 'company' has a diverse set of interests, we pool from many different sources and resources. I'm just such a one, with a particular interest in your area. But what intrigues me more, is how you clearly have your own experience in this area. Tell me about yourself?"

Frostbite hoped to somehow turn the tables on the lady, at least to distract the conversation away form himself. It was increasingly looking like he was walking into something far worse than he had first thought or imagined. Future tec, but here in the present? What was going on and who, would have an interest in helping such folk? What was their endgame and real intentions? Questions he had a plenty, answers seemed sorely lacking though.

OOC: Not sure what I can do to help Frostbot, other than trying to keep channels open and press on regardless. Frosting up at this stage isn't going to help me over much, as they may well already be prepared for the likes of me.

If the woman hoped to provoke a response from Frostbite she clearly was going to draw a blank.

"Alright. I shall play your game. My name is Dr Malandra Caine. I am a scientist. And I, too, am a superhuman..." she said. Though relaxed Frostbite could tell from his past experiences that she was no mere scientist. And Joe was also too aware that they were enclosed within a metal box, heading into the bowels of the Earth below...

"In this place we have technology that can scan every facet of your being. And what I find is... most remarkable. You see, one of the subjects in this facility has a genetic makeup similar to your own. His body and mind are different, for the most part, but your genetic density, and the strange 'X Gene' that grants human beings remarkable powers, is not only similar, but as far as we can tell, identical."

"So, whoever you are. Shall I guess at what you can do? Something to do with ice and cold? Your body density can be lowered? You can... fly?" she asks. Frostbite noted that whilst she appeared relaxed she seemed ready to pounce.

She'd also not mentioned Frostbot.

"This facility and others like it has been put together to use the superhuman abilities of people such as us for the betterment of mankind, though they themselves may not survive to reap the benefits. Your 'twin' for example, supercools a processor array that controls a gateway into an alternate timeline. Others power the facility, create the dimensional rift itself... the list of uses is endless! Why, you may ask?"

"We can pluck from unlimited timelines to draw on technology, people, materials... You may think I am revealing all to you, and that you can somehow foil our plans, correct? What if I told you that the sacrifice of the several dozen superhumans in this facility will save the world, and without their ... participation a race of interdimensional demons would issue forth and..."

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Red lights flooded the elevator, the klaxon wailing and cutting Caine off.

"No..." she muttered... and VANISHED!

The lift halts, abruptly.

'Frostbot... multple... all... fighting for... domin... skrrrrzzzz crackle' said a voice inside Joe's head!

The klaxon continued to wail... and gas started pumping into the elevator!

Admin wrote:"No..." she muttered... and VANISHED!

The lift halts, abruptly.

'Frostbot... multple... all... fighting for... domin... skrrrrzzzz crackle' said a voice inside Joe's head!

The klaxon continued to wail... and gas started pumping into the elevator!

Inwardly Frostbite groaned even as the mad light of possibility, of control and of dominion was shown behind Dr Caine's visage.  He to knew something of tapping into unknown powers and the consequence of pushing that boat to far down the stream.  All, of course starting out with laudable goals, but then as the siren really started to ratchet up in volume, the wheels come off.

Changing form whilst de solidifying was never going to be his preferred option but in this house of cards, it seemed the ruse was over.  With a swift action he dropped through the floor following the lift shaft down to the bottom before stepping through the last set of doors, into who knew what?

Sj

Frostbite de solidified... and immediately stood on something solid!

Instead of sinking through the floor of the lift he stood on some kind of energy field that encapsulated the lift! He was trapped!

Gas boiled around his feet... and started dropping from minute vents in the ceiling too! He didn't have long before whatever this gas was affected him!

All the while the klaxon rang out, deafening and yet a firm reminder that regardless of Frostys predicament, somewhere else in this complex something worse was happening...

OOC Right, Frostbite is trying to disperse through an energy field that's denser than he can pass through... but he has options. He can 'push' his Dispersal to try and overcome it, he can use his ice powers in various ways, his super strength against the steel lift/forcefield... But he doesn't have long before the gas affects it!

Admin wrote:Frostbite de solidified... and immediately stood on something solid!

Instead of sinking through the floor of the lift he stood on some kind of energy field that encapsulated the lift! He was trapped!

Gas boiled around his feet... and started dropping from minute vents in the ceiling too! He didn't have long before whatever this gas was affected him!

All the while the klaxon rang out, deafening and yet a firm reminder that regardless of Frostys predicament, somewhere else in this complex something worse was happening...

OOC Right, Frostbite is trying to disperse through an energy field that's denser than he can pass through... but he has options. He can 'push' his Dispersal to try and overcome it, he can use his ice powers in various ways, his super strength against the steel lift/forcefield... But he doesn't have long before the gas affects it!

This wasn't going to plan, but he shouldn't be surprised that such a place would have had contingency plans.  Therefore he had to give them something they'd not thought of or allowed for.  He realised pushing his Dispersal powers, might leave him more vulnerable than he'd like.  That would have to be his plan B.  "Time for plan A." He thought.

Taking one last breath, he controlled the ambient temperature concentrating on the floor working up.  If he could slow or freeze the gas and then the steel around him, him might yet be able to break out of this steel coffin.  

OOC: Ok so lets go for freezing the gas and the steel around the door.  See if I can break out.  If that doesn't work, then I am going to blast my way through the top, if that isn't going to work, since metal is a great conductor of cold, I will apply my cold powers to the cables and clamps that hold up the lift.  In the hope that the weight of it will snap the lift plummeting it down.  I will fly or float and be dispersed so at the point the lift crashes, and the power switches off anything inside will get through me but not kill me.  If all else fails and the power remains on, then and only then I will have to push myself to get through somehow.  I mean what's the worst that can happen - I knock myself out ;-).

Sj

OOC Good thinking.

Frostbite started to freeze the gas, issuing intense cold out that turned the gas into crystals...

Furthermore the gas still coming through the tiny pinhole vents froze, and started to expand... A tremendous cracking sound rang out, and the metal split in the floor and the ceiling! Exposed wires and circuitry pulled apart, sparking and spitting electricity out...

Pouring on the cold he could feel pipes and cylinders splitting and cracking... then the metal cables of the lift went rigid... and shattered!

The lift, with forcefield now deactivated, passed through and below Frostbite as he dispersed his molecules through the split metal ceiling... He now floated free in the lift shaft which ran up 100m to the surface, and into the darkness far below. Occasionally the crack of light from under a door signified where a lift door would open onto another floor, but most of the distant lights of doors were lower down.

Admin wrote:The lift, with forcefield now deactivated, passed through and below Frostbite as he dispersed his molecules through the split metal ceiling... He now floated free in the lift shaft which ran up 100m to the surface, and into the darkness far below. Occasionally the crack of light from under a door signified where a lift door would open onto another floor, but most of the distant lights of doors were lower down.

"That was...unexpected.  Still beggers can't be choosers.  Now to find Rigdon and who or what is behind all this."

Frostbite said to himself, he was used to have Frostbot answer, or at least offer some sort of commentary.  Now all he had were the silence of his own thoughts, it felt odd.  Though he wasn't born this way somehow he'd gained Rigdon's form or at least power including Frostbot.  Now he was trying to find, even recruit the man whom he shared some sort of affinity with.  And Frostbot was very much a part of that.  Now with his onboard sentient electronic companion it suddenly felt very roomy within in conscious being.  But the answer to Frostbot's dilemma was also what lay at the heart of Rigdon's funny the two should merge, but it was time to start getting answers.  

Frostbite plunged down the shaft, toward the last floor and through the doors, his dispersed form giving him a confidence he wasn't sure he felt he should have.  Especially if beyond those doors he found other force fields.  

Sj

Passing down the shaft and through a doorway into a corridor beyond, Frostbite reflected on his loss of his sentient computer friend...

The corridor was metal, running North/South and light by flashing red lights. Distant shouts and screams came from the south.

Even as he looked he saw white coated people - three of them - run round a corner and towards where Frostbite hovered in the corridor. Two were men, in their mid-late forties, the third was a woman. All three looked panicked and the woman clutched a clipboard as she ran.

They slowed on seeing Frostbite, but one of the men looked behind. "They're coming!" he wailed.

Admin wrote:They slowed on seeing Frostbite, but one of the men looked behind. "They're coming!" he wailed.

OOC: Nice two updates in as many hours.

Frostbite held out a hand and commanded the people to stop. "I can help, but first you've got to help me. I'm from Destiny and I want to know who is chasing you and what is going on here. Where is Rigdon?"

Seeking to pup the frightened scientists for information wasn't the most heroic thing that Frostbite had done, but right now he had little choice if he had a hope in stopping what was causing this mayhem. Assuming of course he could stop it.

OOC: Ok pump them for information, whilst I do that I will erect a ice wall across the whole corridor behind the scientists, leaving a big enough gap for any last personal, but be ready to seal it if anything undesirables emerges from around the corner.

Sj

OOC Think if I updated a dozen times a day I'd still not be able to keep up with you Dave

"Wha.. what? Destiny? This is all their fault! There were warnings, all ignored, about what we were doing! We were told it was for the greater good, but..."

RRRRRRRRUMMMMMBLLLLLLLEEEEEE!!!!

The scientists were thrown from their feet as the entire installation shook!

One half climbed up, looking around in fear "You can't create a rip in the space/time continuum and expect everything to carry on as normal! There are... are things... coming through!"

Frostbite looked abut. The metal walls had popping rivets in places, and the metalwork groaned. Then a bloodcurdling scream came from somewhere in the facility.

Frostbite insisted "Where is Rigdon?"

"It's too late!" Screamed the woman scientist as she ran for the elevator. "If you want to free them - all of them - they are in the siphon chamber, two floors down! Below that... the rift... it's like someone opened the gates to h..."

Her voice was cut off when a loud CRACK! rang out and the ceiling started to collapse! Frostbite was intangible so he would avoid harm, but what of the scientists?

[quote="Admin"]OOC Think if I updated a dozen times a day I'd still not be able to keep up with you Dave

OOC: :-)

Her voice was cut off when a loud CRACK! rang out and the ceiling started to collapse! Frostbite was intangible so he would avoid harm, but what of the scientists?

Frostbite didn't need to think he acted to secure the roof reinforcing it with solid ice pillars to catch the worst of it and give the scientists chance to get out.

"Go!" He shouted so that they didn't stand their gawking. Before he himself, dove beneath the floors heading toward where he'd been pointed. He didn't like the sounds of extra dimensional beings. Their recent foray had left him and the team barely able to contain the last extra-planer being who tried to escape. But worse still lay beyond the border of this world's present reality. He had to hope that the breach had led to opportunistic incursion, rather than a full on invasion.

Sj

Pouring harder than Steel out of his hands, Frostbite nevertheless was unsure if it would hold, the way it cracked and splintered...

It held enough for the scientists to get out of the way and for him to disperse through the floor...

Just in time. Above him the ceiling crashed through, steel beams and rock tumbling around him. Another hop and another floor down, he appeared in a corridor that led to a large double height and width door with clear glass. The surface of it shimmered, and Frostbite wondered what that chamber contained, until he drifted closer.

Row upon row of containers, human size for the most part, stacked above and around each other, lying side by side. Pipes into and out of the containers fed from there into a central machine which was a large cylinder containing blinding blue light. It pulsed and throbbed, doubtless doing... something... to those people in the containers.

This place was more than just a prison for superhumans. It drained their powers, used them in ways unimaginable... These people might have some vague sense of helping humankind by keeping potentially dangerous individuals off the street, but they'd violated so many human rights in doing so... Greater good? Maybe. But at what cost?

The place rumbled again.

That chamber wouldn't be easy to get into, or out of. Even as Frostbite considered, he heard whirring and humming behind. A 2m metal sphere with a pair of side mounted mini guns floated into sight. "DESIST IMMEDIATELY INTRUDER!" it roared in a menacing metallic voice!

Admin wrote:That chamber wouldn't be easy to get into, or out of. Even as Frostbite considered, he heard whirring and humming behind. A 2m metal sphere with a pair of side mounted mini guns floated into sight. "DESIST IMMEDIATELY INTRUDER!" it roared in a menacing metallic voice!

With a small pang of regret, Frostbite for a moment really missed his inhuman companion. He'd not only appreciate this bristling ball of death as a suitable host he'd have fun as well. Still, that would have to wait till he got to the bottom of this very ugly 'can of worms', for now he had to make do.

He did think about trying to talk, but then he saw time was against him and with a loud exhalation of disgust, he blasted at the creature with his Frostblast energy attack. He hoped more than anything he might be able to use the thing's attack against him. Seeking to let it smash the barrier behind him, as it fired through his dispersed form. So his attack was not aimed at seriously damaging the robot, but getting the robot to take seriously his being a threat, to blast the barrier through his dispersed form before Frostbite took down the guardian with a full on energy attack.

It was a long shot, but why not use the bases defences against itself, perhaps the one thing they'd not expect in a meta human holding facility.

Sj

Frostbite levelled his hands and blasted at the robot...

"ANALYSING. ADAPTING!" it announced. Frostbite wasn't quite sure what that meant but the thing rolled to the side and the metallic skin seemed to glow... hot.

OOC That would be 'Cold Immunity' being used. Attack 2d10 → [3,4] = (7) Frostbite hits but the robot seems to ignore the ice sheath covering it! Indeed, Frostys ultra cold blast barely slows it at all, and water sizzles to the floor in its wake! In other words you need a decent roll or another option is to go for broke with a critical blow or a devastating attack, both of which make it harder to hit the 'bot but should help you crack this nut.

The robot rolled to the side, not fast enough to avoid the blast but enough that Frostbite can't bring his full power to bear.

"PACIFICATION ROUTINE INITIALISED!" stated the Bot. That didn't sound good!

A jutting gun barrel from the smooth round dome fired a jet of goop at Frosty!

OOC To physically attack Frostbite can't also use his Dispersal at full power (otherwise his own powers would not do much). Attack 2d10 → [7,5] = (12) 4RAPs. Frostbite is covered in a gluey sticky mess that reduces his Dexterity by 4 Points (from 8 down to 4) as he finds himself dripping with a quickly hardening glue/goop!

With the stuff dripping from him, Frostbite considered that these robots would be set up to restrain rather than destroy the superhumans in this facility. Every super powered inhabitant of this place would have cost a considerable amount in terms of money, time and resources to capture, restrain and utilize. That chamber and its occupants was set up to leech the superhuman abilities for various purposes. Even as he battled the robot Frostbot considered what purpose he would serve if captured in such a prison - his ice/cold abilities could be used to supercool a nuclear reactor, create sub zero environments and even structures from ultra hard ice! Those were just his obvious abilities! With that in mind he considered that this thing he faced would probably be recording his every move and transmitting that information to a central database. It would adapt to each ability he displayed and that information would also be used to counter his abilities and restrain him!

"SURRENDER!" bellowed the robot, producing another barrel from it's girth and Frostbite noted the flame burning at the end of it. A flamethrower!

OOC Over to you...

Admin wrote:Frostbite levelled his hands and blasted at the robot...

"ANALYSING. ADAPTING!"..."SURRENDER!" bellowed the robot, producing another barrel from it's girth and Frostbite noted the flame burning at the end of it. A flamethrower!

OOC Over to you...

Not liking this for one moment, Frostbite considered his options, the only way to 'win' in this situation was to overwhelm the robot hoping that his powers might yet beat this guy.  But Frostbite had a moment of doubt, this place was used to contain Super human beings, was there anything or anyone they'd not yet encountered that they'd found a way to counter their powers.  This could go badly, but what choice did he have.  If he had any hope of finding Rigdon, turning and running was not going to be an option.  

OOC:Ok lets go for devestating attack, if I can still raise my hand to do so.  If this isn't going to work favourably (for instance because the -4 to dex is going to massively inhibit me) then I'll have to try and disperse through this goop and get away.  Perhaps the para elementals coming through the rip in reality can teach it a thing or two.

Sj

"SUBJECT EXHIBITS EXTREME COLD GENERATION. EASILY COUNTERED BY RAISING THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF UNITS' STRUCTURE TO 900 DEGREES FARENHEIT!" declared the robot.

Frostbite could swear this thing seemed to be enjoying itself!

Well, perhaps that was stretching it, but announcing how it would resist then defeat him, Frosty was reminded of foolish supervillains who spilled their plans whilst thinking the hero was helpless!

Not while there was still breath in his body! Frostbite unleashed his most potent blast!

OOC Roll(2d10)+0:
10,8,+0
Total:18

Went for Devastating Attack... He gets that AND another two columns for a total of -8 on the Robots (considerable!) Resistance Value, meaning...

Suddenly the corridor 'whited' out, all around Frostbite and the robot, which turned blue, frozen like a statue in place with the equivalent of thousand year old permafrost, as hard or harder than steel!

Frostbite breathed a sigh of relief. The lights on the robot dimmed out and went out! He'd successfully unloaded his full might on something supposedly immune to his power and had come up trumps! Made a change from his usual run of luck, at any rate.

With the alarm klaxon muted now, he turned to the great doors sealing the metahuman room. As if to prevent his further access, there dropped down an inches thick alloy blast door blocking off sight into the room! Not just to keep him out, but to keep the occupants in, in case they decided to cut short their stay!

He was safe for the moment - all the vents in this place were sealed with ice, the corridor blocked off and the staff - plus any other robotic sentries - were for the moment prevented from getting to him.

OOC That still leaves the problem of getting in there to free people, and all the while this place has unlocked a pandora's box in the form of an interdimensional gateway. Never rains but it pours.

Admin wrote:He was safe for the moment - all the vents in this place were sealed with ice, the corridor blocked off and the staff - plus any other robotic sentries - were for the moment prevented from getting to him.

OOC That still leaves the problem of getting in there to free people, and all the while this place has unlocked a pandora's box in the form of an interdimensional gateway. Never rains but it pours.

OOCNice when a plan actually comes together

Frostbite wondered if the extreme cold had effected the door or its steel but he quickly discounted that. It was unlikely in such a place as this he'd get a two for one offer, besides which he rather suspected the Robot's allies would be on their way, further prepared for such a move in the future. Ergo, he had to move and move fast. Dispersing his atoms once again, he knew the only way he'd get into this place was through it. The door was the weakest point, hence the great big reinforcements that had been dropped in place. Tentatively he pushed forward. If this was going to resist him, then so be it, he would just have to resist back. No other way could be found to go forward then he'd have to give it no other way to resist him.

OOC:Ok so I am going to go for dispersing through and if, as is likely to the bes the case, I can't get through on normal dispersal then I'll have to push my powers - try not to overload them and get through. Not sure that there will be any other way afforded me otherwise. Sure do miss Frostbot.

Sj

Dispersing his molecules tired Frostbite out*, but despite that he knew he would have to push beyond his limits to get through the door...

Sure enough, he passed his hand into the metal of the door to hit solid. He would have to push beyond any known previous limit to get through this Force Field reinforced alloy door!

OOC And even then, chances are he might not manage it! I assume he is using hero points (current total 100) and that he'll try to get through regardless... 9 On AV, 9 on EV. We push like this:



Frostbite is 'pushing' beyond his normal limits. His Dispersal is 10, which gets him through Brick and some steel doors, depending on thickness. So to push his power we have the opposing value along the top (10) with the red arrow pointing at the 9-10 column showing where the Opposing Value (OV) is.

Next we would normally have the Acting Value down the side (AV) at 10, the same. If you cross reference the two the target number would be 11. So you would need to roll 11 or more on 2D10 to push your power. If you roll less than that, it 'burns out' and drops to zero for an hour until you recover!

By spending hero points from your pool, you can boost your AV up to double it's normal value, but putting 10 in is wasteful as you can spend 9 and get onto the 19-21 column (where the blue arrow is). Now looking at the number, you need only 4 (circled in blue) on 2D10. Easy!

But wait! You can make things harder for yourself by 'going for broke' (same as a critical attack). That makes it harder to succeed by moving to the right the target number by 2 columns. The Target number jumps to 5 (1 column) then 7 (2nd column). You can for broke some more (up to 11 Target number, or even higher) but knowing your dice rolls... Well let's try for 7 or more on 2D10.

2d10 → [1,8] = (9) Phew! Good job we stuck at 7!

Now when you Go For Broke 2 columns (in Combat it's a Critical Strike) you increase your damage in effect. In this case you made it 2 columns harder, but increase your Effect Value by 3 columns as a reward...



So, the Resistance Value is his power (10) along the top (red arrow pointing). The Effect value along the side (blue arrow). The cross reference shows 12... but you went for broke (+2/-3) which means we move -3 columns, so to the left we count from 12 to 14 to 16 to 17. 17 Result APs! You can add this to your power to boost from 10 to 27APs for one round!

HOWEVER! Pushing is not cheap, or easy (or you'd do it every round!) You have to pay 3 HP for every extra AP you add, and can choose to add less than max. You already spent 18APs (to make the task easier by increasing AV and EV). In this case I suggest 10APs extra (to boost Dispersal from 10 up to 20 for one round) will do it for a cost of 30HP plus 18 fro the extra spent on Acting and EFfect, means you just blew 48HP all in one go!

Frostbite HP Total 52

Don't worry, you'll get that back (and then some) for the Role Playing, Saving Lives, Stopping the bad guys, participation etc at the end of the adventure. You just need to be aware that 'Pushing' is:

1) Expensive
2) Can really get you out of a fix
3) Can only be used for 'Automatic' powers that normally work without having to roll, which means that Attack type powers can't be pushed

Don't discount it by any means, if you need to disperse, fly faster etc, but be aware that it costs!

Another side effect is that Frostbite might be knocked out (Fatiguing weakness of his power!) Roll:

2d10 → [4,1] = (5) Phew! That could've been worse! Even so, we have 20 Dispersal (effectively) vs 8 Mind... 14 RAP damage!!! Hence...


Determined to get through the door, Frostbite ignored what he knew would be warning signs that his companion Frostbot would normally warn him about! Feeling his body disperse almost to the point of dissipating completely, he cried out, but stepped through the steel alloy AND the force field to get into the 'Siphon' room, seeing hundreds of glass capsules running the length and breadth of a vast hall... before everything went black!!! He turned solid and the floor rushed up to meet him!

Was this the end for our hero? Had he pushed himself too far? Made the ultimate sacrifice...?

*Something that will be looked at in a character revamp - it was done for cost issues and is substantially weaker than it was in the old GH rules.

A blaring sound in his head told him Frostbite was still alive... though his head pouncing might suggest he'd rather not be!

Even so, he opened his eyes to see the inside of the siphon chamber, with row upon row of stacked glass capsules along the walls all the length of the hall, all piped up and holding a captive!

OOC Desperation recovery costs 15HP, but means you don't have to wait an hour to wake up.

2d10 → [3,6] = (9) Frostbite recovers all of his MIND attribute (which had been dropped to zero) so he's back now on 8 Mind

Frostbite HP Total 37

Getting up, gingerly, Frostbite heard a SWISH! down the far end of the hall, and saw another of those sphere robots coming towards him! As he stood on shaky legs to meet it, he heard something else...

"...out time! They are holding captive a meta human who can... skrrrzzzz... fizzzz... crackle... tifical Intelligence, in effect a living computer that can absorb other computer processing power and ... skrrrzzzz fizzz... ree him he's in tube ... skrrrzzz... crackle... dename 'Processor'. Sounds like some kind of kitchen appli... crackle skrizzz... fizz... whirrr..."

Frostbot! He was close! But first Frostbite had to overcome another Sphere Bot!

OOC And he wins initiative. the bot is still 30 yards away but closing fast!

Admin wrote:Frostbot! He was close! But first Frostbite had to overcome another Sphere Bot!

OOC And he wins initiative. the bot is still 30 yards away but closing fast!

OOC:Beat me to getting my reply in.

Frostbite new he had once chance. How often did he think that, but he'd taken quiet some punishment to push himself through the door. Now he had to get everyone out and still find a way to shut down whatever had blown up in these peoples faces. Looking about he took off, he had to try and find a way to release the captives, in so doing perhaps he might buy himself some time and allies. Then again he might just make the whole thing worse. He had to take a chance, he wasn't going to be capable of getting these people out any other way.

Moving away from the robot around the glass canisters, he began to look for a means to release the people. Some kind of shut off or emergency opening. If all else failed he'd have to smash them out.

Sj

Frostbite looked about. Had Frostbot still been 'at home' in his mind it would have been childs play...

Instead he looked about even as the 'Death Sphere' charged towards him! Chances were it would get there before...

'F... f... free me!' gasped a voice inside Joe's head! he whirled. A womans' voice? Here? But... the row upon row of glass capsules lay out in on either wall stacked several high.

Frosty glanced at the sphere. Closer...

He looked at machines along the wall. His 1940s era mind found it hard to comprehend quite what he was looking at. Instead of levers, buttons and dials there were screens... and keyboards.

The sphere... close now. Ready to attack...

He looked up and around, racking his brain!

OOC From a different era he is, but Frostbite is still smart as a whip. Intelligence/Will check to take a look about...

2d10 → [9,5] = (14) Success. (Just)

Frostbite looked about. This place was both a prison and a means of siphoning, using, metahuman powers. As such, there must be a means of quickly ejecting the prisoners in case of emergency. Terrorist attack... Earthquake... Fire...

Fire.

Not Frostbite's forte, but the sphere rolling at him fought his cold with intense heat. If the fire/smoke sensors in the ceiling of this place could be triggered, that might set into motion that sequence of events that might see the prisoners realised. Of course, they might not be in a fit state to help straight away, but...

'I will help you!' said the voice in his head. 'just... just free me. Please!'

The sphere protruded a gun like barrel from its round mass and started pumping out gas at Frostbite!

OOC Frosty is being attacked with what is probably knock out gas! You can act, but this stuff is going to try its best to send our hero to la-la land!

Admin wrote:OOC Frosty is being attacked with what is probably knock out gas! You can act, but this stuff is going to try its best to send our hero to la-la land!

Frostbite didn't delay, he had to try and force the machine to counter with heat, so he first spun around freezing the whole area in a storm force blizzard of ice and snow, capturing the gas and seeking to turn it into water if not ice with his sub zero control.

OOC:Ok going for making the whole area as ice dense as possible, with my Icing control, (or whatever controls the environment) so that the Robot has its sensors muffled as well as its gas neutralised. Whilst I take this dice action I will also be spinning and moving towards the controls.

Sj

Rather than directly attacking, Frostbite lowered the temperature and caused an instant blizzard that 'whited out' the area!

The trick worked with the gas. When cooled, it turned into tiny green shards that clattered to the floor. He moved towards the controls of the machines and waited for the robot to make its move.

This might hurt!

In order to fight off the encapsulating cold that gripped it and filled the area, the robot increased the temperature of its skin, from warm, to hot, to blinding white heat!

Frostbite could counter it, but instead chose his moment to instantly silence and dispel his ice storm!

He felt the heat wash over him and cried out - his ice form instantly started melting and his human skin showed, feeling scorched and blistering as the robot came closer!

It staggered him, the heat not just affecting him but the floor lining, the machines around and...

HISSSSSSSS!!!!!

The sprinklers kicked in, a new alarm overlaid the other and there was a collective whirring as dozens of capsules started to open!

The robot paused, seeming to take in its surroundings and what was happening. Then it extended a new pair of 'arms' from it's sphere body and a crackling electric charge arced between them! It advanced towards Frostbite, with stray 'lighting' flashing about thanks to the sprinklers hissing a fine water spray over everything!

The robot attacked Frostbite!

OOC 1d10 → [7] = (7) 1d10 → [7] = (7)
14, DOUBLE! Doh... plus 1d10 → [7] = (7) 1d10 → [3] = (3) Total 24!

Frostbite takes 12 damage, enough to put him down. You can choose to absorb up to 10 of those at a cost of 1HP per damage absorbed. To stay on your feet you'll need to spend at least 3, then decide what you want to do next. The capsules are opening, the rain mist stuff will start to wake up the occupants... And the robot just lit you up like a Christmas tree - chances are it will try that trick again...