THE NEW VANGUARD! HAUNT Issue #9 with Special Guest Star STEEPLEJACK!

OOC Alas it's rock, dirt and naturally occurring minerals that Steeplejack can move... Not magical shards of an ancient artefact carved from the wood of the oldest tree in the world...

Using his danger sense to figure out when to be careful Steeplejack concentrated on steadily moving rock and earth from the collapsed cave which was strewn in a huge mound halfway down the hillside.

Haunt had been impressed but Steeplejack hadn't collapsed a mountain really - instead his power, skill and knowledge had told him which were the supporting parts of the cave and to pull them away until only the bottom one remained. Move that and ... well, the rest was history.

It took far longer to sift through the dirt and rubble until...

Yes. He crouched, taking up a handful of dirt and closing his eyes. He reached down. His power allowed him to move earth and thus it was possible to form a 3D picture in his minds eye of the volume he was considering moving, like a hand weighing something up. And... THERE.

He stood, looking at the dirt mountain, now mostly excavated away to form a crater. About ten feet down was a cavity formed of... metal? An almost sphere ten feet or so across. The mage had, in her desperation, formed a sphere of metal about herself and somehow found a way to survive despite being suffocated.

He'd found her. She was in there, buried under tons of dirt and rock and inside a metal 'egg'.

Admin wrote:[color=#0033cc]He'd found her. She was in there, buried under tons of dirt and rock and inside a metal 'egg'.

"I think we are going to need the Prof for this, Metal is not my thing - how about you?"

Sj

"Let me try lifting her out of there and see if it will dissolve. Besides, Thoth is busy trying to bring those braves back to life," The Haunt replies.

Stretching out his arms, he reaches around and wraps his arms around and around the egg and attempts to lift it out of the ground. If he does, he sends the metal egg rolling about 30-40' away.

"Maybe that will be a signal for her to drop the egg," he says. "Be ready."

Steeplejack continued to scoop away at rock, earth and dust until the metal egg was exposed.

Encrusted with dirt nonetheless it had saved the sorceress' life and she was inside there. Steeplejack also detected another body, that of a Thin Man, one of the lanky tall aliens that could almost pass as human, albeit one of those creepy types. He was dead, no doubt about that, smashed under tons of rock. It would take more minutes of scooping and digging with his powers to get to what was left.

Haunt grabbed the egg up in an enlarged hand and tosses it to roll and come to a stop about forty feet away.

As Haunt predicted the 'egg' vanished and left in its place the once proud sorceress who was now covered in dust, dust and rock. Her clothes were shredded and barely there and dust drifted when she stirred.

OOC She's out. You effectively have a free round to attack or do otherwise. She is moving, but in a dazed where am I sort of way.

Find the Time Stone or Orb or whatever they used to come to the past and get it far away from her. Throw it as far as the Haunt can or break it. Totally forgot if Thoth said to break them or get them a great distance away from the bad guys. Do the same for the Thin Man when we have time.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Find the Time Stone or Orb or whatever they used to come to the past and get it far away from her.  Throw it as far as the Haunt can or break it.  Totally forgot if Thoth said to break them or get them a great distance away from the bad guys.  Do the same for the Thin Man when we have time.

Steeplejack moved up to see if he could wrench the time stone from the woman before she had a chance to fully focus her considerable magics on them.

OOC: Looking for that time stone, I think you said it was around her neck - maybe not, but if its obvious grab it like a cheap bag snatcher and making off with it, asap. If I need em, use HP!

Sj

Haunt and Steeplejack moved together to converge on the woman.

She was still dazed and coughing up dirt. It seemed her desperate attempt to save herself inside the hastily constructed metal egg, then running out of air, had taken something out of her!

"You... fools!" she gasped, coughing. "Fear the... power... of Magistera!" she hacked then spat to the side gobbets of saliva mixed with dirt.

It was a simple matter to search and find the time stone, held around her neck via a piece of old string and looking very nondescript! Steeplejack quickly (OOC he's faster than Haunt) snatched it from her then summoned up a rock to lift him and fly off!

OOC Earth Control 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,4,+0 Total:12 (21) vs
OV2 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,2,+0 Total:7 (9)

+5 (to 14) vs RV2=12 RAPs.

Flying straight up he slowed a few hundred yards from the floor seeing the distant Haunt stood over Magistera. Haunt heard what she said.

"What have you done!" she gasped. "The stone!" She stood but rather than attack looked at her hand, which had faded and the effect was spreading up her arm! "You fools! I will return! you have not heard the last of ..." and she vanished!

Swooping down again (OOC EC9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,12,+0 Total:17 (26) vs OV2 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,5,+0 Total:7 (9) +6 (15) vs 2=13RAPs) on the rock Steeplejack lightly hopped off. The Time stone looked like the ones he and Haunt carried, albeit with slightly different markings as the other two stones had. Though none of these would intersect, it seemed that each time stone formed part of a whole of a greater one.

That still left the cave, and whatever was inside it! The entrance was smashed in and covered but to the heroes it would present no challenge... unless they wanted to leave the aliens inside? By the heroes reckoning there had been five. A Muton was down, Magistera was gone, another Alien (thin Man) had been buried under the collapsed mountain and the shapeshifting 'Faceless' was a puddle. Speaking of which...

Haunt walked over and sifted through the horrible sludge to find... another Time Stone!

As he took it and walked back he glanced over his shoulder... and saw the puddle fade and vanish!

There was one left to gather, somewhere in the cave...

"Better gather up the rest of the stones," the Haunt said to Steeplejack. "Going to be something of a chore but we shouldn't leave a single one here in the past."

"Scalphunter, you wanna go tell yore people that the danger has passed ... this one at least?"

Admin wrote:As he took it and walked back he glanced over his shoulder... and saw the puddle fade and vanish!

There was one left to gather, somewhere in the cave...

"You know if they live to tell the tale, they are going to send more reinforcements, we need to talk to Thoth about that, she was a challenge, more will be...Anyway let's not get morose, it was a good victory, but we've still got one more to deal with. Shall we...?" Steeplejack motioned for Haunt to lead the way.

Sj

Scalphunter looked amazed. "You two... changed! More... woman before was power... now YOU power."

He glanced at the collapsed mountain, the crushed alien and the stones in the heroes hands.

"Good power. I think you come from heavens to help. Scalphunter is proud to call god men friends." he gave a nod and started to lope off at a pace that Olympic athletes would admire!

Steeplejack and Haunt set to clearing the earth and rocks from the cave entrance, and minutes later had dug through. It was pitch black in there though and neither man could see in the dark. Steeplejacks danger sense could lead the way but they would be feeling about blind and pretty hopeless in the dark at a snail pace!

ooc: Didn't we bury a Muton earlier? Or did he finally get free and we took him out later? I forget, if we did take him out when we buried him, we need to dig him up too to get his Time Stone.

"Next time we go Time Travelling, remind me to bring some flashlights and extra batteries or lots of glow sticks," the Haunt quips at Steeplejack. "And didn't Prof. Thoth say that they go back to their time with no memory of what happened? Or did I remember wrong?"

"And I wonder how many reinforcement that they can bring. They have to be limited on Time Stones. They all look like that they are part of something that is broken or cut up. Maybe they will give this time up as lost and try again sometime else?"

"Weren't there some lanterns at the cabin the Kid and the others were at? I could go get them and some matches while you watch for anything else to come out at us."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Next time we go Time Travelling, remind me to bring some flashlights and extra batteries or lots of glow sticks," the Haunt quips at Steeplejack.  "And didn't Prof. Thoth say that they go back to their time with no memory of what happened?  Or did I remember wrong?"

Steeplejack grunted in approval...

DavidMcMahon wrote:"And I wonder how many reinforcement that they can bring.  They have to be limited on Time Stones.  They all look like that they are part of something that is broken or cut up.  Maybe they will give this time up as lost and try again sometime else?"

"Hmm you may be right, all this stuff makes my headache. Perhaps they had some rudimentary lighting down here, or else they all ate a lot of carrots in which case we're stuffed. I think times of the essence, it could take too long to get the lanterns, and they'd only make us easier to target.

OOC: I think we should go for it and see if we can look for some sort of lighting or something to the place, or if they had such things here. Could Scalphuner have some flint and tinder and we find some dry wood to make torches?

Sj

ooc: He left, us two are on our own. And I don't think me shapeshifting into an owl or a mole is gonna help me see.

"They probably could see in the dark. They sure could see through my Fog which obscures just about everyone else's vision. Guess we could tear the roof off the mine, at least until it starts to drop down deeper into the earth. That would give us a light for a good distance."

OOC You guys put the Muton down in the battle at the canyon. He's still there. If he has regeneration all of your plans might go south if he wakes up. Even without his shattered rifle he could dig himself out of there and will be looking for payback against Steeplejack who broke what passed for a nose! The Cowboys and Injuns would be powerless against it and with 11 Str or whatever (I'd have to check) the carnage it could wreak (on a normal hit kill an ordinary human without any problem whatsoever) might undo all of the heroes work!!! It still has the time stone on it.

The cabin was the best bet for flint, tinder and an oil lamp. In fact it made sense as no one would build a house and sit in darkness every night.

Haunt changed into an eagle and took off, scouring the land with binocular eyes (telescopic vision) before he spotted the dot on the plain then heading off at top speed.

Minutes later he landed, took a quick look around then started scouring the place.

=========

Steeplejack looked up and stood from where he was sat. He'd been trying to chew on beef jerky strips but wasn't sure what the heck the point was. Might as well eat your shoes.

A flap of huge wings signified Haunts return and grasped in a cradle underneath his white shapeshifting body was a pair of lamps, stoppered jug of oil and a tinder/flint.

Within moments the pair both held lanterns aloft. Haunt could simply sprout an extra arm or a pole from his body and leave both hands free to smite whatever was waiting in the cave.

OOC Pile straight in - there is only one thin man left after all - or take it cautious...

"Let me go first," the Haunt says, shapeshifting into a white Chinese Dragon and stretching one of his two facial hairs/tentacles and wrapping it around his lantern and holding it out about 10-15' away from him and much higher in the air, while he basically belly-crawls along.




Not knowing if it will help or not with the Thin Man's vision but hoping that if the lantern blinds him a bit, he will attack/fire higher thinking the lantern was held chest high and closer to his body, then him being waist low and much further behind the lantern.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Let me go first,"Not knowing if it will help or not with the Thin Man's vision but hoping that if the lantern blinds him a bit, he will attack/fire higher thinking the lantern was held chest high and closer to his body, then him being waist low and much further behind the lantern.

Although it shouldn't phase Steeplejack, seeing a sinuous lith snake-like dragon crawl along with a lantern attached, wasn't going to get old anytime soon. He dutifully followed along, his danger sense focused all around, as much for the state of the mine as for the dangers that remained lurking within.

Sj

OOC: Almost went with the Lantern Fish instead but then I would have to add legs to it, so chinese dragon it was.

The pair moved through the darkness, picking their way through the cavern and all the sharp edges that threatened to slash flesh.

Neither hero worried about that though with superhuman durability.

Down, down they went. Finally it opened into a cave and the flickering of light from the cave alerted both heroes who snuffed out the lamp and crept to look about.

The cave was large, about thirty or forty feet high and as wide but maybe twice as long.

At the far end was what looked like a stone archway. Neither hero could see but there were intricate carvings and runes etched into the stone. It stood ten feet high and as wide. In front of it was a tall thin man in a black suit working by lamp light on something on the floor. The heroes were about 60 feet away from the alien THIN MAN.

The Haunt signals Steeplejack to jump at the Thin Man first then he would go after him, if needed.

ooc: If Thin Man doesn't go down from Steep's surprise attack, then coil rear legs and spring/jump within range, then use his stretching tentacles/mustache to attack him, being withing range so as to not take a minus for range.

DavidMcMahon wrote:The Haunt signals Steeplejack to jump at the Thin Man first then he would go after him, if needed.

ooc:  If Thin Man doesn't go down from Steep's surprise attack, then coil rear legs and spring/jump within range, then use his stretching tentacles/mustache to attack him, being withing range so as to not take a minus for range.

Steeplejack nodded moving as easily as his lith form allowed he leapt up to aim an attack at the being quick and hard. He aimed to stop this and quick.

OOC: Hoping for a good shot here, going for accuracy, and hoping that the effect dice smile nicely at me.

Sj

OOC Surprise has a double effect here. Bonus aside from being easier to hit is that the Thin Man can't use his Acrobatics to dodge with (seeing as he knows nothing of the attack anyway).

Steeplejack Dex 13 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 8,8,11,4,1,7,4,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,10,+0 Total:30 (43) vs
Thin Man OV12 + surprise -4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,8,+0 Total:9 (17)

+7 EV (to 16) vs RV6=10 Damage. BANG and that's all she wrote.

Leaping through the darkness to deliver a flying Karate Kick Steeplejack thudded into the Thin man sending it flying into the cave wall and sliding down, leaving a yellow smear as strange blood ran down after it.

The Thin Man had been working on fixing a weapon Haunt knew well. The short laser rifle that he had been zapped with that resulted in losing a year of his life in suspended animation. It had sapped his powers and lead to defeat and capture. Had the Thin Man gotten chance to use that on the heroes...

The gateway looked recently made though the markings were of a kind and a language that had been long forgotten by civilised man.

This alien was last piece of the ADVENT puzzle in this timeline.

The heroes had stopped their incursion. Whatever their goal had been they would not now succeed. It would be a simple matter to deprive the Thin Man of its time stone and get Professor Thoth to use ADVENTs own Time Gate to find the next incursion and try to stop it. Things had been touch and go for a while but Thoth had helped and Scalphunters skills in finding this place meant that time had run out for Advent.

A job well done.

OOC Just get a wrap post from the two of you and I will post a wrap and epilogue, award you a stash of Hero Points (you were on double award for taking such a huge hit to your stats for the majority of the adventure and I recommend taking a look at the character sheets to see what you can tweak once you know how many you get. I.E. once I've worked it out. With reduced abilities you were up against it the whole time and eventually came through. Job done.)

ooc: Don't we still have that one piece from the Muton we buried to collect too? If so, we are going to get it before finding Thoth.

Admin wrote:A job well done.
[color=#0033cc]

Steeplejack ripped the time stone from the alien, as he leaned against the stone portal, and looked back to his companions. "Sorry looked like he had a glass jaw. One punch was all it took." He said smiling in some senses relieved that they'd brought things to a conclusion without any further loss of life.

"Thoth ought to see this, maybe the magic-user was seeking to bring through others, maybe seeking a more stable way to go back and forth. In any case, this is a whole new level of weird, so we'd best park it with him. What do you think?

Steeplejack looked across to Scalphunter, he'd been a true friend and an ally when they really were strangers in a strange land. It was with a pang of regret they'd have to leave, returning to a time where he'd be old, or not dead already. In some way, he hoped that they'd not only preserved the timeline but by being here made things better moving forward. That's what he always hoped for, but still, people were people and they had a nasty habit of getting into all sorts of trouble and making a real mess no matter how much he cleared things up. However, he knew if you just left it, it got worse and stayed worse. He didn't want any part of that.

OOC: Ok be good to see how my patient is doing, get Thoth down here, and wrap up things. Before saying goodbye and swearing everyone to strict secrecy.

Sj

The heroes took their leave from the cavern and knew that the Thin Man would vanish, back to his own time, that would be the present day to Haunt and Steeplejack.

Flying through the air as the strange shaped eagle Haunt spied Scalphunter loping along to get back to the canyon and the others so swooped down to pick him up. This time the Indian bounty hunter seemed more at ease with the flight but made sure to cling on with both hands regardless.

In minutes they landed back at the canyon and Haunt assumed human form again. Digging the muton out took little time and the Indians/Cowboys nervously covered the prone form as it was dragged out of the rubble. Fishing about saw the time stone retrieved from a belt pouch and tossing it a short distance away caused the Muton to fade out of existence in this timeline!

"It's as if it never happened." said Scurlock. "No one will ever believe us anyway."

Thoth rode up on the mule and clambered off. "I'm afraid that more drastic action must be taken Mr Scurlock. That's for your own protection. Spouting stories of men who change into white eagles and lizard men with laser guns will get you locked away 'for your own good' and there's nothing good about mental care in this age."

"What's he talkin' bout?" asked Billy the Kid. "We won. The bad guys got theres, it's time ta move on."

"It is indeed Mr Bonny. You gentlemen have places to be, people to meet. Say hello to Mr Garrett for me. Or don't actually, because you won't remember it."

Chanting low and raising his arms slowly Thoth unleashed a spell to erase the memory of the last couple of days of all involved, save Haunt and Steeplejack!

"Your common to this age appearance please sir." said Thoth to Haunt, who obliged by resuming his cowboy look.

The 'regulators' of William Bonnys men looked around in confusion. They stared with hostility at the Indians who stared back, but no one made a move for their guns. Yet.

"...and I'm glad this misunderstanding could be sorted out." said Thoth to all concerned. "Thank you for passage through your lands, much appreciated." he called out to the Indian Braves. To the regulators he said "Best be on your way before they change their mind. Don't you boys have a date to keep with the killers of John Tunstall? Your friend Richard Brewer will meet you at Albuquerque. That way." he pointed.

The Indians loped off. Scalphunter frowned as the Regulators mounted up. Scurlock looked back, looked puzzled and about to say something, then shrugged and rode away with the others into the pages of history.

"Not know you, why I was here but... A good thing was done I think." said the Indian Bounty Hunter. He snagged a spare horse from one of the Indian Braves. Mounting up, he turned to Thoth who spoke. "Go back to the tribe. That way." he pointed. "Tell the old man I will be along to see him later tonight. A final gift." he said, sadly. Scalphunter frowned again then shrugged and nodded. "And I'll sort out the cowboy they are taking care of." he called out as Scalphunter rode off with the Indian braves.

Thoth turned to the heroes. Codswallop trotted back and spat the time stone to the floor. Pulling a face the mage wiped it down and popped it into his pocket. "That just about clears up loose ends gentlemen. They will remember this as a dream and as we know, they fade. Scurlock will live and his descendant, whoever it is, will exist as he or she should. It's hard to imagine who would be so important that a team is sent back through time to assassinate them but you've stopped them. Maybe Scurlocks descendant will be the President of the United States one day?" he shrugged, dusted off his hat and turned to Codswallop. "I'll give your feet a rest old girl. You can stay and watch the Braves for us while me and these two fine gentlemen head to the cave..."

With a wave of his hands the three of them appeared outside the collapsed cave and made their way inside with Thoth holding up a walking cane with a top that shined like a beacon.

In the cave where the final Alien had been defeated he studied the stone gate and nodded. "Yes, they were using this to get to their next target. They'll have to make another now and when you pass through I shall ensure it is destroyed. Loose ends gentleman, fear not! I shall tie them up."

"Young Mr Brewer will not die of his wounds this day but will recover to ride with the Regulators once more until a colourfully named chap named Buckshot Roberts ends his life, months from now. Do not grieve. His time is mapped out, as all our lives are. Those young men will ride out and seek justice in the name of their murdered employer but gain fame and notoriety until their lives end, then life will carry on in New Mexico. Young Mister Scurlock shall become a respected citizen and live to a ripe old age of 80. Billy the Kid will not see 22 years of age. Much of his legend is fabricated and he out of them all shall achieve immortality thanks to stories told in the 20th Century."

"Scalphunter shall continue to prowl the west in search of bad people. The old Indian Shaman has asked of me a favour I shall reluctantly grant. His life in sacrifice for the downed Indian Braves who lie in limbo, between life and death. They will rise, and ride again, whilst the old man shall move on to a better place. His heart would have given out in less than two weeks time and he is more than glad to end his long life to exchange it for theirs."

"As for you two? I shall activate the gate and you will step through, though to where I know not. Wherever the Aliens were next targeting I should think. It's safe to use and will work as planned but I shall destroy it when you have gone. We will meet again, or have met, or whatever. Seek me out in whatever time you appear in and I shall aid you. If it's the future, I shall remember our time here. If it's the past? You may have to convince me of all of this and of who you are as I will not know you!"

He shook hands and turned to place them on the stone arch. The letters lit up instantly all about it and a shimmering mirror formed in the archway. "Good luck! Stop the Aliens plans and you can head back to your own time!"

The Archway beckoned.

=========

EPILOGUE...

The moon sized asteroid slowed, then altered course. It would not now hit its target and peace would be restored to this section of the galaxy. The man responsible, Silver Sentinel, glanced at the dot that was the planet of R'Elith IV, seat of the R'Ellian Empire, long at war with the Skarr'Lith which would hopefully now end.

The man who was probably the most powerful superhero on Earth looked at the asteroid, at the course he'd set it on and knew it would be safe now. In his monthly jaunt from Earth to look for dying stars to siphon energy from he'd come across the war and this asteroid that started it. Now the two peoples would hopefully find a way to make peace.

Just then Silver Sentinel frowned and turned to look in the blackness of space. Somewhere on Earth, at some point in time his existence had been threatened. He didn't know details but knew his life had been saved by someone at some point in time. 'Whoever you are, thank you' he thought to himself then flew towards the planet to participate in the peace discussions.

He didn't know it, but his descendant Josiah Scurlock had been saved from death by two superheroes named Haunt and Steeplejack, and as a result, he could continue existing.

=========

EPILOGUE 2...

Years later...

The Indian Scalphunter rode into town ignoring the stares and pointing of the citizens as they saw him. On the horse behind him were draped two bodies and he'd tracked the killers long and far to bring them to justice.

The Sheriff identified them and reluctantly handed the money over for their return 'dead or alive' before passing on some information. "Best move on son. Your kind ain't tolerated round here." said the Sheriff.

Scalphunter stared but responded with "Where can I buy supplies?"

The Sheriff rested his feet on his desk and replied "Nowhere round here. Ride on."

Scalphunter left and sure enough, every general store had signs up saying "No injuns." Knowing he needed supplies he tried the last store, a smaller establishment. There was no sign preventing him from entering but instead one that said "Scurlocks Supplies and general stores."

Inside several customers pulled faced. One lady was aghast. "Why Mister Scurlock, you cannot mean to serve this ... this heathen?"

Josiah Scurlock looked up and in the direction of Scalphunter. Their eyes met. "Mrs Fathersham not only will I serve this gentleman but I shall be pleased to do so. His money is as good as any of ours and I will thank you to leave this store and never darken it's doorway again." The customers pulled faces and all left.

Scalphunter walked up. "You make plenty trouble for yourself. I will ride on."

"Not so fast friend." said Scurlock. "If you need supplies please make your selection. Further to that, I'll not take a cent from you. I don't know why, but I feel you are a good man."

"You, too, are a good man." said Scalphunter as he extended a hand. Scurlock shook it and smiled. "WHo knows, in another place, another time, we might have been friends. As it is, I shall move on from this town, and make my home elsewhere. In my past I have done questionable things. I have a mind to settle down and take on a family. That I shall do. One day though I fear it not to be soon, all men regardless of colour or creed shall walk free under the sun and I believe it all starts with a hand shake and a greeting."

Scalphunter gathered the supplies, tried to pay and Scurlock refused. He left and rode from the town then looked back. That feeling of knowing Scurlock from somewhere could not be shaken, but he knew not where. Turning, he rode on into the sunset.



END OF ISSUE

OOC Next up Hero Point awards and I'd like to know if either of you have a preference for the destination of the next time gate.