Professor Wynde issue #2 - Well, actually it's #1 with the LORE KNIGHTS and WONDERMAN!

"Faerie, you follow the kid and then come back once you see where he goes. Wonderman and I will have a talk with our news vendor. About time we bought some up to date news and maybe read a magazine or two, eh, Wonderman?"

Prof. Wynde heads towards the man, while using Magic Sense to see if he senses any other new magicks in the area.

Prof Wynde sensed magic again... and there! At the edge of his range in the direction of the child who was running away!

Right at the edge? must be a mile away or so.

Wonder Man leapt to the street and walked towards the vendor who gaped then turned his news barrow.... into Prof Wynde who stood blocking the pavement. People around gasped and pointed. They were mostly older people as young men and women had been served notice that they were to be drafted.

"I errr... paper? We have the Mirror... the Times... everything really." spluttered the news vendor glancing each way.

"Can you show us the headlines please," Prof. Wynde asked politely. "That will help us decide which ones we want."

Good thing that they had been given some money for this time so that they could actually buy things.

"I wonder if we will find any OoPs articles in any of them," he mused quietly, just loud enough for Wonderman and the newshawk to hear him. "Darn secretive bunch if you ask me. But this being wartime and all, guess the Order has their reasons."

He watched the newshawk for a reaction to his last statements. If nothing, then the two of them would head after Faerie and the boy running the message. If something, he would mention that the three of them,Faerie not the newshawk, should take a stroll through Hyde Park in a bit.

"What you on about?" muttered the news seller. He genuinely didn't seem to twig onto what Prof Wynde was inferring.

Ah. OOP would pay for information that fit a certain profile, but it would be through a series of intermediaries to preserve their anonymity and the knowledge of their existence. Wise, and probably even more so in these days where the Nazis would be looking to take out any potential threats to their operations.

Wonder Man mutters "He just passes on info. He probably doesn't even know what it means or what happens to it."

"Yeah, that's right. Owt weird, y'know? Like men that jump through the sky or that fly on tornadoes..." he said, gaping at the pair of them.

"Let's get after Faerie!" said Wonder Man and he leapt into the sky! Prof Wynde flew on a tornado, obligingly.

"Gor bllimey." spluttered the fellow.

=========

"The boy knocked on that door." said Faerie. "It's the back of a restaurant. I flew in through a window. A guy cleaning dishes spoke to the kid then made a telephone call. We probably won't get much out of him. He paid the child a pound. Quite a lot of money!" She looked at the door at the back of the building...

The dish washer dumped a bag of rubbish out by the bins and turned... Wonder Man stood in his way, arms folded and asked "Who did you call?"

OOC Adren Surge 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,1,+0 Total:10 (19) vs
OV1 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,1,+0 Total:7 (8) +5 (to 14) vs RV1=13 (Mind Probe to 14)

AV14 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,12,+0 Total:23 (37) vs
OV2 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,2,+0 Total:6 (8) +8 (to 22) vs RV2=20 RAPs. Crikey.

Faerie stepped up in normal size. The frightened kitchen worker gasped and she reassured him. "It's fine. go back to the Kitchen."

Wonder Man frowned and watched the fellow scuttle off. "What the..?" he spluttered. Faerie smiled. "I got the number and a face. This guy got curious once and followed his contact to a gentlemans club in Chelsea. The Harrier Club. A fellow there goes about arranging for people like ouor friend in the Kitchen and the news vendor to report any strange occurrences of any kind. People with... unusual abilities... strange devices... anything odd. They have a network of thousands of people across the country. Pretty big set up."

Wonder Man looked at the Kitchen Door then at Faerie. "You... you read minds?"

"Yep!" she laughed. "Want me to read yours?"

"What? NO!" he spluttered. He looked at Prof Wynde. "We should visit this club in our civvies. We're attracting altogether too much attention I think..."

He looked at people coming out of adjoining buildings to look at the strangely dressed trio in the alleyway...

OOC Update Monday most likely...

"You can't just walk into a gentleman's club," Prof. Wynde informs Wonderman, "especially in this time period. You have to be a member or an invited guest. And women are not allowed, almost never, unless the membership committee approves such a person visiting for a short time. No, let's keep going with obvious. Hang on a moment."

He enters the kitchen and finds the frightened worker and hands him a pound note.

"Listen, I want you to call your contact, tell them Prof. Wynde wants to speak with someone in the know. I will be at Hyde Park [only park I know of in London] in a few hours. Describe me. I'm sure that they can find me easily enough. That's it. Nothing more. And we won't bother you again."

He smiles at the gobsmacked kitchen workers and leaves with a wave. "I'll be appearing next week, look for the adverts folks," he calls out as he leaves.

He goes and rejoins Faerie and Wonderman. "OK, I've either set up a meeting in a couple of hours in Hyde Park or an ambush. So let's get back into civvies and get something to eat, read the papers we bought and relax. Then you two take a stroll around the park while I go find a relatively quiet spot as Prof. Wynde and wait to see what happens. You can make it look like you are on a date or something."

"Now, Wonderman has not really experienced find English Dining so where do you recommend we go, Faerie? I have no idea where we can go on our budget here."

ooc: So plan, eat, rest, go out in public as Prof. Wynde and see what happens with Faerie and Wonderman acting as disguised back-ups.

Making their way back to a place within sight of the hotel Faerie teleported them into her hotel room and shoo'd the men out.

"I might enjoy this." said Wonder Man as he peered in the corridor and made sure the coast was clear as he slipped to the room he had. The team members had been given £100 each which was quite a sum back in those days (OOC About £5300 now, so substantial to walk about with)

He slipped inside his room and Prof Wynde did the same for his. Doctor Power and his cronies were powerful and had shown up unexpectedly. Prof Wynde felt he was able to mask his own magical signature up to a point but the others weren't as... strong willed.

That meant Fred and some of the other Lore Knights could be tracked and found without much trouble, but Faerie was of a level/par almost with Prof Wynde.

The loss of Swashbuckler was a concern and he knew he'd have to include Snaga and Boudicea otherwise they may feel sidelined. Robbie Johnson (Major Oak) was a pretty safe bet and probably still fragile after his brush with death. Killing a Lore Knight on 'home soil' seemed to guarantee a form of security - the land would not let its defenders expire in defence of the village and magic circle.

=========

Oliver Smith straightened his newspaper as he sat in the sun enjoying the park as people walked by.

Most men of fighting age were absent which might present a problem very soon for himself, Fred and the others. He saw Fred and Katheryn walk arm in arm chatting and laughing in the sun and wondered if something might blossom there. A dangerous time to develop relationships but was there ever a good time? The world was always in peril he figured, if you looked in the right place.

With a hat and false moustache with glasses Fred looked quite different whilst Katheryn had her hair up in a bun as she would for work in her job in a library.

All that was required was to wait.

=========

Oliver checked his watch. Late by half an hour. Perhaps the message hadn't been clear, or they were too cautious or...

"Spare any change guv?" said an old man. He was a tramp, homeless and certainly authentic. A glance around revealed a woman pushing a pram, an elderly gentleman out with a nurse and a lady walking a dog. Was this the OOPS operative he wanted to meet?

Detect Magic ... er ... Magic Sense.


"Spare any change guv?" said an old man. He was a tramp, homeless and certainly authentic.

"I might," Oliver Smith replies, "but mind telling me how a man in this day and age is without work? A few years ago, I could understand why but not this year."

he again summoned a minor breeze that could easily be mistaken as a normal breeze by those without any magic senses.

OOC Magic Sense 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,1,+0 Total:6 (16) vs
OV6 + range 1 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,12,+0 Total:17 (24) Attempt failed.

Prof Wynde was slightly frustrated that he couldn't 'get a read' on the old guy or anyone else around the park... Oh wait...

OOC It's a Dice/Auto action using Magic Sense. To detect an artefact that does not have Infl/Aura/Spirit is a simple auto action and...

Prof Wynde glanced at a woman with a pram. Whatever was in the pram was NOT a baby, seeing as it gave off a magic signature! The tramp raised a bushy eyebrow. "I's got bad 'ealth guvnor." No teeth either and he stank of stale beer. Perhaps he really WAS a homeless man.

The woman though and... ahhh. A chap in his fifties sat on a bench feeding ducks... another read of a magic item. And... yes. Near Fred/Katheryn. A couple arm in arm walking behind his friends chatting quietly. Both carried something of interest.

'CLICK'

Prof Wynde turned to a gun pointed in his face. The Tramp, who spoke with a deeper voice and wrestled false 'bad teeth' out of his mouth to give a straight toothed grin. "However you will be in terrible health unless you explain who you are and what you want in London. Some things were not meant to be known by man..."

The rest of that phrase goes 'and that is when the Order of Protective Sorcerers will ever stand as the barrier between the light and darkness.'

'and that is when the Order of Protective Sorcerers will ever stand as the barrier between the light and darkness.' he said.

"Prof. Wynde, OOPS {Order of Protection, Second Class} Mage. And you will have never heard of me because I'm from the 21st Century. And you are? And do you know a character who calls himself Doctor Power? Ran into him earlier today. Nasty Chap."

"And my two friends that your friends are covering are Wonderman from 1939, then the 21st Century and back to here, 1940. The lady is Faerie, a Lore Knight. You got some place we can talk?"

The Tramp frowned. He glanced at the gun and uncocked it then slipped it away.

"Yes." he said, slipping his false teeth back into his mouth and shambling away. "Follow me." he grunted, getting back into character and shuffling away to a bridge where he waited in the shadows.

The Tramp straightened then pulled out the teeth again. "Maestro Mystic, OOP second class Mage." he offered with a hand shake. Glancing out at the the others in the park he saw Fred and Katheryn were making their way steadily towards the bridge but would be another couple of minutes, followed by the OOPS agents posing as a couple some way behind.

The woman with the pram paused and reached into the pram whilst glancing up and around.

"Doctor Power is a failed OOP operative. Alfred Holmes, minor researcher who failed all his exams and made more moaning noise than was good for him. Last I heard he was a watcher, no better than those who you rattled the cage of to find us. Nasty chap you say? Explain."

Prof Wynde explained about the ambush at the museum and Maestro Mystic frowned. "Hmmm. I was afraid of this. With the war on there is heightened magical activity at home and abroad and we're getting a lot of false reports from jittery news venders and cabbies. Taking all our time to sift through them. Something happened near Downing Street earlier. Your handiwork? And... wait... what did you say? 21st ... Century? From the future? Your knowledge may be invaluable to the war effort!"

OOC Prof Wynde can explain to the guy about messing with future events that might not come to pass...

"Sorcerous Criminals And Renegades. SCAR for short. If you fought Doctor Power... pah... Holmes... and you say he had actual magical ability? Then he's a traitor, gone over the other side. The idiot is still using the title he gave himself before he fluffed the exams."

"Everything ok?" asked Fred eyeing the straight and not so old looking Tramp up. "Want me to rough up some of the chumps that are following us?" Katheryn glanced about, wary.

OOC Prof Wynde can explain to the guy about messing with future events that might not come to pass...

"Sorcerous Criminals And Renegades. SCAR for short. If you fought Doctor Power... pah... Holmes... and you say he had actual magical ability? Then he's a traitor, gone over the other side. The idiot is still using the title he gave himself before he fluffed the exams."

"Everything ok?" asked Fred eyeing the straight and not so old looking Tramp up. "Want me to rough up some of the chumps that are following us?" Katheryn glanced about, wary.


ooc: Yep, he warns about trying to use his knowledge of the future events, explaining Churchill wanted the same thing, changing the present and the future as a result. He will tell them they win ... but it will be a hard slog before its done.

"Things are fine now," Prof. Wynde tells Fred. "These are the folks I've been looking for. All those folks are on our side. By the way, some of my old magic instructors, I don't know if they are instructing now or are active. Do you know if they are as old as they appeared in my time or are actually young foolish mages like we are? Prof. ..."
he will name three different folks.

"Also let me tell you how Wonderman and I appeared in this time period as you may want to keep an eye out for the Dragon that was chasing us."

He goes on about the evil cult, tripping the trap that sent them back in time, Dragon from Hell chasing them out into the countryside of Wales and then being trapped in the lava or was it the tunnels collapsing on it? I think it was kind of both but don't remember. Finishing up with meeting the new Lore Knights and helping to guide them until the new Earl makes it back from Dunkirk - without giving too many details there as he isn't sure how much OOP knows about the Lore Knights and if their relation is a good one or not.

Finally,

"So I made contact with you folks as Wonderman and I need new identities for this time period. He's American as you can tell. Or maybe he doesn't need a new identity as more like proper papers for himself - passport, driver's license, that sort of thing. Can you remember how long it has been since you left America to become a stone statue, Fred? A new identity might be better depending on how big a stink your vanishing left behind."

He gives a quick summary of Wonderman being turned into a stone statue by the Yogi in Tibet and himself unstoning him in the 21st Century, without naming the exact year.

Maestro Mystic frowns at the names of the trio of instructors. "I think they may go under different names. Over time our titles change and we find something grander... or less grand. Doctor Power is an example of someone who is claiming something they clearly lack."

"That Dragon bears investigating." admitted Maestro. "I'll mention it but maybe its better off buried under tons of rock."

"I suppose a new name and dye my hair, different costume might be on the cards." said Fred. "I mean, I don't really have any ties back home. They probably think I'm dead and whatsername never cared for me as Fred Carson. Maybe Fred Carson should stay dead."

Katheryn glanced and turned to Maestro. "The Lore Knights are here to protect Britain. We're new but eager to do so. Do you... do the same?"

"Very much so Miss." explained Maestro. "But we battle against less obvious, unseen enemies that would be scarcely believable to ordinary folk. As to the Yogi in Tibet its very possible he is part of OOPS but some of our members are very solitary and members in name only. We think the Nazis will make a move on London and have stepped up our watchers efforts. SCAR will need extra people on it to find them, but they are a loose knit rag tag band of trouble causers and not much threat unless they overcome their ego and dislike of each other, which is nigh on impossible. No, if the Nazis' plan to get the spear of Wotan comes to fruition we will be on trouble. We have people on that. In the meantime ... we watch. I can sort out papers and identities for you and your friend. We'll need a few days and an address as well as a photograph. We would rather you be acting on official business for OOPS and in the best interests of Britain instead of getting shot at in France."

"Where are you staying? We'll be in touch."

OOC hand over the details? Wasn't so long ago you were reluctant to do that for Churchill!

"Ah! No permanent address at present," Prof. Wynde hedges. "Churchill has asked us to look into a problem in Scotland so we are going to grab the rest of the Lore Knights and head up there to see what's what. In exchange for making sure the new Earl gets to come home early and settle his uncle's affairs and become the new leader of the Lore Knights. So .... I guess we could meet back here in a few days? Or if you have some way to for us to contact you if it takes more time than we think ...?"

Maestro gives a wry smile. "Practically every cabbie in London and almost every News vendor knows how to get in touch with us. We are like you. We have no base of operations in London. Safer that way. SCAR and others see us as the only barrier to victory in their evil machinations."

He looked at Katheryn, Fred and then Oliver. "Perhaps ... no longer the only barrier..." He shook hands with Prof Wynde, Fred and Katheryn then nodded to the couple stood a few feet away. "We are among friends, right?"

The woman nodded. "There is no evil present."

Maestro shrugged "There we go. It remains to be seen how effective you are, but right now we're on the same side. The next time we meet we may have some useful things for you and ... perhaps... a few things you can do for us."

Prof Wynde watches the Tramp shamble away, the cover agents going on theirs and he's suddenly mindful that though he kept details of the future secret he did reveal the names of three tutors still around in the 21st Century...

==========

"Is our work in London done?" asked Fred. "I need to get back to Caer Alwyn and ask the creepy Butler for a new costume and a new look. Wonder Man might have to retire. It's been a short career, mostly successful but never really got going."

"You can't mean..." said Katheryn, hand to her mouth.

"Oh don't worry, I'll still be a Lore Knight, just not as Wonder Man!You may want to help me come up with a costume design"*

Katheryn smiled then added "We need to check out and get back to Caer Alwyn. It seems...well, a shame to leave Marcus behind, but he's made his choice. If he continues to do good deeds the land will decide whether he's still worthy to be a Lore Knight, I'm sure."

==========

Churchill blew out some smoke. "So, are you ready to do your duty?"

Swashbuckler nodded "Yes sir! you can rely on me!"

"Good. You know the plan. Get into France, get StJohns out and back here. It won't be easy. He's in the thick of the fighting and the Nazis have us on the run."

"With my abilities I'm sure that it should be a cinch sir."

Churchill blew some smoke out and considered. "Perhaps. We need StJohn on OUR side, and he'll bring the rest of your merry band round to my way of thinking. Then we can really put the sword to the Nazi menace."

Marcus Hammill nodded and saluted. "Yes sir!"



* Or you might, with a code name to match...

"Is our work in London done?" asked Fred. "I need to get back to Caer Alwyn and ask the creepy Butler for a new costume and a new look. Wonder Man might have to retire. It's been a short career, mostly successful but never really got going."

"You can't mean..." said Katheryn, hand to her mouth.

"Oh don't worry, I'll still be a Lore Knight, just not as Wonder Man!You may want to help me come up with a costume design"*

Katheryn smiled then added "We need to check out and get back to Caer Alwyn. It seems...well, a shame to leave Marcus behind, but he's made his choice. If he continues to do good deeds the land will decide whether he's still worthy to be a Lore Knight, I'm sure."

"Yeah, I think it is time that we head back to Caer Alwyn and update the others as to what has gone on and get ready to go to Scotland," Prof. Wynde replies.  "Not really happy with the way things have gone.  We won one, getting in touch with OOP and getting them to help us.  We lost one, Swashbuckler.  And we sort of tied one, Doctor Power, we stopped what he was trying to do, I think, but he got away.  I hate hostage situations!"

He frowns trying to think of what they might still need to do before they leave but nothing comes to mind.

"Let's check out and then Faerie can get us home."


* - we can always go with the Capt. Wonder idea for his costume I posted awhile back.  I tried Heromachine but got totally confused as to what to do.  The newest versions are so complicated!   "Wonderman's new outfit" May 29th

OOC Went for a cheesy golden age look along with needless cape. Probably needs pants on the outside to finish the cheese look.



An hour later the small group in civilian clothing were stood int he grounds of Caer Alwyn House.

Thornhill the butler waited complete with a tray of refreshing drinks though he raised an eyebrow as there were four drinks and only three returning heroes. "Trouble at the mill sir?" asked Thornhill to Oliver as he set his case down and accepted his drink of choice. How Thornhill knew what his favourite was had never been explained in the day or so he'd been in Caer Alwyn.

Owain (Snaga) and Alexandra (Boudicea) strode out into the garden and looked about. "Where's Marcus?" asked Owain.

Prof Wynde expllained.

"Well, the lad can walk his own path, but I don't doubt he'll see the light and be back here before long." grumbled the oldest Lore Knight.

"Where is Robbie... Major Oak?" asked Fred. He looked about. "And what happened to this place? It's... it's perfect again... there is no sign of the battle at all!"

Owain gestured and pointed to an Oak tree by the walls. "He's... bonding... with the earth. We thought the boy might need time to recover from his near brush with death so left him to it but he'll be fine."

Alexandra came over. "So, see any action in London? It's been quiet here. Not a peep but we've been watching for the nazis returning. They know where we are and will be back."

Fred nodded "That they will but we have another task at hand!" He turned to prof Wynde and asked "Are we all off to Scotland Oliver?"

Major Oak - or rather the Oak tree - develops a pair of eyes in the bark and a gash for a mouth which breaks into a grin. "Professor Wynde. You're back!"

A humanoid body sprouts from the bark and darkens into green/brown. The tree seems to lean branches down towards Major Oak who strokes the leaves with affection and turns to Prof Wynde. "How was the trip? Are we ready to... go to war?"

Prof Wynde wondered the same.

==========

Thornhill offered several designs to Fred who was sat in the drawing room looking at drawings of different costumes.

"Ah hey Ollie, what do you think of these? I was thinking of a name change and new look. New me, new look so to speak." he said passing some sheets over.

Owain sat on the corner of a desk in front of the window overlooking the grand sculpted gardens which were no longer churned up, smashed, crater filled or anything else. Magic?

"New clothes are all well and good but what do we do about Swashbuckler? He's a Lore Knight. We all are. I suggest we get to London and drag him back here, give him a few slaps. He's wilful but can be made to understand his place."

Alexandra scowled. "I say we don't need him. Let the land decide."

Katheryn shrugged "He thinks serving the country by following Mr Churchills orders are the way forward. I... I just don't know. We can hardly sit around while the war is being fought."

Major Oak and Prof Wynde stood at the other side of the room. Robbie spoke up "Guns, bombs and bullets destroy. That is not our way. We must fight in a different way, show that there is... more... to powers and a costume. We need to act with honour."

"Honour?" snarled Owain. "The Nazis have no honour! Even now they plot and scheme to attack us because of the fact we beat them off once. At the cost of YOUR life boy! Do you not remember?"

"i remember." said Robbie "And I don't care. I will not kill. My function as a Lore Knight is to protect life, not take it."

Alexandra raised her glass "Bravo. We'll put that on your next gravestone."

Owain turned to Prof Wynde "You are the leader. We follow you but we MUST take the fight to the enemy! Sitting here whilst ordinary soldiers fight and die overseas is not just cowardly but a waste of our abilities, the things we can do! Katheryn! You can help heal people on the battlefield! Fred can fight better than just about anyone! Prof Wynde, you can lead men and supermen ... Me and Alexandra can take the battle to the enemy..."

"What about me?" asked Robbie.

"This is not a game boy. There are no prizes for second place. It is kill or be killed. That is war, and we're in it or we are not. you need to decide." snarled Owain. "I say we fight!"

"You all seem to have forgotten something," Oliver Smith replied. "Your powers come from the Land. You leave the Land, the powers fade. I saw that when I sat in the chairs that led us to the Lore Knights' lair. How fast it fades? I don't know. Do they fade totally? I don't know. Did any of you read the old records while we were gone, as I suggested? The answers may lie there. Swashbuckler is going to Dunkirk to try and bring the new Earl back. If any of you want to go join him in that endeavor, do so. Just know that you will not be as strong there as you are here."

"I did or will do a stint in the Army before I became Prof. Wynde. Time Travel Semantics suck. Anyway, I know what combat is like. I know the horrors of watching your buddies around you screaming in pain from wounds, limbs blown from their bodies and from dying in your arms. I know the feelings you all are having here. Something you may not know is only 1 in 10 soldiers actually make it on a battlefield. The other nine will rarely if ever hear a shot fired at them. Those nine are support people. The clerks, the mess hall folks, the warehouse men, the medical personnel, the maintenance folks, etc."

"'Every man and woman needs to do their duty!' You are going to see a lot of posters like that plastered all over the place soon and in newspapers and on the radio and showing in the newsreels. But what is "Their Duty"? Somebody has to make the clothes that the military wears. Somebody has to make the medicines and the bandages that they will need. Somebody has to grow the food that they will eat. Somebody has to build the weapons of war that the military needs. Somebody has to watch the children while their parents are off either fighting or supporting the fight somehow. Somebody has to provide the coal and oil and power needed to do all these things. Somebody has to sail on the ships that bring supplies from overseas. There are many many ways to support the War Effect, to do One's Duty."

"The Lore Knights' Duty is to protect the Land from magical foes, mostly, with the occasional non-magical supervillain or alien invader thrown in. That's OUR DUTY. Just how many people in England can do that? Tens of thousands? Thousands? Hundreds? Fifty? To look at it one way, running off to fight in the war that thousands of other people can do, foregoing the duty that only a few can do, isn't doing one's duty. It's shirking One's Duty."

"I tried to get this across to Swashbuckler but I failed. If any of you don't wish to "sit here and do nothing" then by all means, go see Churchill and join his plan to use you to do what he thinks is right. I wish you well."

"Killing? Robbie's right in part. We should avoid killing where we can. We are more powerful than most folks so we have to avoid the trap of Might Makes Right. 'I'm more powerful than you so it is Right that I can Kill You'. But Robbie, there will be times where we will have to kill. This is war time. Sometimes, we can't take prisoners and turn them over to the Law or Government or the Military or place them in some kind of super magical prison. Some of the magical menaces we face we will not be able to do that as well. The Cultists that Fred and I faced were killed by the dragon they summoned. And that was because we interrupted their ritual using you as a sacrifice and they lost control of the dragon. So, in a sense, Fred and I killed those men. We didn't do it directly but we were a cause for their deaths."

"I'm not proud of it but they all died just the same. But neither am I ridden by guilt over it because they choose that path of evil that led to their deaths. They had no problems killing others while on that path. By all means, rack your brains constantly to find ways to defeat your foes without killing them. Hate the idea of killing anyone. Because the day you can kill someone without really hating to do so is the day you lose your soul, your humanity."

"Save lives where you can. Take lives only when you have to and never be happy to do so."

He looks at everyone.

"You need to decide where your Duty lies. What path in life you want to take. Those who want to go and fight on the front-lines should do so. The rest of us will go to Scotland and try to determine what's wrong there and handle it."

"Think it over. Go read those old journals the generations of Lore Knights left behind. Heck, try talking to the staff. They been here for who knows how long. They may be able to help you decide. But in the morning, we are all leaving. Either to Scotland or off to see Churchill in London."

"Fred, let's take a walk," he finishes up.

==============================

The two go out of the mansion and start walking the streets of Caer Alwyn, people watching and taking in the air.

"I wonder what's it like to be you, Fred," Oliver muses while they walk, nodding to the villagers. "You were one of the first of this new age of superheroes. You should be a legend in your own time. But instead, many folks turned against you and tried to corral you into something that they could handle because they feared you. You decided to sleep until the world needed you again and would be more accepted. You never planned to sleep as long as you did. You got a taste of the future and then that was taken away as we came into the past, but a past that is still your future. Hate time travel semantics."

"One day I will go back to my time period, I hope. It should be possible, and because of that, I am trying to avoid entanglements like romance. But not you. Do you plan to stay in this time? Or do you want to go back to the 21st Century with me and maybe Robbie. Not sure what's going to happen to the lad. Or do you plan to make the rest of your life here? Either in England or back in America?"

"Do you truly want to give up the identity of Wonderman? You are, after all, a first among firsts and should be honored for that and have to deal with all the baggage that comes with that. Do you want to just change the costume and keep the name? Or do you want to have Wonderman fade away into history and become a totally new person? Another hero? Someone who is no longer a First among Firsts but just one among the new breed of superheroes?"


------------
yeah, feeling a bit introspective here on this story part.

OOC Excellent post. Have run out of time to do it justice (it's 00:30 and I just got in from work a short while ago) but will have a go.

Fred looked about, then scooped up a stone. Glancing at the distant beach he tossed it and counted the skims where it landed on the water until it vanished from view. Not bad from several hundred yards from the water though.

"Gee, I never really thought about it Ollie." he mused. "When I became Wonder Man I was as far as I know the most powerful person on Earth. I know now I was wrong. I'm just a guy in fancy long johns now, one among many. With that in mind you could be right. Why retire Wonder Man when so few knew about him? Brenda Hastings knew about him and her father who ran his news network, then when I disappeared? At the same time as Fred Carson? Doesn't take a genius to put two and two together. The reason for a secret identity is to my mind to protect others. My folks are retired, my siblings moved out of state and I haven't seen them for years. I was a bit of a wet drip before the Yogi gave me this ring."

"Now? I met you, you freed me and introduced me to a way of life I could have had if I'd been braver, ridden out the storm. I can return to the USA in time, but there's that question again. Which time? The future, which looked amazing and varied and crazy and I would probably blend right in? Here? years of war ahead probably and maybe this whole place overrun by the Nazis? You know the history you grew up with but isn't our being here, right now, changing things? Would the Lore Knights come about if we had not gone back? With that in mind maybe we go back to a future where everyone is speaking German and Adolf Hitler has been... I don't know, in charge for decades and kept alive by magic or science. Stranger things have happened."

"We need to see this through then both make the decision. I'm attracted to Katheryn and maybe something more but it's like you say - forming attachments is a tricky thing because no one knows how long we have. I took a battering, the kid died... then came back. Strange? Crazy more like. No one knows what happens in the future and you could say the future we left no longer exists because its yet to be written. You think you know what happens... but what if the Nazis win? What then? Do we find some way to go back in time to have another go? Man, it makes my head spin."

"So for now? You think I should stay as Wonder Man? What about Fred Carson? I'll go with what you suggest. You're a smart guy, the team leader and in the short time I've known you come to be my best and only friend. If you say stick with the old long johns I'm good with that. Heck its so bright and wacky I may as well modify it with a target painted on my chest." he chuckles.

A lady cycled by and Fred nodded "Good'day Ma'am." as he looked about. The cobbled streets, old houses and buildings, crashing waves a few hundred yards away with a short beach in between. The Tor, standing stones, manor and olde worlde feel... "This is a fine place. I hope our being here doesn't spoil it for these folks."

"We have a night here at least. Let's get the others gathered and head back to that pub. They can make their choice but I make mine right now. I'm with you buddy, through thick and thin." he offered his hand to shake.

He shakes hands.

"That's what I'm really worried about, Fred, your family and your feelings.  If you stay in this time, it's been less than a year since you left?  If you stay, you can always go home and see your family, your old high school and college buddies.  You could always tell them that you decided to do a little traveling, maybe to go see Paris and got trapped in Europe when the war broke out.  You could even write them a letter from here and letting them know that and that you plan to stay and help out with the war effort in England.  And continue corresponding with them for as long as you are here."

"You go back into the future, assuming we can do so, you leave them behind permanently.  Everyone here will most likely be dead back in our time, including this bunch of Lore Knights.  Here and now, Fred Carson still exists and can continue to exist and can return to a "normal" life albeit during war time but if you hadn't had yourself stoned, this is what your life would be.  But if you are okay with him "dying" and take on some new persona and cutting all ties, well, that's okay too."

"You can stay Wonderman regardless or take on a new name, your choice.  But ..."
He grins here
"If we are teaming up maybe you should take a name that sort of fits for a duo.  Something like Prof. Wynde and Doctor Thunder!"  

He pauses for a bit.

"Though truth to tell I messed up.  I told those OOP guys the name of three of the folks who taught me my magicks.  That means I may have changed things because they now know that those 3 survived the war and if they don't because I said that, because they took on missions that they wouldn't have, believing that they will survive anything, the world will have changed in the future, my present or future present, from what it was.  Maybe not a big change, maybe something small like another 3 teach me my magicks.  And they now know that someday an OOPS mage will appear in the 21st Century and decided to call himself Prof. Wynde."

"Maybe we both need to change our names and appearances.  But even that may not really work since they know we are associated with the Lore Knights.  So if Wonderman and Prof. Wynde disappear from the Lore Knights and two new folks appear with basically the same abilities show up with them, they would know it is still us."

"Man!  I was an idiot!  I should just keep my mouth shut about anything and everything!  Remind me to do that the next time I think I'm going to tell someone we are from the future.  Sock me in the jaw if you have to, just don't sock so hard it breaks it."
Grins at the other man.

"Well, lets go back.  I really do want to read some of those old journals.  Think of it, they are a history that hardly anyone else ever knew about.  Maybe there will be some clues in them that will help us find our way through all this stuff.  Maybe even some of them have time traveled and we can find a way to use it to get back to the 21st Century.  Though honestly, I sometimes think about staying in this time, at least through the war.  The pull to stay here and be a part of the worst and best times is strong.  To take a part in the defense of what is right and clearly right, not the muddled times of maybe right of my original time. Maybe we can stay here in this time. After the new Earl joins and takes over the team, maybe we split off and become a crime-fighting, Nazi-busting duo under new superhero names? Something to think about."

==========================
ooc:
Gonna get onto DC Universe Online and City of Heroes MMORPGs and mess around with costume ideas for Wonderman and Prof. Wynde and see if I can find something I like.  Maybe a bit tomorrow since I'm working from home Thursday and this weekend.  And yeah, the idea of staying in WW2 is an attractive idea but if I did, the two would have to leave the Lore Knights and become superheroes on their own, after the new Earl comes back and takes over leadership.  That would probably be the time to change both their names and costumes, once they set up on their own.

Also been thinking more about how to cancel Magic Sense.  I think maybe Neutralize might be the way to go.  It's expensive for a base cost of 25 but with the -2 factor cost of "only working on one power," so instead of fc 4 it would be fc 2, it might work out cheaply enough.  That's the 2nd edition version. Not sure if the numbers changed in 3d ed/Blood of Heroes.

OOC Magic Sense being a dice action to detect anyone or anything that doesn't want to be detected (vs Infl/Spirit) and with a range modifier (which I didn't apply before) but no modifiers for barriers/walls etc will do. Magic Field would NOT protect against magic sense as they'd just sense the field... But like Mind Blank though I guess we could call it Magic Blank and FC1 Range Self adds to OV or RV (your choice) when someone tries to find you.

It's not ever been a consideration until this game in all the years I've been running DC Heroes (on and off since 1985) plus this is the longest campaign of any kind (a D&D campaign ran for about five years I guess back in the day) I've run so things like this tend to crop up. As far as I know we might have one of the longest running play by posts on the planet, which would be quite an achievement. There are some who claim to be longer though and we kind of 'lost a year' when the previous host forum messed us about then vanished completely.

I do have the forum archived though so we never really lost anything

Fred and Ollie walked back in the pleasant evening sunshine back to the house.

Katheryn was stood in entrance porch talking to the treelike Robbie and she turned to see the pair coming towards them. Ollie figured Fred had good reason to stay here and the thought of helping out with WWII had some merit too. After all Prof Wyndes future may well have changed. His past, now his present, was being written and altered with everything he did. Forming the Lore Knights prompted an attack by superhuman Nazis who might have originally attacked somewhere else. Everything had consequences, and try as he might, there was no way to guarantee that the Lore Knights or even Prof Wynde himself survived the war other than to find a way to get back through time and cross his fingers.

Echoes of the 'Planet of the Apes' movie sprung to mind... heck, it might never even be made!

With arms crossed Katheryn good naturedly chided the pair that they were late for dinner.

"Relax!" said Fred, smiling and leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. "We're going to the pub for lunch! I'll go get changed!" and he sprinted/bounded in and up the stairs to his room!

Katheryn touched her cheek where he'd kissed her and blushed. Robbie turned to Prof Wynde. "I... I'll pass if that's ok? I'm finding my way... feeling my way back to life and the plants are more preferable company for the moment. There'll be time enough for talk of war but the other two" he spoke of Snaga and Boudicea "Emanate violence. Marcus for all his faults was more humorous and light hearted."

He looked out at the gardens and added "For what it's worth where you go, I follow. If you decide we go to France you will find me at your shoulder Oliver. Until then I will find peace here. If we're going to Scotland in the morning I'll be with you, and ready."

Katheryn added "I'll be with you Professor. I... I hope Fred is too."

Owain and Alexandra appeared in the doorway. "Did someone mention pub?" asked the big man. "Let Marcus find his own way. He's an idiot, but he's a Lore Knight. I'll jibe him but when he returns I'll gladly fight alongside him. Alongside all of you."

Alexandra rolled her eyes. "Even the big man is getting soppy now! Oh... I'm with you all. Someone has to be the brains of this outfit!"

Moments later Fred appeared in smart casual clothes and said "Right, to the pub!"

There was a cheer/clap and even Robbie paused for a moment, changed into a human being and came along.

All was well in the world this evening...

Thornhill watched them go, his efforts at a grand evening meal dashed. "Ah well, the dogs will eat well. Again." he said. He gazed at the group as they rounded the wall of the garden and sighed. Ever it was thus, watching the young, the brave, the ... doomed... in the calm before the inevitable storm. "I salute you all... LORE KNIGHTS." he said. Then the ghostly butler faded from view.

OOC update later if I can...

OOC Magic Sense being a dice action to detect anyone or anything that doesn't want to be detected (vs Infl/Spirit) and with a range modifier (which I didn't apply before) but no modifiers for barriers/walls etc will do. Magic Field would NOT protect against magic sense as they'd just sense the field... But like Mind Blank though I guess we could call it Magic Blank and FC1 Range Self adds to OV or RV (your choice) when someone tries to find you.

It's not ever been a consideration until this game in all the years I've been running DC Heroes (on and off since 1985) plus this is the longest campaign of any kind (a D&D campaign ran for about five years I guess back in the day) I've run so things like this tend to crop up. As far as I know we might have one of the longest running play by posts on the planet, which would be quite an achievement. There are some who claim to be longer though and we kind of 'lost a year' when the previous host forum messed us about then vanished completely.




Well you are on those DC game forums, might want to ask those folks what they think would be a good way to keep magic sense automatically spotting you. That's the nice thing about long running games, we get to try out all sorts of ideas and see what works and what doesn't or what needs more claification.

OOC I think for now we'll stick with Magic Sense being a Dice Action (vs Infl/Spirit) and with a range modifier. I could ask on the forum but cannot honestly think of a better way of doing things. We also run a house ruled game of DC using Acting Value +2D12 vs Opposing Value +2D12 and some of the guys instantly blank out/poo poo that thought so I'm usually asking questions there of a generic nature to avoid any 'you play the game different so it therefore must be bad/wrong and my decision is final' that I've had a couple of times. Each to their own I say. There are plenty of friendly helpful people on the DC Facebook site though so I don't want to give a poor view of them all, just that I don't care much for the ones whose view of 'my way or the highway' so to speak when all you wanted was an opinion or way or doing things.

Part 2 (we normally do 10 pages for an issue)

Morning broke and the sun beamed through a gap in the curtains.

Prof Wynde bathed and dressed and within half an hour was eating a traditional breakfast of fried everything whilst Thornhill the butler and several maids wafted about with tea and coffee along with freshly squeezed juice which was a rare thing indeed.

Owain was up and grumbling - he'd been loud and happy at the pub with enough ale in him to sink a battleship so was feeling worse for wear but raring to go in any case.

Alexandra stumbled in looking gorgeous if somewhat dishevelled and in her dressing gown. Robbie had walked in from the garden and smelled of damp grass but at least was in his human form.

There was no sign of Fred and Katheryn and an uncomfortable silence on the subject with awkward mumblings about sleeping late popped up.

Finally Fred arrived and about a carefully timed minute later, Katheryn walked in, avoiding all gazes and smiling politely when greeted.

A glance with Fred got him blushing and Prof Wynde rolled his eyes...

=========

"Ok, here's how this thing works." explained Faerie. She was human sized and stood at the top of the Tor with the others gathered around.

"I have to... concentrate and force the magic to boost my ability to teleport which is normally about ..."

"A quarter mile or so" said Wonder Man (in his original costume)

"Ah, thank you Wonder Man." mumbled Faerie. She looked about. Everyone was in costume and stood on the peak of the Tor/mound overlooking Caer Alwyn and feeling the fresh sea breeze gust at them.

"So, to get it further than that I have to think of a place I want to go and hopefully my power can get us there safely without appearing inside anything. The safest way to do that is transport us where I have been before." said Faerie. "I went to Edinburgh once on holiday and it was lovely. We had..."

"Ahem." said Snaga, resting on his axe, mighty muscles standing proud and bare to the cold wind which he didn't seem to feel.

"Oh yes. Anyway I can get us to Edinburgh castle if the magic allows it. That's about ... 350 miles as the crow flies give or take. To do that I just need to push my power a little bit so this will take some concentration. I could try to teleport blind but I don't know how that works. I mean, do I look at a dot on a map, get a ruler out and do some sums or what? Far easier to go where I've been then go from there."

"So where are we going?" asked Boudicea.

"Edinburgh Castle, there's a part that is closed off and we could only see over the barrier there but not go in. There shouldn't be anyone there." replied Faerie.

"And the case?" asked Wonder Man.

"In case we need to go as civilians. All of us, uh, 'Lore Knights' magically change our clothes with a thought but you need to change the usual way." explained Faerie.

"Assuming he's wearing any." snickered Boudicea.

Snaga laughed out loud and Wonder Man seemed put out "What is that supposed to mean?" he spluttered.

Prof Wynde stepped in. "Let's get on with it. Once we get to Edinburgh we have to go all the way across Scotland to the East coast to get to this island where contact has been lost. The clock is ticking."

Wonder Man muttered then got a nudge and a wink from Snaga. Unable to resist the American chuckled and shook his head. "I don't know what you guys are talking about."

Faerie was conspicuously looking out to sea.

OOC GFB +4/-6 Adren Surge 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:9 (18) vs
Teleport 1 + 4 GFB + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,2,+0 Total:9 (14) +3 (to 12) vs RV1 -6 (GFB)=17RAPs. Teleport is 18APs, enough to transport anywhere in the world.

=========

"Well?" asked Boudicea quietly.

They'd been stood on the windy Tor and were now in a dark quiet room without a door, the stone walls all around cool and damp. It was raining outside, typical Scottish weather for summer.

"We're in Edinburgh, in the castle." whispered Faerie. "We may have to wait though...." It seemed a grounds keeper type person was outside and explaining to someone which parts of the old castle needed fixing up. That took a while and when he'd gone...

"I thought they'd never go!" whispered Snaga. "What now? We can't rightly go wandering the streets dressed like this!"

Wonder Man looked down at his bright red and yellow then sighed. "I best get changed then."

=========

Elsewhere...

"Did you feel that?" hissed a voice.

"Aye. Emanations. A ripple."

"More than that! Power!"

"What about Lewis, and Harris? I thought you'd summoned me to investigate the ripple there?"

"This is a different kind. Magic! That other was a mesh of Magic, aye, but mostly science and of a type that should not be here. Someone has meddled with the flow of time." hissed the old female voice.

"Explain. I can't be in two places at once. And I am just one man."

"No, there are others... I shall gather them..."

ooc: OK, two things.

1. Magic Sense just 'cause I can! And OOOHHHH!! Lots of antiques in the place!

2. Maybe set up an NPC Character File Folder? Doesn't have to be as detailed as the regular PC Character File Folder but things like: Hero Name, Secret or Public ID, Powers - descriptions not stats unless you want to, who do they know - especially PC heroes, affiliations, time period they are in.

See, I can't remember outside of Faerie if any of the Lore Knights have any travel powers or what powers and skills they have in general. How you keep track of all this amazes me.

And after ten years of play, we've met a lot of NPC heroes. Having that kind of stuff at our fingertips would be nice. Probably wouldn't hurt to put up a Villain Character File Folder too with more or less the same information.