The New Vanguard! Miss Victory issue #3 Enter... NEXUS! guest Starring Lionheart!

"Wait!" said Obsidian. "I never saw anyone move as fast as you and this guy makes you look like a snail! No WAY is he going to let you past him, especially if he uses what you just used to scoop us up or make some kind of force wall to block the corridor off... imagine running into that!"

Lupus sags to the floor. "He's just too tough. Makes sense. This low down they want a powerful guy to stop anyone coming or going. Just one guy though and he made monkeys out of us. What we really need is to hit him with fists, magic and mental powers at the same time. Where the heck are we going to get all that? We should give up."

Obsidian powers down and frowns. "Kid, I been in tight spots before and never quit, and you got two bona fide super heroes next to ya. These guys don't know what the word means. Maybe Lupus has a point though. Maybe... maybe if we can trick this guy, attack from a distance, sneak an attack through the gap of the door... I dunno."

"Or I guess we can do the speed thing. Might get messy though. At the speed you move my breakfast is in danger of making a repeat appearance." added Obsidian.

ooc: I have to admit that I am stumped here. If we can't use superspeed before entering the hallway to get past him, I can't see any other way to beat him or avoid him or run past him.

The only other thing I can think of is to wait an hour and have Miss Victory's Vita Pill run out and then she goes in alone and takes him on with her martial arts. But she will still have her steel skin which he can duplicate as that is the only power she has without the Vita Pills so it would be something like doing 1 or 2 body round at best until one of them drops and who would drop?

Any chance of an Int roll backed up by the Scientist skill for a better idea?

Admin wrote:"Or I guess we can do the speed thing. Might get messy though. At the speed you move my breakfast is in danger of making a repeat appearance." added Obsidian.

Lionheart sat for a moment, although he wasn't tired - he had been beaten, repeatedly. His healing factor meant that he had nothing physically wrong with him, but he'd been pushed about like a flea in a turbine and part of him was justing finding this level of intensity more than he was used to. Facing opponents stronger, faster or smarter no problem, but this was like facing himself on a good day, and he was not having a good day. He missed Frostbite and the old team, but he'd decided to be a grown-up and step up, so this is what grown-ups did.

"Maybe Obsidion is onto something, there has to be a moment, maybe based of sight, or proximity where Nemesis acquires a set of powers, but long enough for me to maybe open the door, see if I can't mind blast him, and you close the door again to shut him off from getting back at us with my power. It's a darn hard sell, I've got to give this as good a shot as I can, I'm not sure we'll get another shot. But I've got to get through, somehow. Lupus you and Obsidion stand by the door as soon as I open it, shut it again. I won't need any longer for me to blast him. Miss Victory, you need to be on standby in case...well I don't need to spell it out. Let's give this a try."

With that Lionheart got himself ready, he pictured the room, it was small. He saw where Nemesis had been - he wasn't stupid but there was nowhere to be out of the line of sight. So he got himself ready and then grabbed the door, and went to blast him.

OOC: OK going for Devastating attack and using all my remaining HP to try and do this.

Sj

OOC Scientist wouldn't help. Military Science WOULD help with tactics. Otherwise you'll just have to overcome a +1 AP penalty...

Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,2,+0 Total:42 (50) Uh that should do it vs
OV9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:9 (18)
+8 (to 16) vs RV9=7RAPs

1) When someone can mix and match your own abilities against you, you need to think smarter. With his great (borrowed) speed and ability to ramp it up even more thanks to Miss Victorys' incredible power reserve Nemesis is nigh on unbeatable. However...
2-3) Without Obsidians ability to increase his density he can only copy the best secondary attacks such as Lionhearts strength (13). Lupus doesn't help either by allowing him to copy his Regeneration 10. Miss Victory gives her power reserve 23 which really gives the team problems.
4-6) Rather than let him mix and match you have the ability to block off his power simply by hiding behind the doorway. The unique nature of this place blocks ALL powers and abilities below a certain (very high) level. By choosing who goes first through the door, that person will draw Nemesis' attack then the rest of you pile in or at least open the door and attack from distance. Whoever goes through first will take Nemesis' attack for sure but the rest of you can attack once he's acted.
7-10) As soon as he is exposed to the powers available he gets them. If Miss Victory stays out of the way and Lupus doesn't allow access to his regeneration it is basically Lionheart vs Himself plus Obsidians' abilities... OR you can rush upstairs, recruit someone (anyone) like a standard goon with a limited amount of strength and basically leave it to Lionheart one on one against Himself or Miss V one on one against him. Timing is key. Exposing him to other super powers is disastrous and with the door you can do just that. Send one person through then whoever goes next needs to really go for it (all dice to attack, maybe some HP) and knock this guy's block off!

Miss Victory thinks on the problem just as Lionheart reaches for the door.

"Hey man maybe you should rest up while we think this through. you're black n blue and a stiff breeze would knock you over." said Obsidian to Lionheart (who is still on Body 1/13).

Lupus slumped to the ground. "We can't beat this guy. He uses our best abilities against us!"

Obsidian eyes Lionheart up. "Can you beat this guy, one on one? It would be like fighting yourself..."

Admin wrote:OOC Scientist wouldn't help. Military Science WOULD help with tactics. Otherwise you'll just have to overcome a +1 AP penalty...

Int 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,2,+0 Total:42 (50) Uh that should do it vs
OV9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 4,5,+0 Total:9 (18)
+8 (to 16) vs RV9=7RAPs

1) When someone can mix and match your own abilities against you, you need to think smarter. With his great (borrowed) speed and ability to ramp it up even more thanks to Miss Victorys' incredible power reserve Nemesis is nigh on unbeatable. However...
2-3) Without Obsidians ability to increase his density he can only copy the best secondary attacks such as Lionhearts strength (13). Lupus doesn't help either by allowing him to copy his Regeneration 10. Miss Victory gives her power reserve 23 which really gives the team problems.
4-6) Rather than let him mix and match you have the ability to block off his power simply by hiding behind the doorway. The unique nature of this place blocks ALL powers and abilities below a certain (very high) level. By choosing who goes first through the door, that person will draw Nemesis' attack then the rest of you pile in or at least open the door and attack from distance. Whoever goes through first will take Nemesis' attack for sure but the rest of you can attack once he's acted.
7-10) As soon as he is exposed to the powers available he gets them. If Miss Victory stays out of the way and Lupus doesn't allow access to his regeneration it is basically Lionheart vs Himself plus Obsidians' abilities... OR you can rush upstairs, recruit someone (anyone) like a standard goon with a limited amount of strength and basically leave it to Lionheart one on one against Himself or Miss V one on one against him. Timing is key. Exposing him to other super powers is disastrous and with the door you can do just that. Send one person through then whoever goes next needs to really go for it (all dice to attack, maybe some HP) and knock this guy's block off!

Miss Victory thinks on the problem just as Lionheart reaches for the door.

"Hey man maybe you should rest up while we think this through. you're black n blue and a stiff breeze would knock you over." said Obsidian to Lionheart (who is still on Body 1/13).

Lupus slumped to the ground. "We can't beat this guy. He uses our best abilities against us!"

Obsidian eyes Lionheart up. "Can you beat this guy, one on one? It would be like fighting yourself..."

OOC: Oh my...I feel like I've rolled a double 1 for perception, that much is for sure.

OK, so Dave, help me out here...if Obsidion opens the door and rushes at Nemesis, gets his powers taken, can Miss V use a ranged attack with me to snipe from a distance, using ranged attacks which overcome his ability to steal our powers and yet knock him down? I have mind blast, do you have a ranged as well? We need stuff that would overcome Obsidion's super density which is where my mind blast might help. I'm tapped out here otherwise. Funny you know I once had a similar problem with a door we couldn't get past, it was so obvious a solution that of course, we all missed it - that was almost as painful as this!

Sj

ooc: Miss Victory has no ranged attacks unless you call throwing something a ranged attack. Her mental abilities are borrowed and only go up to 10 at best. Depending on the roll, depends on how high it can go. Too bad we can't take the door off its hinges, then you could charge him with the door blocking his powers and smashing him into the wall and squeezing him until he drops.

Or can we? Take the door off its hinges, I mean?

We could wait the hour then have the then mostly powerless Miss Victory go in let him copy her. Skin Armor of 6 is the only power she has without the Vita Pill then everyone can pile on him. Unless he can somehow cheat and use her Power Reserve without a Vita Pill to activate it?

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc:  Miss Victory has no ranged attacks unless you call throwing something a ranged attack.  Her mental abilities are borrowed and only go up to 10 at best.  Depending on the roll, depends on how high it can go.  Too bad we can't take the door off its hinges, then you could charge him with the door blocking his powers and smashing him into the wall and squeezing him until he drops.

Or can we?  Take the door off its hinges, I mean?

We could wait the hour then have the then mostly powerless Miss Victory go in let him copy her.  Skin Armor of 6 is the only power she has without the Vita Pill then everyone can pile on him.  Unless he can somehow cheat and use her Power Reserve without a Vita Pill to activate it?

OOC: To be honest I have no idea what to do. I'm totally stumped when it comes to problems like this. Paul knows when he has come to cryptic stuff (I'm hopeless at crosswords for instance) I really struggle. See maybe I've read this wrong, but if we have him copy a lower-powered villain, anyone we send in subsequently he will still copy their powers - right. Since there seems to be barely any time between his copying and it being available the only way I can see we can get him, is if we let him copy a power that, he then can use a dice action for - Assuming he does...so like a depowered Miss V, then and only then could we all pile in and attack, assuming we can get the initiative to work so we can move and then attack, and try and take him down before he gets another round and dice action with all our powers now present? Does that make sense have I understood combat correctly and can we even pull a stunt off like this? We'd still need to get out the other door before he got another round's dice action. If this isn't the way forward then I'm out of ideas and thinking - of phoning a friend (Wandafar) for some help here.

Sj

Sj

OOC:  Here's the big thing, does he also have the weaknesses or limitations of our powers as well?  If he does, then letting Miss Victory charge in after she no longer is powered up means he can't access her Power Reserve.  If that's true, she can charge in with her martial arts and skin armor of 6 and attack him with her martial arts, then after he attacks back everyone can go by him or attack him.

If he doesn't have our limitations on our powers then yeah, going back up for someone else to handle him makes sense.  Sticks in my craw to do that though.  They didn't want to come down with us and for us to go back up there and beg for help really really sticks in my craw!    

or ... could we use Shell Ghost here?  Get him to join us in physical form and have him take him on?  The guy's powers deal with being in the electronics of things and computers and stuff, not very offensive, and Lionheart could then get us past him easy enough.

DavidMcMahon wrote:OOC:  Here's the big thing, does he also have the weaknesses or limitations of our powers as well?  If he does, then letting Miss Victory charge in after she no longer is powered up means he can't access her Power Reserve.  If that's true, she can charge in with her martial arts and skin armor of 6 and attack him with her martial arts, then after he attacks back everyone can go by him or attack him.

If he doesn't have our limitations on our powers then yeah, going back up for someone else to handle him makes sense.  Sticks in my craw to do that though.  They didn't want to come down with us and for us to go back up there and beg for help really really sticks in my craw!    

or ... could we use Shell Ghost here?  Get him to join us in physical form and have him take him on?  The guy's powers deal with being in the electronics of things and computers and stuff, not very offensive, and Lionheart could then get us past him easy enough.

OOC: Hmm OK Its either Shell Ghost or I go back and get help? I am not worried about sticking in my craw, frankly. Since its the case that Paul has said we should either get help or I go to try and beat him as myself and keep you guys away. I mean one hopes that his powers do not function if he isn't conscious. But either way, I like the idea that we get someone whose power he can use and we go for it. I think we've spent way too much time analysing this and got into player paralysis - you know where you just can't see the wood for the trees. This is why I hate situations like this, I can never figure out the right move and end up making the dumbest move ever. Paul Lionheart will go grab someone and follow the plan you suggested. Even if I have to kidnap someone. I'll get Obsidion or Miss V to tell me whom to grab and hope I don't run foul of anyone else on the stairwell. Let's get on with this. And if that isn't going to work, then I face him one on one full-on Devastating attack, martial arts all dice on the hit with all my remaining HP to try and take him out.

Sj

OOC If you can't use your powers (Miss V) then he can't call on them. That includes being unconscious, losing your pills, forgetting to put your magic doodad on or anything else. Nemesis really is a monster. Your best, only bet is probably to take him on one on one. The thing is if Lionheart does get dropped nemesis cannot then copy his powers. That means Miss Victory can go in one on one and then Obsidian and finally Lupus. If you all get dropped, the dice really have been cruel because this guy is EXACTLY the same as you are one on one. It's when there are more than one of you where he can mix and match and that is his true strength. Deprive him of that and it's down to the dice and HP (which Lionheart doesn't have many of).

How about this...

Obsidian shook his head. "Limey, you go in. We'll keep the door shut. If you open it up, great. If he opens it up... Miss V, you go next, then me, then Lupus. Lupus. If the three of us get battered you need to go back to Warlock and get everyone you can to line up, one after another. When this punk DOES go down, he needs keeping down!"

Lupus glances about. "That it then? We go at it one on one?"

Obsidian rolled his neck. "If he copies your healing ability we are screwed. We'd have - maybe - had him if he hadn't healed up so fast last time kid."

With a form of plan Lionheart made ready to attack.

OOC Right Dave (E) Need to know how many of your five dice to allocate to attack and how many to defend. Lionhearts best attack is to use Dex. The other guy has EXACTLY the same stats and it's going to boil down to how many dice you use for attack/defence and what those dice come up with... Ready?

Admin wrote:
OOC Right Dave (E) Need to know how many of your five dice to allocate to attack and how many to defend. Lionhearts best attack is to use Dex. The other guy has EXACTLY the same stats and it's going to boil down to how many dice you use for attack/defence and what those dice come up with... Ready?[/color]

OOC: right replying via phone not home at present, so short replies to keep things moving. Yes full on attack full dice to attack, use all available hp and go for devastating attack.

OOC Lionheart on 6HP can't really add anything to those 5D M Arts dice. Dev Attack? Let's do it! Lionheart waits until he regenerates (full body/mind/spirit after a 30 second wait)

Nemesis looked up and moved at exactly the same speed as Lionheart, calling out "You've come back for more!" he clapped, delighted. "Where are your friends? Have the deserted you? Hah, I'll be sporting, feel free to take a swing..." he grinned...

OOC He uses 2D for defence, 3D for attack...

Lionheart DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 9,7,12,1,7,12,1,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0
Total:35 (60) vs
OV25 + 2D Acro + 8 Dev Att + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,1,6,8,+0 Total:15 (48)
+5 (to 18 Str) vs RV22 - 12 Dev Att so RV10=8 RAPs damage. Nemesis is on 5/13 Body 6 HP

This time multiple blows strike at Nemesis who pings off a wall and clatters to the floor. Angry now, his smile wiped off, he rises and snarls. "I'll take all of you down! See if I don't!"

OOC Nemesis CRIT BLOW Dex 25 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 1,2,8,12,9,+0 Total:0 FAILED ATTACK, first two dice rolled 3 or less!

Nemesis swings wildly and Lionheart steps aside as he ends up on his face and leaps to his feet, blood running from his face. "I'll heal soon enough - thanks to you!"

OOC Roll(2d12)+0:
9 Lionheart
2 Nemesis

Lionheart goes again, grim and relentless and determined to put his man down!

OOC Lionheart DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 7,8,4,6,3,8,11,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
6,12,+0 Total:34 (59) vs
Nemesis Dex 25 + 5D Acro + Dev Att 8 + Roll(7d12)+0: 1,3,6,11,12,6,3,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE (nearly failed again!) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,6,+0 Total:19 (53)
+3 (to 16) vs RV22 -12 D Att so RV10=6 RAPs damage. Nemesis is STUNNED and on Body 1/13 after absorbing 2 Damage (Nemesis is on 12HP)

Blow after blow hammered into Nemesis' face, staggering him and sending him reeling.

OOC NO SKILL DICE WHEN STUNNED! Should have instigated that from the start, makes sense.

Lionheart moved about and Nemesis snarled... "Just ... need to catch... a breather..."

OOC Lionheart attacks!
DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 1,4,6,8,12,1,7,+0 Total:20 (45) vs
OV25 + Dev Attack 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,1,+0 Total:13 (46) Attack Missed

Nemesis sways aside then spits blood onto the shining metal floor. "Ha!... Just... a moment..."

OOC Initiative...Roll(2d12)+0:
3LH
5 Nemesis

Nemesis goes first!

He's using 5D to attack with and going for a Devastating Attack!

Splitting the dice (advised) or still going for 5D on attack to finish him off?

Behind the door the trio of Miss Victory, Lupus and Obsidian heard the faint SMECK and CRACK of traded blows, wondering which way the battle will go!

Admin wrote:Nemesis goes first!

He's using 5D to attack with and going for a Devastating Attack!

Splitting the dice (advised) or still going for 5D on attack to finish him off?[/i][/color]

Behind the door the trio of Miss Victory, Lupus and Obsidian heard the faint SMECK and CRACK of traded blows, wondering which way the battle will go!

OOC: Yes do the split

Lionheart knew that despite the power divide skill, and some experience might give him the edge, but in a fight this close who knows. He fought on no funny wisecracks, no time to react just fight the fight of his life. He had to press the attack and he had to win, somehow.

Sj

Nemesis snarled, going for all out attack! "I can still win this!" he roared.

The pair moved so fast anyone else would have seen nothing but a blur!

OOC Nemesis DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 12,10,9,3,2,12,7,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,3,+0
Total:28 (53) vs
OV25 +3D Acro (2D M Arts) + 8 Dev Attack + Roll(5d12)+0: 9,6,6,8,6,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,7,+0 Total:25 (48) attack Missed!

Once more Lionheart weaved past his rattled opponent. He knew one good hit should finish him off but was the same true when applied to him? Best not find out!

OOC Lionheart CRIT BLOW (for accuracy as Dev Attack may miss) Dex 25 + Roll(4d12)+0: 8,1,5,6,+0 Total:14 (39) vs
OV25 + CRIT BLOW 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,7,+0 Total:10 (39) heh, no dice fiddling I can absolutely assure you! Hit... JUST!
+0 (to 13 Str) vs RV22 -6 CB so 16RV=No damage

Despite several blows landing Lionheart knew his blows were weakening and he would have to put more effort in.

OOC Initiative...
Roll(2d12)+0:
9 Lionheart
8 Nemesis

Assume Lionheart tries to finish him off with a 5D attack and Devastating Attack.
Dex 25 + Roll(7d12)+0: 5,12,1,1,7,8,11,+0 Total:23 (48) vs
OV25 + 3D Acro (2D M Arts) + 8 D Att + Roll(5d12)+0: 5,10,3,9,2,+0 Total:19 (52) Attack Missed

Nemesis replies!
DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 2D M Arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,1,1,6,+0 Total:13 (38) vs
OV25 + 8 D Att + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,6,+0  Total:15 (48) attack Missed!

Nemesis swung time and again... "It's like... you... have ... battled... yourself... before! Why won't you fall?!?!" he screamed. "Everyone else is shocked to be fighting their own abilities! Where are your friends?"

He was frustrated, angry and getting careless!

OOC Initiative... Roll(2d12)+0:
5 LH
8 Nem

Lionheart once more goes on the defensive as Nemesis tries to drive his fists into his opponent!

DEV ATTACK Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 7,4,1,2,12,9,5,+0 Total:21 (46) vs
OV25 + 8 D Att + 3D Acro + Roll(5d12)+0: 8,9,6,10,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,2,+0 Total:26 (59) Attack Missed

Lionheart responds...

DEV ATT Dex 25 + 2D M Arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 2,9,3,7,+0 Total:16 (41) vs
OV25 + 8 D Att + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,4,+0 Total:16 (49) attack missed

Initiative...

Roll(2d12)+0:
7 LH
2 Nemesis

Lionheart goes all out to smash his opponent!

DEV ATT LIONHEART Dex 25 + Roll(7d12)+0: 10,2,9,1,9,1,2,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,5,+0 Total:34 (59) vs
OV25 + 2D Acro + 8 D Att + Roll(4d12)+0: 3,2,9,9,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,8,+0 Total:27 (60) Attack Missed

DEV ATT Nem Dex 25 + Roll(5d12)+0: 8,8,11,2,4,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 3,11,+0 Total:30 (55) vs
OV25 + 8 D Att + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,12,+0 Total:22 (55)
Str 13 vs RV22 - 12 so RV10=3 RAPs on Lionheart. Lionheart is on Body 10/13

Finally Nemesis draws blood and Lionheart drags himself up off the floor. "You are a worthy foe, but orders ARE orders!" snarls Nemesis. "Once I have finished you I shall take out your companions and deliver them ALL to the overlords of this level. Surrender and I'll put in a good word for you!" he laughed as he leapt to attack!

OOC Roll(2d12)+0:
10 LH
6 Nemesis

Lionheart tries to finish off the loudmouth - before he gets taken out himself!

DEV ATT Dex 25 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 12,1,2,6,6,12,2,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,12,+0 Total:42 (67) vs
OV25 + 8 D Att + 3D Acro + Roll(5d12)+0: 4,10,4,1,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,5,+0 Total:26 (59)
+4 (to 17) vs RV22 - 12 so RV10=7 RAPs. That's more damage than Nemesis can absorb with HP so he goes down! FINALLY!!!

Not shown - four rounds where both sides missed. Thought I'd be at it all day!

Drenched in sweat and daubed in his own blood from a bleeding nose Lionheart slumps next to his downed foes, checking his heartbeat. Still alive. Weary beyond words he limped to the door and opened it...

Miss Victory, Obsidian and Lupus were ready to pounce... until they saw their friend wobbling on unsteady legs!

"Ahhh man!" said Obsidian, slapping Lionheart on the shoulder. "All we heard were ... cracking and snapping sounds, like a bunch of machine guns going off!"

Of course every punch was delivered with hypersonic speed but was so fast the air barely had time to fill in the gap left by the swing before the next punch was thrown! Lionheart felt his healing factor kicking in, bruises darkening then getting lighter in moments.

"What do we do with him?" asked Lupus. "If he wakes up we're all in trouble!"

ooc: That was a ton of doubles rolled in that fight!!!!!


"Hit him again and make sure he is out," Miss Victory suggests, "Then tie him up with strips from his prison jumpsuit. Dump him in the closest unoccupied cell and move on."

Admin wrote:Of course every punch was delivered with hypersonic speed but was so fast the air barely had time to fill in the gap left by the swing before the next punch was thrown! Lionheart felt his healing factor kicking in, bruises darkening then getting lighter in moments.

"What do we do with him?" asked Lupus. "If he wakes up we're all in trouble!"

OOC: Flipping heck... I feel knackered reading that, it must have taken a while to type it up, let alone run it.

Lionheart waved them on, "While he's unconscious I don't imagine it will take long for him to recover, we've me about. Get over to the other door, I'll keep pounding him to stop him from getting back up and join you. Go..."

This wasn't the time for yapping and napping, Lionheart had won by the merest whisker and he didn't take that win lightly. Nemesis lived up to his name substantially. As soon as the others were over the other side of the room and through the door, Lionheart joined them.

OOC: Or at least I hope that is what we get to do by the time all is said and done. I'll do whatever I need to to keep Nemesis from waking up. But that doesn't including doing a generally Zod and snapping his neck. I'm a cop, not a soldier or even executioner.

Sj

OOC Rolling 7D12 is a high chance of a double but even then sometimes the dice rolls were naff on both sides. The fastest way of resolving was to note than whoever attacked with a Dev Attack was -8 down on their dice rolls and go from there.
Still, sooooo much faster than playing the Rules as written. No tables to look up, columns to count and the Hero Point bidding on stats... don't get me started (basically whoever had most Hp would win so technically with the rules as written nemesis should have won that fight. In the end it was the dice decided.)

Lionheart knew his danger sense would alert him about the villain waking up. He couldn't tell but Nemesis appeared not much more than an ordinary man. To use even a tiny fraction of his strength would inflict lasting, possibly fatal injuries!

"Here!" said Lupus. "There's a room, cell, empty. Stash him in here."

Shredding his prison oranges they tied the villain up and dumped him in a cell.

Continuing through the prison they knew every person they met on this level would be lethal. Down here on level seven and further on level 8 there were less villains but each was more powerful than would normally be found.

Lupus suddenly looked up. "Heads up people." he said, sniffing.

Around a corner floated a woman. She was a LARGE woman, over six feet in height and broad shouldered.



"Well what do I have here?" she said in an accented voice. "I come to relieve Nemesis and expect to find that loud mouthed braggart asleep and instead he's nowhere to be found and you four motley crew look like you've been up to no good. Is that blood I see?"

"Damn woman you mighty fine. best sight these sore eyes seen in this whole time in the prison." said Obsidian. "What say you and me go somewhere quiet and discuss the finer points o prison life with no wardens?"

She raised an eyebrow, smiled sweetly then slid up to him. "An interesting proposition..." Obsidian turned to the group and raised an eyebrow, grinning.

He seemed to be getting on well with her...

Miss Victory frowns at the byplay, being something of a prude and happily married woman. She really doubts the woman is that loose and is about to kick Obsidian's massive butt.

ooc: Keeping track, I think I still have 5 good Vita Pills and a bunch of Russian Roulette sub-standard Vita Pills. Currently, she does not have powers, if we waited an hour before our second attempt through.

Admin wrote:She raised an eyebrow, smiled sweetly then slid up to him. "An interesting proposition..." Obsidian turned to the group and raised an eyebrow, grinning.

He seemed to be getting on well with her...

Lionheart moved back, for a moment he thought of uttering a deep groan, maybe his danger sense wasn't going off but any lady who held her own down here did so more than on just looks and a bit of "Sas". He felt like he was watching a car crash in slow motion, or perhaps a Sun Dew baiting in a tasty fly. In any case, he wasn't going to talk Obsidion down, and who knows maybe he was wrong. He'd love to be wrong, but somehow he thought not.

OOC: OK I am waiting for this lady to beat up on Obsidion who clearly feels he's up to the task of wooing this lady, but whom I'm thinking she is going to look down on him, big time. I guess there is little hope of us just talking this through - since she is clearly taking orders despite being powerful enough to remain on this level. So it might be a fight is going to happen, but I'd love to get my breath back and see if I can't just you know talk her around to our side. Even perhaps negotiate with the guys down here. Stranger things have happened, after all. I mean, look how far we've come, anything is possible - right?

Sj

Obsidian turned to the others. "Hey guys, maybe we have another recruit for our gang?"

Suprema smiled.. then backhanded Obsidian across the face!

OOC Only Lionheart can react fast enough to beat this woman at initiative!

And he doesn't even need to roll...

She's giving Obsidian a smack. Essentially the corridor looks to be 'frozen' in time with tiny glacial movements of Suprema's hand....

Admin wrote:She's giving Obsidian a smack. Essentially the corridor looks to be 'frozen' in time with tiny glacial movements of Suprema's hand...[/i][/color]

Lionheart played a dozen scenarios through his head, 'Maybe this is some sort of super-powered flirting? Maybe she likes to be the boss, maybe she's about to kill him since she was sent down here with orders to stop whoever came through so she's not messing.

Lionheart had to wonder if anyone who could backhand Obsidion could be touched by his Martial Arts and so led this time with his mental powers, hoping that might be a weak point, after all, she had no other shielding equipment, helmets or the like. Then again...but there was no time for second-guessing. Or was there. It was a risk, but if they fought their way through his levels, bad guys, they'd be flat out. He had to get some leverage.

So he used his empathic powers, if he could find out some chink, something more than just why she is hostile whom she cares about, any strings they might be pulling...

OOC: OK put power reserves into Empathy to try and give me as good a shot as poss at gaining whatever I can to talk our way through this or try and gain some foothold that might help us not become bugs on the windscreen of this level. And otherwise trying to move around so as to draw her attention to me, so she doesn't wipe out the rest of the team, without them getting a chance at shooting for the moon if they need to take it.

Sj

OOC When you switch power reserves you use one of your three actions per round. One is using the Dice, one is moving and one is a non move/non dice action, which is what this is. You can switch power again by using up a Dice or Movement action. HOWEVER your power reserve does not boost the Empathy power. No need really because at 13APs it's pretty high.



Posting this up so you know what the game rules refer to when they refer to the Empathy power.

Empathy 13 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,1,+0 Total:4 Aaaaaaannnnndddd Empathy Burns OUT

As per Lionhearts' weakness, all of the following powers are now BURNED OUT:

Analytical Smell
Danger Sense
Empathy
Mind Blast
Mind Probe
Postcognition



Lionheart concentrates, furrows his brow, reaches out to 'feel' her emotions and... draws a blank.

A heartbeat later he can pretty much guess what Suprema was going to do!

OOC CRIT BLOW Dex 17 + 2D M Arts (2D Acro)+ Roll(4d12)+0: 5,2,10,7,+0 Total:17 (34) vs
OV8 + CB4 + 2D Acro + Roll(4d12)+0: 9,7,1,11,+0 Total:20 (32)
+2 (to 35) vs RV21 -6 CB so RV15=20RAPs damage. Obsidian is DOWN and OUT! Body 0/12

With a sound like a thunderclap Suprema backhands Obsidian violently, bouncing him off the invulnerable wall and stepping aside as he powers down, shrinks and crashes in one falling movement to land face down on the floor.

Suprema calmly turns. "Anyone else want to make me 'part of their gang'?" she asks, anger in her eyes.

OOC Miss Victory and Lupus to act then initiative... For reference this woman would beat Superman (post crisis) to a pulp in a fistfight. Probably Doomsday too, but not both at once.

Admin wrote:OOC Miss Victory and Lupus to act then initiative... For reference this woman would beat Superman (post crisis) to a pulp in a fistfight. Probably Doomsday too, but not both at once.

OOC: Oh blow for once I can think of a power to use and kaput. For some reason, I was trying to read up on the powers and thought I could add power reserve to it, ok, but now its burned out for a guess an hour? So with mind blast gone that only leaves me martial arts as my only offence/defence hmmm, this isn't going to be easy.

I told you so, was not going to cross Lionheart's lips but even if he had a mind to say it, it wouldn't have got far given the brutal nature of Suprema's attack. She was not one to mess around with, and yet, here they were messing! With a ringing pain still going off in his skull, Lionheart knew that his mental defences had suffered some sort of backlash, who knew why- he'd been pretty much going at it without a break since this mess began. He was running and even he had limitations, which this place was only to willing to show him as again and against they faced some of the worst enemies anyone had ever encountered. How they ended up here was something to look into another time...if there was another time. For now, all that Lionheart could do was to change tac and go with his speed and martial arts skills, such as they were to try and find a way past this woman's defences and stop her from doing to them, what had occurred to poor obsidian.

OOC: So when it's my turn Devastating attack, 3/2 split on the die to try and give myself some defence and see if we can't get past her in some fashion. If all else fails I wonder if we can't just get everyone and run past her...hmmm, I'll wait I want to make sure she doesn't erect some sort of force field or something that means I end up splatted by my own speed.

Sj

Miss Victory hasn't taken her Vita Pill yet so all she has is her mental abilities. [5 pills left I think] So let's to activate Telekinesis. If it works, lift Suprema into the air and hold her there. Hopefully that will negate most of her dodging ability so everyone else can hit her easier.