The Ultrahumans! Issue #1 Starring Miss Victory and Lionheart! "White House Down..."

"I upped my strength to max and my Body as high as I could after maxing my strength and tried punching it," Miss Victory supplied helpfully, "didn't dent it but barely got my hand back in time to avoid the ... um ... "recoil" of my attack. Probably would have killed me if I hadn't raised my Body as high as I did."

"Maybe if we two combined our strengths and punched together, we could break through. Together we could do more damage than a multi-ton nuke. Though I'm not sure what kind of feedback that would do. Would it be the equivalent of letting off a nuke and destroy the city or just cause whatever generates this field to meltdown without too much collateral damage? Not an expert in that field."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"I upped my strength to max and my Body as high as I could after maxing my strength and tried punching it," Miss Victory supplied helpfully, "didn't dent it but barely got my hand back in time to avoid the ... um ... "recoil" of my attack.  Probably would have killed me if I hadn't raised my Body as high as I did."

"Maybe if we two combined our strengths and punched together, we could break through.  Together we could do more damage than a multi-ton nuke.  Though I'm not sure what kind of feedback that would do.  Would it be the equivalent of letting off a nuke and destroy the city or just cause whatever generates this field to meltdown without too much collateral damage?  Not an expert in that field."

Lionheart nodded thinking, looking & pondering.

"Duly noted, but if it's all the same to you, I'd rather hold back on that. If I can get in without causing additional collateral damage or a seismic episode in the process I'd really rather try that first. So I'm seeing if I can think my way around this. If all else fails I know someone who I could have here - who is...well he's off the chart...and possibly of this planet when it comes to stuff like this."

Sj

Miss Victory blinks at this and thinks a moment.

"Know anybody who can phase through ANYTHING? Maybe that could get through the shield. Or ... somebody who could traverse dimensions? Stand here, shift into another dimension and take a couple of steps forward and then come back to this dimension but on the other side of the field? Maybe be able to take some of us with him or her?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:Miss Victory blinks at this and thinks a moment.

"Know anybody who can phase through ANYTHING?  Maybe that could get through the shield.  Or ... somebody who could traverse dimensions?  Stand here, shift into another dimension and take a couple of steps forward and then come back to this dimension but on the other side of the field?  Maybe be able to take some of us with him or her?"

Lionheart gave a half-smile, thinking of Frostbite - but even this might be beyond him. He shook his head saying, "Not today, not here..."

Sj

OOC In this game every AP (Ability point) is a measure of time/distance/weight/power/volume etc and each AP is UP TO double of the previous AP. So 1 AP of weight is 100lbs. 2 APs of weight is 101lb to 200lb. In terms of helping Lionheart his maximum strength is 29APs. Miss Victory's 23AP strength added to Lionhearts 29APs strength equals... 30. That's because you take the highest AP of any group that are combining and add +1 for anyone else helping. Adding 10APs is effectively multiplying by x1000, adding 20 APs is multiplying by x1,000,000... just the way the game works.

As we know the strength of the barrier (as designed by the same mega minds that designed the Ultra Max prison) is 40APs as we see here. The most powerful UltraHumans can pretty much walk through that as can many of the villains on the lower levels of the prison and as for a full powered Nexus? Not sure I'd bother rolling.

However, another way to get in might be to find some weakness, some loophole, some way in. A master thief will have been employed to help design the Vault. Probably a superhuman thief. However, few superhuman thieves have a) Lionhearts Dexterity b) his skill c) his keen mind.

To get into the vault you will need to pass a Dex/Thief check, and Int/Thief check and then batter down a diminished/confused vault/force field as it seeks to redirect power to what it thinks is an incoming mental or mystical attack when in fact... it's just been fooled.

Pretty similar to how you guys got into the UltraMax prison if I recall. Wandafar could definitely help with the second part and is highly recommended.

I never statted up Wandafar officially from the time (EDIT: I put him at Int 14 last time) I started including him in the Vanguard adventures (in 2009) as he was David M's character but it may be time to start figuring out what a former active superhero/long time super team backup and one of the worlds smartest supers might look like. His Intelligence will be high, in the 13+ range but I was thinking he might have a Power Reserve of 10 points with the fatiguing drawback that he can throw into his Int/Will as required. That means he can use it, but it tires him out and for most days 13+ (whatever it is) smarts is more than enough. I'll have a did in the last issue to see if I mentioned his stats and go from there. In the meantime...

Lionheart Dex 26 + 5D thief + Roll(7d12)+0: 12,8,2,4,3,12,10,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,8,+0 Total:43 (69) vs
OV20 + Thief 5D (the legendary thief who designed this darn thing) + Roll(7d12)+0: 12,1,5,10,5,2,12,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,8,+0 Total:36 (56)
+5 (to 31) vs RV20=11RAPs. This system is smarter and more up to date than that of the Ultramax prison. That means Lionheart needs to break it down completely (0APs remaining) otherwise it will recover (heal) and it needs constant (at superspeed) figuring out and fiddling with by one of the greatest thieves in the world in order to be able to tackle the next stage.

Lionheart Dex 26 + 5D thief + Roll(7d12)+0: 5,1,5,12,2,4,8,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:  7,11,+0 Total:28 (54) vs
OV20 + Thief 5D + Roll(7d12)+0: 10,8,7,3,6,9,2,+0 Total: 19 (39)
+5 (to 31) vs RV20=11RAPs. The physical part of the vault/force field defence is DOWN and the next stage can be attempted...

His hands moving faster than anyone in the room can see, his skill beyond that which any present could comprehend, Lionheart applies tiny, insistent pressure to the force field and it compensates by diverting energy at near the speed of light (29APs) to compensate... and yet the attack is never ending, consistent and will not back off! After what seems like an age (this whole process takes 2 minutes in total) Lionheart stands back and shakes his hands of the pins and needles his hands throb with.

General Battle frowns "What did you do? Nothing so far as I can tell! The field is still up!"

Miss Victory looks at the Vault and hears the slight buzzing of the field. The General may be right... and yet... Lionheart had not suffered from the feedback she'd taken and only just avoided thanks to lightning fast reflexes and superhuman durability! Might he be onto something?

For Lionhearts part, the voice in his head was unwelcome but stated a clear fact. "You... we... are not intelligent enough to circumvent the energy redirection process. It requires a logic beyond an 11th level of thinking, which our creators stated as impossible seeing as the finest mind of the 22nd Century which created us from a vat of ooze had a level 7 mind, and only one or two in all the world could be measured as an 8. However." there was a pause. "This world, this time, this... dimension, or version of Earth we are in has so many more superhuman minds than ever we had to deal with. Wandafar, the buffoon that he is, perhaps is the only mind I can think of required to defeat the logic bomb which will lock the field down again. Combined with your skills his direction can reroute and nullify the neuronic pathways of this neural circuitry. This is way beyond its time. The design of it smacks of the english mangling dwarf genius." said Saladin. Despite the insults, Lionheart could detect a hint of respect in that 'voice' inside his head.

Admin wrote:For Lionhearts part, the voice in his head was unwelcome but stated a clear fact. "You... we... are not intelligent enough to circumvent the energy redirection process. It requires a logic beyond an 11th level of thinking, which our creators stated as impossible seeing as the finest mind of the 22nd Century which created us from a vat of ooze had a level 7 mind, and only one or two in all the world could be measured as an 8. However." there was a pause. "This world, this time, this... dimension, or version of Earth we are in has so many more superhuman minds than ever we had to deal with. Wandafar, the buffoon that he is, perhaps is the only mind I can think of required to defeat the logic bomb which will lock the field down again. Combined with your skills his direction can reroute and nullify the neuronic pathways of this neural circuitry. This is way beyond its time. The design of it smacks of the english mangling dwarf genius." said Saladin. Despite the insults, Lionheart could detect a hint of respect in that 'voice' inside his head.

Lionheart nodded imperceptibly, he didn't appreciate sharing his headspace with someone as certifiable as Saladin, but he wasn't stupid. "I've got it so far, but I need help. I've got to wake an extremely grumpy genius and apprise him of the situation, I shall not be gone long, please don't let anything else break whilst I am gone."

And with that Lionheart for the second time since being in the States was flying out of a situation to get the ego-centric dwarf ally and friend Wandafar. Moving as his speed would allow in the space where he was so that he didn't cause any further harm, but mindful of the need for speed as he had precious little of it to spare. He nonetheless moved then flew first up allowing the rotation of the earth to spin whilst he stayed in one space and then back again [ooc: That is a trick that I read about in Alpha Flight with Guardian. Mind you it might be faster if I didn't do that - so whatever works best. as he powered to that little space in England which he once called home.

OOC: OK wakey, wakey Wandafar, grab a blanket (or some such) this might get cold and then very hot!

Sj

the ego-centric dwarf ally and friend Wandafar. Moving as his speed would allow in the space where he was so that he didn't cause any further harm, but mindful of the need for speed as he had precious little of it to spare. He nonetheless moved then flew first up allowing the rotation of the earth to spin whilst he stayed in one space and then back again [ooc: That is a trick that I read about in Alpha Flight with Guardian. Mind you it might be faster if I didn't do that - so whatever works best. as he powered to that little space in England which he once called home.

OOC: OK wakey, wakey Wandafar, grab a blanket (or some such) this might get cold and then very hot!

ooc:  I remember reading that issue of Alpha Flight.  Cool idea John Byrne came up with.
And Wandafar isn't ego-centric, he's just a lonely alien stuck on a planet where the vast majority of people have the intellect of Kindergarteners!  And actually I do wonder what he would be like with our rules since he was made for Golden Hero rules.  He has vibratory powers and super-genius.  He probably can vibrate through objects now as well as his old vibratory blast.  Obviously he has gadgeteer.  Combine Tony Stark with Vibe from the old Justice League comic when they were stationed in Detroit?  With some tweaks like Flash's vibratory/dimension hopping powers?  

OOC I remember Guardian (or was he Vindicator at the time?) doing the 'stay in place while the earth spins' trick but that speed is about 1000mph. Lionheart travels (at top speed) 946,500,000 miles per hour, about 1.5 times the speed of light. Give or take. That's a bit quicker. In Atmosphere he's limited because environmental effects and smashing into something at lightspeed would hurt somebody. So he gets into space asap (telescopic vision, no one about, get up there in a few seconds then 'boom'), circles the earth at high speed and slows down to crash through the atmosphere to get to a point outside of London and one of Justin St Johns several mansions which serves as home to the Vanguard. Superhero physics, best not to get too wrapped up in it...

"Vat is it viz you? I get to a blummin good bit zen *boof!* here you are again... Lionheart..." said Wandafar, spinning in a chair away from a wall of video monitors.

All of them showed the news from America - what there was of it - but many of them couldn't properly report and all of the US news networks were down.

Wandafar put down his bowl of snacks and hopped off the chair. Lionheart stood in the room outside Wandafar's monitor room whilst Catherine rushed in with her hair wrapped in a towel and body in a bathrobe. Her hand held a futuristic looking rifle which she lowered on seeing Lionheart. "Oh! It's you! We didn't have alarms but the proximity sensors picked up a high speed... what's wrong?" she asked after seeing Lionhearts dishevelled appearance and figured he'd been 'rough up' some.

Lionheart quickly explained and the other Vanguardians turned up. Reflex (Steph) and Surge (Kevin) returned all sweaty and roughed up after a training session in the under mansion 'danger room'.

"Anything we can help with?" asked Kevin. Lionheart stifles a grimace. The calibre and power level of the villains he faced were so far about the Vanguards 'pay scale' it would be embarrassing, painful and quick were they to show up to help. He wondered about Frostbite. He'd seen his friend grow, expand, learn and generally step up a power level or two. Maybe there were one or two Vanguardians who could pitch in, but he didn't have time to gather them up!

"Don't tell me." said Wandafar. "The Vault under ze Vite House? You vant to break in, Ja? It hez ze updated version of ze Ultra Max prison setup. Bit of a git to break into but ve figured ze end justified ze means. Unless ze bad guys take ze President hostage und... lock zemselves in. Und here ve are. I'm getting changed. You get something to eat und heal up. Scans show you are injured."

His powers would not return for the best part of 45 minutes by his reckoning but at least the time it takes for Wandafar to change into a special suit - which makes him look ridiculous when he appears in it.

"Vot? You neffer seen a space men before?" he muttered at the chuckles.

Dressed, Catherine joined the pair. "Do you want me to get Joe to drag the team over to America when they are done?" At Lionhearts question she dipped her head, turning away. "We had a team member loss. Someone you never met."

"Flea." said Wandafar, making final adjustments to a spherical object in the garage area where they stood. It was about six foot high and across and seemed to be very much like a deep sea diving bell except it was covered in heat shielding tiles of Wandfar's own design. "For re-entry." he explained.

"Battlebug." said Catherine. "We had a codename change, remember? By whatever measure we can come up with..."

"MY measure." butted in Wandafar.

"... the boy is as powerful a super as we've ever encountered. Including you. Computer projections show he may be more powerful than Adjutant and we'll need a new measuring system. Possibly the ones my American countrymen use for the Ultrahumans." she said. Continuing, Catherine added "We're going to have the devils own time keeping hold of him... IF ... if... Frostbite and the others can rescue him."

Wandafar scowled. "Nowhere Man is involved."

Lionheart had met and worked with Lionheart a number of times and knew how difficult he could be. He was a troubled soul, putting it lightly, turning up to make as much trouble as he fixed.

"Right. Zets it." said Wandafar. "Tools pecked, and ready to go." It had only taken minutes. "Efter ze lest time I knew I'd hev to come up wid something better zen you lugging me about. Soooo predictable. Tell ze Ultrahumans to get zer own blummin... dogs bod... hmmm." He looked at Lionheart. "Sings are really bad aren't zey?"

=========

General Battle breathed a sigh of relief. "Walkie talkies! Who would have thought it?"

"We're mobilising the Police, National Guard and Armed Forces all over the country. Curfews are in place, people are being ordered off the streets. The prisoners from the Ultra Max are running amok. We are not in control of our country any more... but we WILL take it back. And it starts here. Do you think the Limey will come through? We should have asked him to contact the government, see if they can send over any big hitters like him. All ours are..." he spread his hands and shook his head, scanning the sky for Lionhearts return.

=========

Deep space.

Atomic Champion frowned. The sun filled his vision and he knew somewhere deep in the orb was his friend, leader and fellow Super hero Silver Sentinel. The wound that had broken his impervious skin and unleashed a nuclear level blast of 'blood' would not be able to leak within the mega pressures of the heart of the sun. Unfortunately only several of the more power Ultra Humans could survive in there for long and he watched a dark dot flying towards him. Thunder Woman, in a specially made suit that was nothing more than rags, soared towards him trailing from her magic sword. She looked like she'd been left in the oven too long and had a scowl on her face. The pair made their way back to the Ultrahumans deep space flier, normally left in the orbit of Saturn.

"He's healing but it will take time. He's asked for several things which aren't even in this solar system, but insists we need to get back to Earth." said Thunder Woman who looked tired and sponged off encrusted carbon from her skin, which had its regeneration powers tested to its max.

Atomic Champion frowned. "We can go back down there but... if Nexus has his full power the big guy is the only one who can stop him. You and I are about the next most powerful and we wouldn't last long. The new lot aren't ready. We are the Ultrahumans. We protect the world from every threat and more besides. To do that, we spread ourselves too thin. We were still ready for anything, or so we thought." the normally sarcastic and gruff hero said. "We were wrong."

Thunder Woman looked up "We're not beaten yet." she snarled.

OOC Update later on! Feel free to pitch in with anything!

General Battle breathed a sigh of relief. "Walkie talkies! Who would have thought it?"

"We're mobilising the Police, National Guard and Armed Forces all over the country. Curfews are in place, people are being ordered off the streets. The prisoners from the Ultra Max are running amok. We are not in control of our country any more... but we WILL take it back. And it starts here. Do you think the Limey will come through? We should have asked him to contact the government, see if they can send over any big hitters like him. All ours are..." he spread his hands and shook his head, scanning the sky for Lionhearts return.


"Landline phones are still a thing, " Miss Victory reminds the general, "you could try the homes of some senior citizens and see if they have one and will let you use it since this is a National Emergency."


ooc: Says the guy who has a landline phone via internet and only has a cell phone that he only takes with him when he goes outside his usual counties that he covers. Otherwise it sits in its recharger.

Admin wrote:"Right. Zets it." said Wandafar. "Tools pecked, and ready to go." It had only taken minutes. "Efter ze lest time I knew I'd hev to come up wid something better zen you lugging me about. Soooo predictable. Tell ze Ultrahumans to get zer own blummin... dogs bod... hmmm." He looked at Lionheart. "Sings are really bad aren't zey?"

Lionheart looked away, what was the point of disguising it. "I'd love to say no and in some ways, I think this is bad, but I think that they could get a whole lot worse when Nexus gets into play. Silver Sentinel is not available, and the Ultrahuman have been hit hard." Seeing the ashen looks on the faces of the others, he modified his tone somewhat. "But looking on the bright side we've got the worlds smartest mind and hopefully as this diminutive geneius just worked out, the president in one piece. The worst of it all is Advent, are looking with eager eyes to seize the opportunity and come in to 'save the day'. Only I don't think they realised what they had when they took Nexus into their plans. Right cheerio."

Lionheart added without a trace of humour as he helped lug the equipment outside to head back to the States with all the care but urgency he could muster.

Sj

"Land... lines... " breathed the General. "Of course! Not everything will be connected but those landline exchanges which aren't overloaded will be available!" He grinned at Miss Victory and added "Mind the place, I'll be back shortly."

He barked orders, striding out and giving the defenders new purpose as they sent runners and riders out with orders and information to spread to the remaining authorities in this area and further afield.

Miss Victory turned back to the Vault/Force Field...

=========

Lionheart shouldered the bathysphere like object with Wandafar and his tools inside.

With a glance at the remaining Vanguard he nodded then took off, waiting until he was high up before speeding up and bursting through the cloud cover and into the wild blue yonder above!

Into near space then the void proper he checked on Wandafar via his suits wireless communication to the sphere and Wandafar answered "Ja, all is good just... not so fast on ze down because breakfast und gravity und stuff in zis place might get messy."

Lionheart got his bearings and set off at speed in order to...

THOOOM!!!

He had time to put his force field up as *something* came at him and clipped him... He span away and rued his lack of danger sense as he scanned the darkness of space... then saw the sphere with Wandafar falling away towards the Earth where it would quickly be exposed to re-entry... not to mention smashing into the ground miles below!

He was about to fly off and scoop up the sphere when Lionheart saw an orange suited form swooped in front of him, about 100 yards away, waiting. A muscled man, about six and a half feet tall, shaved head. Another escapee from the Ultramax! He glanced to the side... A flickering energy form roughly in the shape of a human... then to the right... a bright red skinned humanoid with hardly any facial features other than eyes and mouth. He wore orange as did the man in front and seemed ready...

Three opponents... and behind, the sphere containing his friend and perhaps only hope to save the President of the United States was steadily falling to his doom!

=========

Miss Victory watched the vault and turned. Something was happening outside...

With a barked order to the dozen or so super agents still here to not leave their post she raced upstairs and through the ruins of the White House...

Climbing to the second floor and hopping up through a hole onto the roof she looked about... Then the gunshots and explosions started ringing out as she saw a group of orange suited villains ignoring the munitions and heading towards the ambulances and the security service vans to free their fallen comrades... and possibly killing the fallen heroes! Wonder Woman stood alone against five! The bullets and bombs were mere noise, distractions to them and from here Miss Victory couldn't pick out any details... She just knew there would be trouble!

Miss Victory watched the vault and turned. Something was happening outside...

With a barked order to the dozen or so super agents still here to not leave their post she raced upstairs and through the ruins of the White House...

Climbing to the second floor and hopping up through a hole onto the roof she looked about... Then the gunshots and explosions started ringing out as she saw a group of orange suited villains ignoring the munitions and heading towards the ambulances and the security service vans to free their fallen comrades... and possibly killing the fallen heroes! Wonder Woman stood alone against five! The bullets and bombs were mere noise, distractions to them and from here Miss Victory couldn't pick out any details... She just knew there would be trouble!

ooc: May have misremembered or mixing it up with another of the storylines but wasn't Lionheart supposed to be gone at least 45 minutes? Does that mean her hour of power is gone or nearly so? If so, time to take another Vita Pill.



"Great! When it rains, it pours," Miss Victory grumbled. "Not even an hour can go by peacefully anymore, can it?"

She slaps her face with both hands like trying to wake up.

"No help for it, Action Time!"

With that, she leaped to Wonder Woman's aid!

She will attempt to punch the closest villain in her standard stat arrangement.

Admin wrote:THOOOM!!!

He had time to put his force field up as *something* came at him and clipped him... He span away and rued his lack of danger sense as he scanned the darkness of space... then saw the sphere with Wandafar falling away towards the Earth where it would quickly be exposed to re-entry... not to mention smashing into the ground miles below!

He was about to fly off and scoop up the sphere when Lionheart saw an orange suited form swooped in front of him, about 100 yards away, waiting. A muscled man, about six and a half feet tall, shaved head. Another escapee from the Ultramax! He glanced to the side... A flickering energy form roughly in the shape of a human... then to the right... a bright red skinned humanoid with hardly any facial features other than eyes and mouth. He wore orange as did the man in front and seemed ready...

Three opponents... and behind, the sphere containing his friend and perhaps only hope to save the President of the United States was steadily falling to his doom!

No, no NO! Thought Lionheart, I don't have the time nor did Wandafar as he saw the globe falling ready to shatter or to see his friend shattered within if he didn't rescue him.

With a sweep of his hand, he sped down to the globe knowing that he had even more pressure now not only to get Wandafar to the President but that the enemy had gotten wind of what he was up to and was trying to actively interfere. Well they'd have to just interfere on the way.

OOC: Get Wandy and get out asap

Sj

OOC Lionheart doesn't take long to get about and his battles take even less time. That said Wandy doesn't race about but I would probably say Miss Victory has about 20 mins left rather than requiring another tablet. No hard and fast rule. Maybe a better idea to track these things is to have a Burnout on Power Reserve with an iffy roll representing the tablet runs out and time for another (and a round unpowered). I know how you love those Burnouts David M

Initiative...



The Speedster goes first!

Wonder Woman calls out "This one is fast!" to Miss Victory as she heads out to where Wonder Woman unloops her lasso from the downed villains. Soldiers level guns, cops call out for people to get back!

The five villains all in orange...

A speedster, moving faster than the eye can follow! A sonic boom follows in his wake! #1
A man floating in the air sheathed in a glistening field and directing a giant made of concrete, rock and earth! #2
A fighter type, agile, jumping into the battlefield, muscled, dangerous looking! #3
A man flying through the air with hands outstretched, seemingly making gravity obey his will! #4
A woman in orange ... who fades from view! #5

The speedster races towards Wonder Woman and attacks!

OOC Wonder Woman attempts to BLOCK the attack with her bracers!

AV13 + 3D M Arts (2D Acro) + Roll(5d12)+0: 4,3,1,7,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,2,+0 Total:4 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,8,+0 Total:33 (46) vs
OV22 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,11,+0 Total:13 (35)
+5 (to 18) vs RV22=Failed. This is her DICE action for the round (and would have given her 30RV)

Wonder Woman is NOT fast enough to block the incoming attack!

AV22 + 2D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(4d12)+0: 10,6,2,1,+0 Total:16 (38) vs
OV13 + 2D Acro + Roll(4d12)+0: 3,5,12,8,+0 Total:20 (33)
+3 (to 13) vs RV13=No Damage

"You are fast! But weak..." said Wonder Woman taking a fist to the jaw without complaint!

"Weak??Icanlifttwentytonsyouocrazywoman!" said the speedster, whizzing about!

Miss Victory looks at the FOUR targets (one is invisible, or has teleported!) and makes her choice of target! She knows Wonder Woman is injured from the first round of the battle and can't take many hits before crashing to the floor!

A distant crack of thunder announces... someone else on the way. Miss Victory glances about, but can't see who...

OOC you're up. Usual dice split/crit blow/dev attack/multi attack call please!

Usual die split - martial arts for attack, acrobatics for defense, crit blow, multi-attack #1 and 5

Lionheart ignored the bad guys - his friend and former team mate was plummeting to his doom and he knew turning his back on the villains would be a bad idea... and didn't care!

Streaking through the darkness like a missile Lionheart rued his burned out abilities. With them, he could have detected the danger and avoided the attack! Instead it had come at him at near lightspeed and been practically impossible to avoid!

Blasting through the upper ionosphere he rotated so his own force field protected body would take the brunt of the reentry heat and basically flew backwards, occasionally glancing over his shoulder. This way he could see the three villains - none of which had any trouble catching up with Lionheart and encircled him!

The muscled man called out over the howl of the wind "What's in there? We were told to watch near space for super goody two shoes that slipped through the net! You must be one of the stronger ones, the last ones we battered were weaklings!"

OOC initiative...



The red skinned alien and muscle bound one are closing in to take LH on either side. The energy villain is going to blast from range.

Power Reserve to Superspeed (to up Dex to 26) is the default but you might want to consider changing points around. Upping flight to escape? Upping force field so that even if they do hit it might not get through? Stick with high Dex?

Admin wrote:Power Reserve to Superspeed (to up Dex to 26) is the default but you might want to consider changing points around. Upping flight to escape? Upping force field so that even if they do hit it might not get through? Stick with high Dex?[/i][/color]

Lionheart considered his options, could he outfly them...speed was of the greatest need right now, hoping that it would give him the only edge he might have. If Wandafar hit the ground... it didn't bear thinking about. Speed it was then.

OOC: Let's push this so that I can try and outfly them grab Wandafar and get back to the Pres...

Sj

OOC Invisibility makes the target impossible to attack without a special sense. The rules are a clunky mess and I went back to 1st edition for a clearer idea of how to interpret them because the write up in Blood of Heroes isn't great. They say that you can't attack an invisible foe without some idea of where they are (like standing in the rain or smoke or seeing them vanish and flailing wildly).

To multi attack including an invisible foe would be practically impossible because of the modifier (as far as I can make out +6 Column Shifts which is +12 OV in our game) or 'herculean' on the modifier table. I reckon the OV would be in the high twenties. Trying to untangle the vague wording is a mess so I will apply an automatic +12OV (6 CS in the old game) to attacking an invisible foe. A skilled or lucky attacker can still land a hit but they must have some idea that someone is a) Invisible and b) within reach of wild flailing and 'hit and hope' style attacks otherwise the attack will fail.

However, you're the boss so...

CRIT BLOW AV15 + 2D M Arts (2D Acro) + Roll(4d12)+0: 1,5,11,10,+0 Total:21 (36) vs
OV19 + Multi 2 + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,4,+0 Total:9 (34)
+6 (to 23) vs RV15 + Multi 2 - Crit Blow 6 (RV11)=12 RAPs. Villain #1 and #5 are DOWN and OUT!

Miss Victory leaps and lashes out multiple times, snagging ... something... and crashing through the force field that protected the bad guy (villain #1). She lands, spins and crouches ready to move again if she comes under attack and sees an invisible woman who is on her side having slid for a way and is unconscious! She'd taken two of the villains down and hopefully made the job easier!

"The fast and strong one is MINE!" hissed the powerful looking brute!

The one flying through the air said "So would that be the fast and strong beautiful one or the other fast and strong beautiful woman?" sarcastically.

"THE ONE THAT JUST DROPPED TWO OF US!" snarled the brute, leaning back, roaring and flexing... and expanding, growing, stretching outwards... the floor crunched underneath him, the concrete powdering under his colossal weight!

"Thanks for making that clear." muttered the flying man. "Buffoon." he added, quietly.

He thrust a hand at Wonder Woman!

OOC Gravity Increase 21 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,6,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 5,12,+0 Total:29 (50) vs
OV13 + 2D Acro + no range modifier (telescopic vision) Roll(4d12)+0: 2,12,6,5,+0 Total:18 (31)
+6 (to 27EV) vs RV16 (Str)=11 RAPs. Wonder Woman is pinned to the floor (weighs thousands of tons) and takes 11 RAPs so is DOWN and OUT!

"Easily done." said the gravity user unaware that Wonder Woman was already on her last legs having been battered previously!

Miss Victory sees her ally go down but has no time to react because a ten foot tall brute was... nigh on on top of her! how could he move so fast???

OOC Adren Surge 25 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,2,+0 Total:3 BOOM and that's that. Adrenaline Surge is BURNED OUT!

The brute suddenly shrinks but is still mid six feet. "No matter." he grunts. "I can still take her!"

OOC CRIT BLOW AV13 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 8,5,10,9,4,7,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,1,+0 Total:29 (42) vs
OV15 + 2D Acro + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(4d12)+0: 8,5,4,3,+0 Total:13 (32)
+4 (to 17) vs RV20 - Crit Blow 6 (RV14)=3 RAPs. Miss Victory is on 11/14 Body. Could have been a LOT LOT worse!!!

The punch IS a powerful one, and the opponent was more skilled than she way, but Miss Victory had an ace up her sleeve and could shift her abilities around at will with a thought! This brute was in for a lesson he wouldn't soon forget... And perhaps neither would Miss Victory. She faced a speedster, a fighter and someone who could control gravity!

And then someone else turned up.

OOC Ignore the farming/building of a barn etc. He's in dungarees with a beard and is older than the world last saw him.



He appears in the air, a CLAP of wind in his wake and the combatants look up. A scan of the battlefield, of those downed including old friends in a Justice League a lifetime ago, a once lover and a shattered White House, and wider than that, panic, fear, devastation in the capital along with disruption in the markets and worldwide disarray.

"I left the world in safe hands. Hands more powerful than mine. A new generation of supers whose abilities dwarfed even a Kryptonians... I was no longer needed. Now this." said Kal El, last son of Krypton, the superhero once known as SUPERMAN.

OOC Superman has a write up identical to 3e and the same stash of HP. He'll need them because without any skill at avoiding or striking blows he'll be buying dice up like crazy!

"Huh. Old man, you gotta rep but you washed up. Go back to the farm, chump!" laughed the muscled villain. The Speedster skids up alongside him. "He'smovinginslowmotion!WhenIgrewupIheardabouthispowerbut...heain'tallthat!" he said.

The gravity master frowned "Do not underestimate ANY of them! Just take them down and remember that they are no good as hostages if they are dead!"

OOC Miss Victory wasn't a superhero when Superman was active and ten years is a long time in a superhero campaign! That said *this world* (which Frostbite/Haunt and the other Vanguard now inhabit) is a mish mash crossover. Well, now it is, that wasn't the original plan!

initiative...



Superman doesn't mess about and crashes into the muscled guy who attacked Miss Victory!

Crit Blow AV15 + 4D (30HP, 170 remain) + Roll(6d12)+0: 7,4,8,11,8,9,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,11,+0 Total:34 (49) vs
OV13 + 3D Acro (2D M Arts) + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(5d12)+0: 5,12,8,8,4,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,1,+0 Total:21 (38)
+5 (to 30) vs RV21 - 6 Crit Blow (RV15)=15 RAPs. Villain #3 is on Body 1/16

THWACK!

The villain tumbles backwards ... then gets up. "Nice punch old man. You still got it." he mumbles, rubbing his jaw...

The speedster whizzes up to Miss Victory and is about to deliver a super speed pummelling!

OOC Already injured, want to change the stats between rounds or leave as is with 2D acro and hope to avoid a battering?

With a CRACKA... THOOM!!! Lionheart speeds forward with his body taking the brunt of the atmospheric speed and in his wake a blur of burning air trails across the sky!

A glance, a change of direction and... THOOM! He slows above Washington several miles up and glances down with his telescopic vision. Another battle is taking place and someone else has showed up. Rather than prison orange he appeared to be wearing dungarees?

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The three chasing villains appeared in the sky, fire trailing from the immolated oxygen in their wake! Windows shattered across the city, people screamed, slumping to their knees with deafness and the ground itself seemed to shake as superhumans with scant regard for environmental effects used their full unfettered might!

"He is fast." said one of the villains. "But not fast enough to outrun us. However it seems there are ... complications..." he said, looking at the mess of the battlefield, the downed heroes and villains and the remaining combatants!

Lionheart sped inside the White House int he blink of an eye, set the bathysphere down (which would NOT survive a return trip - it looks... melted) and sped outside again.

"I take it you aren't with them." said Superman to Lionheart and referring to the bad guys.

OOC I will resolve Miss Victorys' current round then the next round will be - probably pound for pound - the heaviest hitting round in the Vanguards history (at least without any dark power types). There are thousands of Hero Points on the field in terms of character creation and the seismic fallout may shatter a city! In the good guy corner...

Miss Victory, superhuman paragon of freedom!
Lionheart! Mighty lawman from the future!
Superman! Last son of Krypton, long since thought retired!

In the bad guy corner...

Speedster, almost as fast as the flash!
Fighter, battered but still up!
Gravity master, able to control the flow of gravity!
Energy user, able to fly and blast nuclear level energy, invulnerable to most attacks in energy form!
Alien, red skinned ultra powerful and versatile!
Powerhouse! With strength to dwarf everyone else on the battlefield!

That's going to take some sorting out!

Admin wrote:
In the bad guy corner...

Speedster, almost as fast as the flash!
Fighter, battered but still up!
Gravity master, able to control the flow of gravity!
Energy user, able to fly and blast nuclear level energy, invulnerable to most attacks in energy form!
Alien, red skinned ultra powerful and versatile!
Powerhouse! With strength to dwarf everyone else on the battlefield!

That's going to take some sorting out! [/i][/color]

OOC: You love a challenge, this whole plot line has grown so much and apart from Frostbite, Lionheart has yet to meet Advent ;-)

"So I guess I should say age before beauty, but to be honest I think I'm going for the speedster..."

And before he had a chance to say anymore, Lionheart tackled the speedster, seeking to pour it on before even his considerable speed could be fully utilised.  

OOC: OK usual martial arts, Dev attack, with the 3/2 split.  Upping the speed but in balance with Dex as you think best to keep them both in the game to make this work

Sj

ooc: Actually I didn't realize I was targeting the invisible villain so thank you dice for rolling well for me!


Miss Victory is going to do stupid dangerous now - Drop Her body down to its normal 7 Body [thank you skin armor], which becomes 4 Body with the damage she took. Put 5 of that energy into Dex for 20 Dex, the remaining 2 into Str for 19 Str. Then multi-attack/crit/MA for attack/Acro for defense strong guy barely on his feet and gravity guy.


"VICTORY PUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNCCHHHHHH!!!!!"


OOC: And hope Lionheart can take down speedster and she can dodge all the nasty stuff about to come her way when the other villains get into it.

OOC This round to resolve then it will be initiative. Even given the likes of the speedster and Superman in the mix I would expect Lionheart to win initiative, comfortably.

Miss Victory

Dex 20 Str 19 Body 4/7

The Speedster attacks Miss Victory with a super speed pummelling!

AV22 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 3,8,12,10,4,+0 Total:22 (44) vs
OV20 + 2D Acro (2D M Arts) + Roll(4d12)+0: 2,4,9,8,+0  Total:17 (37)
+4 (to 14 EV) vs RV13=1 RAP. Miss Victory is on Body 3/7

Miss Victory steels herself for a super speed pummelling and once again more or less shrugs it off.

Resisting the temptation to go after the speedster who she can only just see she aims for the brutish fighter and the gravity manipulator with a series of well timed leaps and kicks... and of course her VICTORY PUNCH!!!

OOC Multi on two, Crit Blow AV20 +2D M Arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 5,12,12,12,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE (Zoinks!) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,12,+0 Total:40 (60) vs
Highest OV13 + 5D Acro (0D m Arts) + Multi 2 + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(7d12)+0: 4,9,9,12,10,8,4,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,12,+0 Total:41 (60)Hit... JUST!!!!
No mod to EV 19 vs Highest RV24 + Multi 2 - 6 Crit Blow (RV20)=No damage. Bit off slightly more than you could chew there! I think a singular attack on one of the pair (either one) would have taken a bad guy down.

One is amazingly agile, the other is protected by a powerful force field and Miss Victory groans as her Victory Punch comes to nothing!

"Lady, you'll get yours... soon as I catch my breath!" said the fighter as he leapt at Superman!

OOC AV13 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,11,+0 Total:17 (30) vs
OV15 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,12,+0 Total:14 (29) Hit
+1 (to 14) vs RV18=No damage

Superman ignores the punch that CLACKS against his jaw and the villain lands in a crouch, hand throbbing. "You're lucky my power burned out old man, or you'd just be a smeared has been on the sidewalk!"

"Allow me." muttered the Gravity Manipulator...

OOC Superman used to have difficulties with Gravity back in the day if I recall. No such problem in the last official write up...

Av21 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,7,+0 Total:17 (38) vs
OV15 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,10,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,10,+0 Total:31 (46) attack Missed!

Superman zips about the villains are confounded!

OOC initiative...



By now the police and national guard are running for cover. They aren't stupid and know they are staggeringly, hopelessly outgunned and their own guns won't do a darn thing against anyone present! The paramedics stay though, despite the danger and any blasts that go stray might strike them, their vehicles or the patients (downed heroes and villains) they are trying to treat!

Lionheart switches to superspeed and boosts his Dexterity to match as he aims for the speedster!

OOC Lionheart is up first... I think his standard is to crit blow, chucked it in there anyway but if not let me know and I'll recalculate...

Crit Blow AV26 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 12,4,12,2,11,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,11,+0 Total:39 (65) vs
OV22 +2D Acro (1D M arts) + crit blow 4 + Roll(4d12)+0: 11,5,10,9,+0 Total:21 (47)
+6 (to 20) vs RV11 - 6 Crit Blow (RV5)=15 RAPs. Kinetic Absorption is BURNED OUT and the Speedster is on 0/11 Body DOWN and OUT!

Superman sees blurs zipping about and one of them flies through the air to crash into a heap in a pile of rubble! The villainous speedster was down and he calls out "Nice work son, keep it up!"

The Man of Steel sees the red skinned alien coming at him and puts his effort into battering the foe!

OOC No chance, but here he goes anyway.

CRIT BLOW AV15 + 4D (cost 30HP, Current HP 140) + Roll(6d12)+0: 8,6,5,8,6,7,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
10,5,+0 Total:31 (46) vs
OV31 + 1D Acro (3D M arts) + Roll(3d12)+0: 4,9,7,+0 Total:16 (47) Missed by one!

"You are... faster than I expected considering you thought yourself 'obselete' Kryptonian." muttered the Alien whose astonishing reflexes were put to the test by Superman!

OOC Alien attacks Superman!

Crit Blow AV31 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 2,1,11,6,12,+0 Total:3 FAILED attack missed.

The Energy Villain laughs at the Alien as Superman barely moves and the red skinned humanoid tumbles past! "You talk better than you fight!"

OOC Miss Victory is up. Stat change? Who are the targets? Crit Blow? Multi Attack? Enquiring minds want to know! So far the dice have been very kind to you guys... how long will that last?

Miss victory will go for muscled villain with same set up minus multi-attack.

Miss Victory

Dex 20 Str 19 Body 3/7

OOC Crit Blow Av20 + 2D M Arts (2D Acro) + Roll(4d12)+0: 1,11,11,10,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,9,+0 Total:33 (53) vs
OV18 + 2D Acro (2D M arts) + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(4d12)+0: 11,11,4,11,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE (What is it with 11s?) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,2,+0 Total:35 (57) Attack Missed. Would have hit if not going for Crit Blow...

With reflexes and skill to match Miss Victory the big man would be a surprise but the level of power these villains have exhibited suggests they are incredibly powerful...

"You are fast, woman, but I am as fast... and more skilful!" snarls the big man! Then he grew, swelled, expanded. He was now dwarfing Miss Victory and slammed a fist down in her direction!

OOC Danger Danger!

Av18 + 2D M Arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 3,10,4,3,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 5,10,+0 Total:21 (39) vs
OV20 + 2D Acro + Roll(4d12)+0: 12,12,7,2,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,3,+0 Total:36 (56) Attack Missed!

The huge fist passed a hairs breadth from where Miss Victory stood but she fast and agile enough to avoid the blow! Onlookers - soldiers, police, the distant press - only saw a series of blurs that indicated the opponents battling against each other!

"KRYPTONIAN!" bellowed the crackling energy form. "HEADS UP!"

OOC Energy Blast 30 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,10,+0 Total:17 (47) vs
OV15 + range 3 + 2D (13HP, Superman Down to 127HP) + Roll(4d12)+0: 9,2,12,3,+0 Total:21 (39)
+4 (to 34) vs RV18=16 RAPs. Superman Absorbs 7 damage (on Body 11/18) and 99HP

A powerful blast catches Superman and spins him about, crashing him into the smashed up lawn!

The man of steel rises, wiping blood from his jaw. "Seems like everyone else has been working out since I was around last." he muttered.

The gravity master and fighter both target Lionheart...

OOC Gravity Increase 21 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (32) vs
OV26 + 2D Acro + range 3 + Roll(4d12)+0: 3,6,2,9,+0 Total:15 (44) Attack Missed

and the fighter...

Crit Blow AV13 + 5D M Arts + Roll(7d12)+0: 5,4,7,7,4,3,10,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,5,+0 Total:31 (44) vs
OV26 + 2D Acro + crit blow 4 + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,12,2,4,+0 Total:19 (49) attack missed

The Gravity master snarls "Who ARE these people?"

"Who cares... just..." swing, swing... "Nail em and..." swish, swing, swish... "Dammit. Who ARE these people?" spluttered the fighter as he watched the blur that was Lionheart move neatly out of the way of each blow!

OOC initiative ...



LH, Superman, Miss V... still finely balanced but matching up to the most suitable opponent will help you win this. Plus good rolls and possibly a few crit blows or devastating attacks!

Miss Victory keeps trying to hit muscle man, same attack pattern and hope he doesn't get double 11's again.