The Vanguard! Issue #4 - Knifes Edge...

PUTTY


"Good! Stupid one gone. Now we can have some fun," Putty leered at the giant. "Let's take him to the entrance and dangling him in front of it! He can smell his future that way! Maybe let him run inside a bit then pull him back through muck! Then we see how long he can glow that way! What do you say?"

Putty laughs and starts walking with the confident assumption that the giant will tag along to "play" with the prisoner near the entrance to the tunnel.

The Vanguard - Putty (and the Giant)

Not chosen to guard for their intelligence, neither guard represents much of a challenge to outwit. That said...

The Giant pauses for a moment, then hurries (OOC well, takes a couple of strides) to block entrance to the sewer tunnel. "WHAT'S THE PASSWORD?" it bellows, raising the club menacingly and slapping it in the palm of his hand. "NO PASSWORD, NO GETTING IN. MMMMM. SMELLS LIKE THEY HAD CHICKEN LAST NIGHT." he grates, referring to the unholy smell from the sewers.

The Vanguard - Frostbite

<<The other guard has moved sufficiently out of audible range if he has no extended hearing capabilities and the guards on the battlements have passed on their patrols. I predict they will return in around 30 seconds. If you wish to attempt to act without causing an alarm, I suggest now is the time.>> said the computer helpfully. Frostbite hovered in the ground, head in the bushes as he watched Putty converse with the giant.

OOC within 20m with regards powers...

PUTTY

"NO PASSWORD, NO GETTING IN. MMMMM. SMELLS LIKE THEY HAD CHICKEN LAST NIGHT." he grates, referring to the unholy smell from the sewers.

"MMM ... it does, doesn't it," Putty says after taking a big appreciative whiff and trying not to gag when he does. "Maybe there is some left in there? Let's go see!"

He takes a step or two towards the sewers then turns to the giant. "You did get the new password, didn't you? It would look bad if Lord Mordred came around and wanted to know if you knew the password and you got it wrong."

He keeps walking to the sewer.

"But me friend! You tell me what you think the password is and I will tell you if it is the right one. MMmmm ... chicken!!!"

Frostbite

Rising up from behind the Giant, Frostbite indicated to Putty that time was running out. After switching off his intangibility, he began to muster up a blast of cold energy, just in case they needed to get the jump on this guard, before the patrols came back around.

Sj

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

The giant, towering over Putty, is just about to challenge him (or splatter him with a club) when he stops, calls out "NEW PASSWORD? WHEN DID IT CHANGE? THE OLD ONE WAS WORKING OK." He scratches his head "WHAT IS THE NEW ONE? THE OLD ONE WAS TRIUMPH. WHY DO THEY CHANGE THINGS AND NOT TELL ME?" He pauses again, then shouts "HEY! WHAT IS THE NEW PASSWORD? YOU CAN'T PASS WITHOUT SAYING THE RIGHT PASSWORD!"

PUTTY


"It's Triumph," Putty replies. "That means you did get the new password. It's still good. It's not the old one anymore. Since I told you the password, I can pass with my prisoner and "help" him enjoy our sewers, right?"

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

"I... UH... YEAH. THAT'S THE PASSWORD. IT'S THE SAME AS THE OLD ONE! HAHAHA." bellows the giant. The Archon rolls his eyes, then glances at the Giant. It's turning slowly to face outward into the clearing, with Frostbite stood right behind it! Luckily the Vanguardian leader moves in the blind direction of the Giant as the lumbering thing moves, and hurries into the sewer entrance to join Putty and Archon.

The smell, up close, is absolutely horrendous.

Still, you're in.

The corridor continues gently downwards, leading into the depths of the grounds beneath the castle. Soon it opens up into a sewer with a walkway to either side of a torrent of vile smelling sludge that drifts idly past. Best not to look at it, and holding breath for as long as possible is mandatory!

The glow from Frostbites' chest plate lights the way along the sewer passage, which is 10' wide and around 8' across, the ceiling arched so that walking is cramped if you wish to avoid bumping your head on the ceiling! Soon the group comes to a crossroads. From one tunnel comes the sounds of shouts and laughter, albeit distant and carried by echoes. That's to the North. You've come from the south direction, and to the east the corridor runs on into the darkness, save where it bends around 100m along and there is a strange green glow coming off the walls.

To the west there is a deep rumbling growling sound emnating.

And to the south, from the direction you've come?

Archon looks into the darkness, He'd damped his natural glow but could intensify it when the lack of light made the darkness impenetrable to sight. He squints into the darkness then mutters "I can't be sure, but I think something is following us from the way we've come..."

PUTTY

Archon looks into the darkness, He'd damped his natural glow but could intensify it when the lack of light made the darkness impenetrable to sight. He squints into the darkness then mutters "I can't be sure, but I think something is following us from the way we've come..."

"Bother," Putty mutters. "Nothing ever breaks our way for long."

He looks around.

"DO you think East, Frostbite? Towards the green glow?"

While asking Putty takes on an amorphous shape and clings to the walls and ceiling, looking like nothing more than a large patch of gray ooze or mold, albeit with two eyestalks sticking out.

[Note - edited]
The Vanguard - Stormwarden and Lionheart

As Stormwarden and Lionheart faced off against the Nazi Metahumans...

OOC they are 100m away across open ground, you guys have 3 frames. Stormwarden and his country wide storm are affecting them, but because his power is being used country wide, to affect such a relatively small area would cancel out the country wide effect currently taking place. And if that's cancelled, more Nazis can take to the air in jets... decisions, decisions... If need be you can used the half dozen or so stones that have been erected as cover, but bear in mind if any are damaged, you are in deep, deep trouble. Stormwarden can, at any point, call on his Dark Power. HOWEVER, you would then be subject to the same fate that befell Darkshadow and have to leave this reality immediately or simply wink out of existence. So consider it your 'don't press this button' option...

Stormwarden thought quickly. The detrius from the earlier fight was still here - mainly weapons, and a few odds and ends and he was damned if he'd damage the stones they'd fought for. "The pity of it is, theres not much to use." he stated as he looked at the new enemy's. "I'm all tapped out for grandiose gestures here." Stormwarden moved over to one side. There stood the battleaxe he'd got on the moon and he picked up, just under the head, span it into the air so that the handle twacked into his palm, allready to use. He looked at the Nazi heroes and just smiled.

He gestured to Lionheart. "Did you ever see the fantastic 4 comics? I think that is going to be like one ot those where the hulk used to go in swinging and shouting 'its clobbering time'. Unfortunately I'm not too sure just who's going to be clobbered here. I could truly wish that I'd brought some speartips with us as well."

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ooc: Looks much like a slugfest to me, unless Lionheart has any bright ideas. BTW if any high powered energy strikes come in my intention is to make sure we move away from the stones.

Frostbite

"DO you think East, Frostbite? Towards the green glow?"

"I'm undecided," Frostbite muttered quietly, "The South and West seem to be the worst options, assuming that noise is not just for show. The East looks less dangerous and the north easiest of all. But given Mordred knows that his castle could be attacked from below, I think any root will be difficult. But lets try and be unpredictable, we'll take the East way, friends be careful not to touch the walls."

Moving over to Elesieth Frostbite floated toward her. "My lady, would you like me to lift you through, my fear is that the mould on those walls might itself be a deterrent!" Then looking at Putty, "You'd better be careful not to touch them to..." And with that Frostbite floats above the muck and filth to let Elesieth step into his arms. Before preceding toward the East, following Putty.

Sj

LIONHEART

Lionheart smiled sardonically at Stormwarden's recollections, although he couldn't say he did know the characters to which he referred he got the idea, all the same. Moving to his belt pouch he to withdrew the weapons he had, hoping that they might well be useful after all. Whilst preparing his mind to reach out and attack with his Psi blasts before going in for the messy hand to hand stuff.

OOC: No sorry Kendal, got no smart ideas as to how we can better use the battlefield - other than using the weapons we've got with which we can hope that this is their Kryptonite.

Lionheart will use Psi attacks against the ones he feels we'd have most trouble, armoured or strong types, then going for energy blasters second.

Sj

The Vanguard - Stormwarden and Lionheart



OOC tsch. Slightly lopsided grid. Doh.

The wind howled as the rain came down in sheets. The rooftops of the camp buildings rattled as they threatened to come clean off, and the Nazis came on, white clad figures contrasting against the iron grey skyline.



Laserang (the one with the eyepatch and funky glow in the dark 'rangs) bellowed "Give it up traitors! You cannot win! Even as we speak, Adjutant is on his way here! By the time he arrives, there will be only your bones to pick from!"

The others come on (OOC in a straight line path from where they are on the map towards Stormwarden. As such, Laserang is hidden from view when they get to within 20m, Goliath Girl is tall enough to take partial cover behind the standing stone, and the other three don't bother with cover.) As they get closer the Vanguardians see the Nazis are drenched and spattered with mud, save for the immolated one, who has steam pouring from him. He curses in German, and bellows a threat to the sky, doubtless something about the British weather.

OOC Targets? They are within range, you have 3 frames and The Lunarium X weapons. You are also outnumbered and probably, outgunned. Which way will this one go...? Over to you

Lionheart

"Oh I like tall ladies, do you think she'll notice me from up there" Lionheart joked to masked his own nerves before the impending clash. "I don't like the way that flame retardant skeleton's looking at me though."

And with that he fired a Psi blast at the creature, OOC:1d20+18=32 And sunk 5 psi points (as his speciality I get to do 10d6 HTC right?) 10d6=30 HTC

I'm saving my last frame to use after they've attacked. BTW what Lunarium stuff has Lionheart got? Do you have a record of it otherwise I'll go back and search.

Sj

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

Elesieth is grateful for the lift. By casting a spell over herself and the two clerics, she was able to pass unseen by the minions of Mordred. As they passed beyond the entrance to the tunnel and into the castle grounds proper, the spells effect dissipated like smoke. By then the Giant, thinking himself vigilant, had already turned outwards to face the woods and was busying memorising the new password, having quickly forgotten the old one.

In the darkness of the tunnels the smell was overwhelming, causing eyes to water. It was strange that there were no rats in here - clearly something preyed on the denizens of the tunnels, and perhaps something on the predator too.

Elesieth is grateful for the lift She smiles "My robes are ruined anyway" she says through a handful of robe held over her face. By the glow of Frostbites' chestplate she's more beautiful than ever, even in her grief. Frostbite shakes off any attraction he may feel and gets to the job at hand. The two clerics, man and woman, stride through the knee high muck without comment, their gleaming armour spattered and filthy as they go. Regardless of where he steps, the creature known as Archon is completely untarnished by the vile sludge down here - it simply seems to stand off him by an inch or so, as if he had some kind of field around him. Putty morphs into a glistening puddle that ripples across the walls, hugging every contour and moving as swiftly as the others through the darkness and murk towards the green glow.

The corridor continues with a steady flow of slurry drifting past, the smell just as bad, until it opens into a wider cavern where a hole in the ceiling of the cave has been channelled. It looks remarkably round, as if melted through the rock. The ceiling is high, something around 50', and scattered here and there are stalactites composed of some kind of glowing green crystal, explaining what you'd seen. The cavern is large and long, with an exit at the other side. An exit that is accessed by wading through what seems to be a sea of brown vile smelling disgusting sludge. From this cavern it filters away through the sewer system and away from the castle. The exit across the cave (some 100' away) leads into the darkness.

There is a loud groaning sound, then a gurgle, from within the cavern somewhere. From above, a torrent of fresh, ripe, vile slurry drops from the castle to splatter in the filth. Elesieth turns away, gagging.

From his vantage point on the walls, Putty sees bubbles in the sludge in the middle of the 'lake' of excrement...

OOC hey, no one said being a superhero would be glamorous!

There is another loud sound, like sucking, and before the Vanguardians can react, a whip like tentacle thrusts from the sludge! A heartbeat later the rest of the thing - as large as a house - erupts from the sludge, showering the group (save for Archon) in vile brown foul smelling muck!



OOC that's gonna be a swine to wash out. Initiative 1d10=3 Good Guys, 1d10=1 creature. Range 15m. 1 Frame to you guys.

Frostbite

Frostbite flew up high wanting to take advantage of the height as best he could, seeking to draw the creatures attention into his direction. "Quick everyone get around as quick as you can." He said urgently and as loud as he felt he could, as he sought to draw the creatures attention away from the others.

Sj

Lionheart

OOC sling bullets and arrow/spear heads if I recall correctly...

Blast and I bet I've nothing to improvise a sling from. Mind you I do have telekinesis so I could use that to 'fire' at them I guess. Well will bear it in mind, for now I'll make do with having it close to hand.

Sj

PUTTY

Putty reaches out a tentacle and tries to slap the monster with it.

"It's uglier than me," he calls out as he tries to attack it.

actions: Stretch and punch.

Steeple_jackuk wrote:Lionheart

OOC sling bullets and arrow/spear heads if I recall correctly...

Blast and I bet I've nothing to improvise a sling from. Mind you I do have telekinesis so I could use that to 'fire' at them I guess. Well will bear it in mind, for now I'll make do with having it close to hand.

Sj

"Possible." Stormwarden grinned ferally. "Oh, well. Tally Ho and all that rot! I Like my gals big and winsome too, so my first dates with her." With that Stormwarden raced into the air, axe held out in front and barrelled straight towards the giantess.

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ooc: Flight/dive straight into her with the axe at the peak of the 'charge'.
1d20+3=20

OOC Just taken a quick look back through the posts of Issue #3. Weapon allocation for the Lunarium-X stuff was on page 13 of Issue 3. That was: Sword for Nowhere Man, Axe for Frostbite, Hammer for Stormwarden and a pile of sling bullets and arrow heads for Putty and Lionheart each. Been at work today, just got back so behind, will take an hour or so to post and catch up...

The Vanguard - Stormwarden and Lionheart

Stormwarden hefted the hammer. In his hands it felt weightless, but with a solid feel and heft that suggested it could do some damage. He knew that Lunarium-X was the element used by the Nazis to give their agents super powers, but also that it was unpredictable - there was a chance it could affect the Nazis a lot, or not at all, on a case by case basis! The weapon was crudely made, cast from a rough stone mould and ragged in places. Stormwarden had researched enough into ancient blacksmithing techniques to know how to improve it, but that would be for a time when his weary body wasn't constantly pushed beyond all limits!

Stormwarden grinned ferally. "Oh, well. Tally Ho and all that rot! I Like my gals big and winsome too, so my first dates with her." With that Stormwarden raced into the air, axe held out in front and barrelled straight towards the giantess. The Storm seemed to whip up at his charge, and the giantess shielded her eyes as driving rain slammed hard into the Nazis.

It was followed a moment later by Stormwarden!

"OOOOF!" she cried. Stormwarden crashed off the woman, tumbled, splattered into the mud and slid around thirty feet before coming to a halt. He was caked in mud and grass, and spat a mouthful out before looking around. Where he'd struck the massive woman was a small crater and clumps of earth splatting to the ground. The other Nazis stood dumbfounded, the one with the boomerangs peering into the 10' crater to look at the unconscious, normal sized woman in the hole. He looked up, eyes wide - in fear?

Stormwarden glanced at the weapon. It glowed with power, and unless he were mistaken... he squinted and saw the feint wisp of red energy, like smoke, trail away from the hammer and in the direction of the crater. He bet his last pound it was somehow draining the metahuman energy from the woman! The hammer pulsed, like a thing alive! It craved more!

OOC 1d20+11=24 for Pyroskulls mental defence. SQUK rules have 5D6 (10 PSi points) the max expenditure for PSI atatck. I've probably gotten this wrong in the past, thinking 10D6 was possible (unless that was back in the Golden Heroes version) but damage roll is 5d6=17 reasonable. 17 HTC damage to Pyroskull. Costs 5 PSI points for Lionheart.

Lionheart focussed, concentrating. His eyes glowed, crackling with energy. His hands sparked with what looked like electricity at the fingertips, and the lion on his chest glowed, crackled and seemingly came to life, jumping from his chest and pounding across to grow and engulf Pyro Skull, mauling him, before it dissipated around him leaving the Nazi clutching his immolated skull!

OOC 1 frame left for Lionheart then bad guys to act. Stormwarden is somewhere in the vicinity of K7, bad guys in the area of M-O8 on the map.

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

The creature roared, lashing out with lethal looking tentacles, on which the jaws on the end were the size of cars! Frostbite sought to draw attention from the others to himself, and soared up in the air. Putty took a more offensive stance, striking out at the thing!

OOC 1d20+2+6=24 Hit on Frostbite, 3d6+25=30 Htk (to be reduced by dividers). Response? Putty attacks the thing 1d20+4+10=19 Hit, 2d6+18=20 Htc (rolled double 1. Ugh) to be reduced by dividers

Putty lashed a whip like arm out against the creature. Its thick rubbery hide split when struck, green ooze and what looked like some kind of spores spewing forth form the wound! The Vanguardians and their allies were too far away to be affected by the spores - doubtless some means reproduction via being breathed in through some hapless victim! Everything about the creature was deadly - it was lord and master of its domain!

The remaining Brotherhood members clambered up onto a rock, moving as quickly as they could around the large sludge pool, but they knew the creature would attack them before they could circumvent the pool unless the Vanguardians could distract or stop it! The creature lashes out at Frostbite again, then at Putty.

OOC 1d20+2+6=20 Hit on Frostbite, 3d6+25=33 Htk to be reduced by dividers, 1d20+2+6=27 Hit on Putty, 3d6+25=35 Htk to be reduced by dividers. Responses?

The Brotherhood saw their chance - the creature was intent on attacking the Vanguardians, so rather than tempt fate and help in the attack against the behemoth, they picked their way around rocks and Archon helped by carrying them across, one at a time, over gaps too large to jump!

OOC At the end of next round they will be through the cavern and safe - the Vanguard only have to keep the thing busy till then. Responses, then your 3 frames apiece (or less if you dodge/Parry).

Lionheart[/font]

Dumbfounded nearly as much as Stormwarden at the effect his blow had, Lionheart shook himself to get ready for the onslaught.

OOC 1 frame left for Lionheart then bad guys to act. Stormwarden is somewhere in the vicinity of K7, bad guys in the area of M-O8 on the map.[/i]

I'm holding that frame and letting them go first. I will dodge all blows that come my way by way of combat responses though.

Sj

Frostbite

Frostbite lashed out with his hands, striking as he was struck to ward off the worst of the blows.

OOC:

Parrying the blows...1d20=2, 1d20=20 Ugh, so one is parried the other isn't and I'll use three points to counter each attack. First roll misses so lost three points, second roll for three points 3d6=15 HTK.

IC:
Relieved his friends were making an good escape, Frostbite sought to continue to lure the creature away before making his own escape with Putty.

Sj