Re: RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero...

Admin Thu Jul 08 2021, 09:26

OOC Apologies for the delay. The two Daves know (I mentioned in their update) and I posted in the OOC thread but you might not have caught it Andy. Completed on a house move last week and since then I've been painting/fixing stuff every day in the new place and working when I'm not painting. Things will get better but for a week or two my replies will be iffy. Not going anywhere but sometimes it's impossible to sit down and type!

Lightning Bullet tried to blind as many of the goons as he could, sweeping his hands about to blaze like the sun in as many eyes as possible!

The only problem with that was that he might try to aim for too many and hit no one!

OOC Flash does not come with a free multi attack (i.e. you will find it harder to hit and damage foes)

Flash 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,10,+0 Total:21 (29) vs
Highest OV10 + multi 4 (against total of 4 targets, one Commie and 3 goons) + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,11,+0 Total:20 (34) Missed

The red garbed enemy is too fast, too nimble it seems!

"I had heard of you.. decadent Americans blessed with superhuman abilities and determined to be some kind of brightly garbed... Lone Ranger. Where is your 'Tonto'?" he laughs, glancing about.

OOC Next up, Initiative again! If this seems finely balanced it should do - the bad guys were cooked up with 450HP and they aren't as rounded as you guys so that may give them a slight edge (marginally higher stats or in some cases one stat much higher). No one said being a hero would be easy!

Hopefully I'll be able to update at work because I just bought a new (2nd hand admittedly, so new to me) small light laptop to replace my previous portable that went pop, sadly.

EDIT: Yup LB not CC. That's what I get for rushing! Update later!

andyman Fri Jul 09 2021, 02:31

OOC: Thanks for the update. I think you meant Lighting Bullet flashed in that last post. Captain Conduit is pretending to be the scientist that is being sought.

DavidMcMahon Fri Jul 09 2021, 02:40

andyman wrote:OOC: Thanks for the update. I think you meant Lighting Bullet flashed in that last post. Captain Conduit is pretending to be the scientist that is being sought.

Yep, he meant LB. As you can tell, he is a bit rushed with everything going on right now. Surprised

Admin Sat Jul 31 2021, 09:22

OOC Back! Mostly. Still juggling the usual stuff but I am in my new (to me) home! Still switching over addresses though which seems to be an endless thankless task...

So, Initiative...

Roll(4d12)+0:
12,4,2,1

Lightning Bullet 17 + 12 (29)
Captain Conduit 18 + 4 (22)
Red Sickle 18 + 2 (20)
Red Hammer 16 + 1 (17)

Huh, that was easy. Initiative order as I typed it. LB, CC, RS, RH then the mooks/goons with guns.

DavidMcMahon Sat Jul 31 2021, 09:40

Lightning Bullet tries once again to blind his foes but this time he concentrates on the goons instead of the Commie.

ooc: try for crit hit with Flash on the 3 goons.

Admin Sat Jul 31 2021, 09:48

The diminutive hero targets the three armed goons with his blinding flash light power!

OOC Flash 8 multi attack on 3

AV8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,11,+0 Total:16 (24) vs
OV3 + Multi 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,5,+0 Total:12 (19)
Hit +3 (to 11EV) vs RV3 + Multi 4 (RV7)=4 RAPs.

Three armed goons are reduced to 0 Dex for 4 rounds!

The targets cry out and cover their eyes - a hopeless gesture now they are blinded!

The Russians scowl and realise that they are not up against rank amateurs, despite their earlier inaccuracy!

OOC Captain Conduit is up!

Admin Wed Aug 11 2021, 00:41

OOC in the interest of moving things along (plus real life is still kicking my butt for the most part so I'm not completely up to speed) I'll post for Andy BUT if he wants to amend his action I'll edit the post and resolve actions.

Trying to attract the attention of the Russians Captain Conduit/Fred Aster makes it as obvious as he can to the Russians/Mobsters that he is the scientist they are seeking!

"I need to get out of here!" he cries out. "The secrets in my head are too valuable to fall into the wrong hands!" he declares, hamming it up somewhat.

One of the goons with guns hears and calls out. "Hey! Dat's de guy we wuz sent ta get! Geddim!"

Some of the goons with guns hear and break off, crouching and running/shuffling along and using cover as much as they could to get closer. The Russians - or at least one of them, the one who identifies as 'Hammer' shouts something in Russian and points. 'Sickle' turns and nods, and starts for the cafe.

OOC I'll give it a day before resolving their actions to see if CC acts (still has a dice action - it's not requiring Lawrence Olivier level acting to distract hired guns) then the two Russians act. We are very, very close to wrapping this issue so probably only need a post or two to get there...

Admin Sun Aug 15 2021, 21:49

The bulky/muscled red garbed Russian floats gently to the floor in front of the diner and lands on the ground, ignoring bullets which flatten themselves against his costume!

With every thudding footstep the asphalt splintered and buckled in every direction and the walls of the diner started shaking!

"Вы пойдете со мной, Ученый. СЕЙЧАС ЖЕ!"* he roared, casually swinging at a wall to his left! The brick and wood shattered, and the roof collapsed on that side, drawing cries of alarm from the patrons trapped in the diner! With a laugh the Russian looked about for the scientist...

OOC I assume Captain Conduit is posing as the scientist in this case.

The other Russian is not so dismissive of bullets and uses his astonishing reflexes to (easily) avoid any stray bullets in his direction! He floats over to where Lightning Bullet is, then speaks in accented English "Whoever you are, little man, I will 'go easy' on you as a lesson. After all, you cannot learn from a lesson... if you are dead!"

Floating in the air but moving as if suspended by invisible ropes from an invisible ceiling, with superb balance and dexterity, the Russian delivers a kick at Lightning Bullet!

OOC he is going easy on you... Sort of.

AV10 + 3D M Arts + Roll(5d12)+0: 2,5,11,5,7,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 12,1,+0 Total:23 (33) vs
OV10 + 2D Acrobatics + Roll(4d12)+0: 12,6,8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,1,+0 Total:26 (36)
Attack Missed!

"As you can see, I... what?" spluttered the Russian as Lightning Bullet wasn't where the kick swept through! "It appears I hef... underestimated you. I shall not do so again."

OOC *Translated to "You will come with me, Scientist. NOW!"

Initiative...Roll(4d12)+0:
5,7,3,3

Lightning Bullet 17 + 5 (22)
Captain Conduit 18 + 7 (25)
Red Sickle 18 + 3 (21)
Red Hammer 16 + 3 (19)

CC up. I'll autopilot if need be in the next day or two.

andyman Mon Aug 16 2021, 03:26

OOC: Sorry, I didn't catch the notification when the game started up again at the end of July.

"Nein! Do not harm the little man! He is the key to my transformations!" Fred shouts, hamming it up, while taking defensive cover. "Come mein Freund, the Russians are no longer our enemies for the war is over. And if we go with these ubermensch, then this senseless schnitzel haus blitzkrieg will halt."

Admin Mon Aug 16 2021, 17:42

OOC No worries about the absence, not the first time someone hasn't been notified of updates - I was away most of the month anyway and am still living out of boxes. The joys of moving home.

The hulking form of HAMMER stomped through the low wall of the diner to tower over the pair of frightened 'Scientists'!

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 Hammer-in-diner

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 Hammer-in-diner

OOC Assuming Captain Conduit holds his dice action (to act after everyone has gone - I may have to read up on holding actions but I would assume if you choose not to act when you should then you can act later in the round... after everyone else has gone). It will be a moot point if CC and the Scientist are happy to go along with the Russians.

That means Lightning Bullet is up...

andyman Mon Aug 16 2021, 20:09

The "little man" and "mein Freund" Fred referred to is Lightning Bullet. He did not address the scientist at all. Fred wants these guys to not notice the real scientist and leave him with the cop. Captain Conduit is saying that he is the scientist that they are looking for. This is why he is speaking with a German accent. He told the Russians not to hurt LB because the little powered hero is his key for his process. Basically, he wants only the two heroes to leave with the Russians that seem to be the less bloodthirsty option over the guns-a-blazin' gangsters.

Admin Tue Aug 17 2021, 13:54

OOC Aha. The penny drops. In that case what the bad guys do depends on what the 'Little Man' does. However...

'Sickle'. the highly skilled flying martial artist facing off against Lightning Bullet turns...

"So... ve need both ze scientist and his pet 'ubermensch' eh? In zat case... SURRENDER! Surrender and no vun else vill be hurt!" he snarls, though didn't add the fact that he'd not managed to lay much of a hand on LB despite his best efforts.

OOC LB is up

DavidMcMahon Thu Aug 19 2021, 20:07

"Yeah and wind up in one your Gulags and be experimented on and attempts to "re-educate" me? No thanks," Lightning Bullet snarls back. "Try this on for size!"

actions: electric touch. Let's see if I can touch him since he missed me.

andyman Thu Aug 19 2021, 22:21

Fred face-palms when LB starts up a fight in a restaurant full of innocents, including a man who is bleeding out and desperately needs to be taken to a hospital...which can be done once all the bad guys leave.

DavidMcMahon Fri Aug 20 2021, 04:32

andyman wrote:Fred face-palms when LB starts up a fight in a restaurant full of innocents, including a man who is bleeding out and desperately needs to be taken to a hospital...which can be done once all the bad guys leave.

OOC: Actually, LB is outside in the parking lot facing down the martial artist commie and a half dozen or so thugs he has mostly blinded. He has no idea what's going on inside the diner.

Admin Thu Aug 26 2021, 23:03

Lightning Bullet fights back!

Aiming a punch at the much larger (compared to his current shrunken form) target LB tries to shock his foe into submission...

OOC Split M Arts and Acrobatics to 1D/1D?

AV7 + 1D M Arts + Roll(3d12)+0: 5,6,10,+0 Total:16 (23) vs
OV10 + 2D Acro (1D M Arts) + Roll(4d12)+0: 1,12,7,10,+0 Total:22 (32) Attack Missed!

The Russian moves with lightning reflexes of his own and mutters something in his native tongue at the diminutive hero as both spin, whirl and dance about as they strike and avoid the blows as they come in!

Sickle strikes back at Lightning Bullet...

OOC AV10 + 1D M Arts + Roll(3d12)+0: 5,4,7,+0 Total:12 (22) vs
OV10 +1D Acro + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,5,7,+0 Total:17 (27) Attack missed!

Despite the astonishing reflexes of the Russian and his awe inspiring combat prowess, he can't lay a hand on Lightning Bullet!

Roaring in anger he shouts in Russian at his comrade...

The Big Man replies "SURRENDER! SURRENDER OR EVERYONE IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT DIES!" as he scoops up a car and makes to throw it into the cafe!

"Hold it right there, Russkie!" rasped a gravelly voice. All eyes looked up - to the roof of the diner...

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 Darkraven

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 Darkraven

"Who da hell is dat?" spluttered one of the armed goons.

"Another costumed clown!" declared another. "Kill him!"

Lightning Bullet recognised the dark clad form from the picture in the papers as DarkRaven! But... the vigilante DarkRaven was killed ... wasn't he?

OOC Initiative...

Roll(4d12)+0:
7,6,4,7

Lightning Bullet 17 + 7 (24) Acts first (higher Dex) is currently battling Sickle
Captain Conduit 18 + 6 (24) posing as a scientist
Red Sickle 18 + 4 (22) battling Lightning Bullet
Red Hammer 16 + 7 (23) Holding a car, about to throw it into the diner unless Lightning Bullet surrenders!

The goons with guns are dumb but they aren't stupid - shooting something that can't be hit and won't be hurt even if it gets hit is starting to feel like a bad idea and their morale is very shakey.

andyman Fri Aug 27 2021, 01:32

Fred picks up a fork from a table and aims it at the car Red Hammer is holding over his head. If anyone asks later how he did this, his answer will be "Science!". A lighting blasts from the fork to the exposed fuel tank of the car. He's hoping for trick shot to blow the car up in the Red Hammer's face and he'll spend Hero Points to succeed, because he believes it will save the lives of all inside the diner.

DavidMcMahon Fri Aug 27 2021, 09:33

Lightning Bullet recognised the dark clad form from the picture in the papers as DarkRaven! But... the vigilante DarkRaven was killed ... wasn't he?

"It's DarkRaven! He has returned from the grave," Lightning Bullet yells out as he once again goes round with Sickle, hoping that will distract the Commie long enough to get a hit in. ooc: yeah, split the dice.

Admin Sat Aug 28 2021, 19:34

Lightning Bullet quashes his amazement for long enough in order to swipe at his Russian enemy!

OOC AV7 + 1D M Arts + Roll(3d12)+0: 1,7,6,+0 Total:13 (20) vs
OV10 + 1D Acro (2D M Arts) +Roll(3d12)+0: 12,9,11,+0 Total:23 (yeowch!)(33) Missed (by a lot!)

The Russian is simply too fast, too agile, for the diminutive hero! Where Lightning Bullet's fist was, Sickle wasn't and the small hero knew that he needed something else, some edge or advantage in order to lay a hand on the commie! Or switch opponent to the big guy.

Meanwhile Fred Aster raised an eyebrow, glanced about and pointed a fork at the car... The German scientist peered through his hands and spluttered "Vat are you doing you fool? You vill get splatted!"

"He's gotta point" growled Conway.

OOC Lightning 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,7,+0 Total:12 (20) vs
OV0 + range 1 + trick shot 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,10,+0 Total:19 (24) (yeowch again!) Missed. Not by a lot!

Electricity danced across the gap only for the car to tilt just enough that the aimed shot went just wide!

The Russian underneath the car gaped and called out. Sickle looked over. They were shouting at each other.

Sickle swung at Lightning Bullet...

OOC Av10 + 2D M arts + Roll(4d12)+0: 11,10,1,8,+0 Total:21 (31) vs
OV10 + 1D Acro + Roll(3d12)+0: 7,8,5,+0 Total:15 (25) Hit +3 (to 12) vs RV6=6 RAPs. He was on Body 5/6 and that puts Lightning Bullet on 0 Body (not killing combat unless stated). Lightning Bullet goes down!

Lightning Bullet is swatted from the air and crashes into the floor!

Captain Conduit/Fred Aster sees this and knows he's in trouble!

Hammer dumps the car he's holding to the side and stomps up to the front of the diner, ignoring the stray shots that ping his way. grabbing two enlarged handfuls of diner front wall up he leans back and riiiippppp!

OOC Str 11 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,4,+0 Total:11 (22) vs
OV6 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,2,+0 Total:12 (18) Success +3 (to 14) vs Rv6=8 RAPs. Smash!

The front of the diner collapses inwards with a smash of glass and wood along with some brickwork and tiles from the roof as the building comes down! Fred Aster, Conway and the German scientist are protected by tables as are the other people in the front of the diner. Everything goes dark!

Lightning Bullet has never been struck so hard in his time as a super hero and knows he had a heartbeat or two before he blacked out! Except... it goes all black around him and the car parking lot!!!

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 End-of-issue

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 End-of-issue

OOC Odd time to stop? Maybe so! I've tried to leave things as a bit of a cliff hanger as per the serials of the age! Will our heroes escape certain doom as the powerful Russians crash over them? Will they save the scientist, the cop and all the patrons of the diner? Can they stop the commies seizing the Scientist? Who is the mysterious dark clad figure who was standing on the roof of the diner before it collapsed? it can't be DarkRaven... after all, he's dead... isn't he?

FIND OUT NEXT ISSUE!

And in the meantime I'll offer up some Hero Points in the next couple of days for you to tweak and possibly improve your characters!

Admin Fri Sep 03 2021, 21:04

OOC 108HP each as this scenario was an introduction of sorts and the final objective (finding out who killed Darkraven, Stopping the mobsters plans of creating an army of super powered goons and thwarting the Russian involvement) is still in the process of being resolved. Then the rest of the award is adjusted accordingly (up/down and depending on success).

NEW ISSUE OVER THE WEEKEND!

If you want to spend the HP improving stats the AP chart is as follows...

Buying new powers and skills is 10x Base Cost for Powers, 5x Base Cost for skills.

The ONE EXCEPTION is the Accuracy skill. This is because I introduced this as a house rule after the game had started. You can buy that at the special one off cost of BC5 and Factor Cost 7, applicable to ONE power or Perception attempts, chosen when it is taken. You can take this opportunity once and after then the cost is as per standard improvement - i.e. blummin expensive!

Personally I'd hang onto the points for now.

DavidMcMahon Tue Sep 07 2021, 01:10

ooc: As much as I would like to hold onto the points, I want to use them to get Accuracy in Lightning Touch. That's supposed to be his schtick, to be able to touch multiple opponents in a round, "bouncing" from foe to foe as a tiny bullet-sized hero [yeah, yeah, I am working on getting him smaller - next issue's xp for sure!].

He can't do that without accuracy.

Since Lightning Touch can only be used when he is shrunk, does he get a -1 FC for Accuracy as well?

So get however many levels of accuracy in the power he can get with the xp he has. And keep the rest to use in game.

andyman Tue Sep 07 2021, 02:46

I posted in OOC about converting the Artist Skill to Actor.

Admin Sun Sep 12 2021, 23:07

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: As much as I would like to hold onto the points, I want to use them to get Accuracy in Lightning Touch. That's supposed to be his schtick, to be able to touch multiple opponents in a round, "bouncing" from foe to foe as a tiny bullet-sized hero [yeah, yeah, I am working on getting him smaller - next issue's xp for sure!].

He can't do that without accuracy.

Since Lightning Touch can only be used when he is shrunk, does he get a -1 FC for Accuracy as well?

So get however many levels of accuracy in the power he can get with the xp he has. And keep the rest to use in game.

OOC Because Lightning Bullet took the limitation touch for Lightning he can't get accuracy for the power because he performs an ordinary hand to hand attack (using Dex and Martial Artist which LB has). So you already have Accuracy in a manner of speaking, it's just called Martial Artist. If you'd not gone with the touch range it would have it's own Acting Value (same as Effect Value) and you could have gone with Accuracy for the power, representing dozens of hours of blasting away at targets in abandoned quarries etc.

DavidMcMahon Mon Sep 13 2021, 03:04

ooc: so the points into Martial Arts then instead of accuracy.

Admin wrote:
DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: As much as I would like to hold onto the points, I want to use them to get Accuracy in Lightning Touch. That's supposed to be his schtick, to be able to touch multiple opponents in a round, "bouncing" from foe to foe as a tiny bullet-sized hero [yeah, yeah, I am working on getting him smaller - next issue's xp for sure!].

He can't do that without accuracy.

Since Lightning Touch can only be used when he is shrunk, does he get a -1 FC for Accuracy as well?

So get however many levels of accuracy in the power he can get with the xp he has. And keep the rest to use in game.

OOC Because Lightning Bullet took the limitation touch for Lightning he can't get accuracy for the power because he performs an ordinary hand to hand attack (using Dex and Martial Artist which LB has). So you already have Accuracy in a manner of speaking, it's just called Martial Artist. If you'd not gone with the touch range it would have it's own Acting Value (same as Effect Value) and you could have gone with Accuracy for the power, representing dozens of hours of blasting away at targets in abandoned quarries etc.

Admin Mon Sep 13 2021, 22:46

OOC Lightning Bullet Martial Artist 2 to 3 costs 70HP and leaves him on 38HP. He'll get an extra die at M Artist 4,7 and 11.

RUBY CITY DEFENDERS! Issue #1 - Requiem for a hero... - Page 10 Lightning-Bullet-Sep-21

Sponsored content