The NEW Vanguard TEAM UP! Haunt Issue #12 with special guest star Steeplejack!

The Haunt shifts his head into a dog-like head to try and find their foe.

Ooc: Taking from the dog description in BOH, Super-Hearing 3, Extended Hearing 3 and Tracking Scent/Analytical smell of 4.
I really got to see if I can raise up Self Manipulation when I finally get enough XP to spend on it. Finding more and more useful.

OOC it's very useful but not at the levels you are using. However more points into it will be a) useful and b) expensive. It's linked to Dex so you need to up Dex, Self Manip and Stretching... Gulp.

Morphing into a dog like form Haunt starts to sniff about...

OOC perception check using both senses of hearing and smell. Because you have powers in each they effectively give a team attack bonus though you only use the highest to give you extra dice so...

Extra dice from analytical smell (4) boosted to 5 from team attack (using hearing too) give +3D to Perception check...

Int 8 + 3D powers + Roll(5d12)+0: 1,2,7,10,5,+0 Total:3 FAILED. Using D12s means a fail on a roll of 2-3 instead of double 1s. Doesn't come up often but that's your dice action for the round...

Haunt is somewhat frustrated. Despite his now superhuman senses he draws a blank and can't find where the Teleporting Chosen Assassin has gone!

OOC Mentallist Priest on Carter...

I did look on Writeups.org for stats on John Carter and they are wildly... underwhelming. The film, whilst too long and quite boring in places, pitches Carter as a super strong warrior type with what I can figure to be around 7-9APs strength but not much in the way of increased Durability. Maybe his Resistance Value is 4 but his body is higher, like Wonder Womans (and probably Spiderman who can get one shotted by bullets but not get K'Od by a punch from the Thing or Hulk).

My guess would be around:

John Carter of Mars (complete with Alien Medallion that allows his Martian powers on Earth)

Dex:7	Str:8	Body:8
Int:  4	Will:7	Mind:8
Inf:  5	Aura:4	Spirit:9

Reasoning:

Jumping about in low gravity which he's used to now would grant increased reactions, massively boosted strength and increased durability from items that have a lesser pull on gravity. However RV vs Killing Combat would be RV2 as his skin is no more durable even if his muscles are.
Carter is reasonably smart and perceptive (Int/Will) and his mind has had to cope with the impossible (Mind . In addition his drive to win and succeed helps him lead others (infl/aura) and his 'never say die' attitude is a very high spirit score (9).

Anyway, just my take on him. His powers would be Jumping 5, Regeneration 2, Telescopic Vision 2, Extended Hearing 2 and Analytical Smell 5 as his senses are magically increased by the doodad he wears. Loss all (down to 2) without the doodad which only works for him.

Advent Priest uses Control on Carter...

Av11 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,1,+0 Total:12 (23) vs
OV4 + Range 3 (the original 1e writeup of Range 1 was a typo I reckon) + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,11,+0 Total:23 (30) Attempt Failed!

Carter leaps at the Priest and delivers a 'sockamagee!' on his chin!

AV7 + 1D M Arts (1D Acro) + Roll(3d12)+0: 10,1,12,+0 Total:22 (29) vs
OV6 + 1D Acro + Roll(3d12)+0: 3,8,10,+0 Total:18 (24) Hit +3 EV (to 11)
EV11 vs RV7=4 RAPs. The Advent Priest is on Body 3/7

Dracula (Alucard) leaps at his foe and tries to expose his neck!

Again, the writeup is a bit iffy for our purposes but will suffice.

CRIT BLOW KILLING COMBAT AV10 + M Arts 4D (0D Acro) + Roll(6d12)+0: 10,4,4,8,3,1,+0 Total:8 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,8,+0 Total:20 (30) vs
AV8 + 2D Acro (2D Weapons) + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(4d12)+0: 11,11,2,11,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,6,+0 Total:29 (40) Attack Missed

The Advent 'Purifier' moves aside at Dracula's skilled but unsuccessful lunge and turns his flame thrower on the Vampire!

Av16 + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,2,4,3,+0 Total:11 (27) vs
Ov10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,9,+0 Total:17 (27) Hit
EV16 vs RV11=5 RAPs. Dracula is on Body 6/11

"Arrrgggh! Back, BACK!" hisses Alucard as the fire engulfs him! Mina heeds the warning and holds the hood and cloak about her to shield from the sun which...

"No! Arrrrggggh!" howls Dracula/Alucard as the fire has burned away the hat/cloak/hood he wore to protect from the suns rays! he is dying and his screams of agony are shrill indeed!

OOC Dracula takes another 2 points of body damage (and will continue to do so) from the Suns rays. He is on Body 4/11 and is suffering from killing combat...

Initiative...



What's going on...

The Chosen Assassin is nowhere in sight. If she's near she may be in one of three copse of trees.

Dracula is on fire and dying, immersed in flames and burning from the sun.

John Carter has walloped the Advent Priest who is trying to mind control him, and is probably one punch away from finishing him.

The Advent Purifier is unharmed.

The others in the party are staying back - they are out of their league (and Dracula is having a bad time of things and he's a heavy hitter!)

Steep, Chosen, Haunt then the others...

Admin wrote:The Advent Purifier is unharmed.

The others in the party are staying back - they are out of their league (and Dracula is having a bad time of things and he's a heavy hitter!)

Steep, Chosen, Haunt then the others...

[/i][/color]

Seeing the state that Ducard was being reduced to, Steeplejack sought to come to his aid, moving his hands in a sweeping motion, he sought to bring the earth over him, both to blanket the flames and protect from the sun.

Before turning to assist the others all the while keeping an eye on the rest of the group.

OOC: Sorry don't know if this is a dice action or automatic, but either way tries to cover Dracula so that he is protected at least for now. And if I can attack go for the 'purifier' who attacked the Count.

Sj

ooc: Knowing who he is, I'm almost rooting for the bad guys to kill him. Does this make me a bad hero?

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc:  Knowing who he is, I'm almost rooting for the bad guys to kill him.  Does this make me a bad hero?  

OOC: I'd agree especially after what I'd seen in Exeter chasing Mina. But right now, we also need him to help us find the Grail. So him "dying" right now is a mixed blessing.

Sj

OOC Steeplejack must use his dice action to use Earth Control.

EC10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,11,+0 Total:13 (23) vs
OV4 (volume of earth) + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,4,+0 Total:16 (23)
EV10 vs OV4 + Diff3=3 RAPs. Success.

With a gesture Steeplejack showers the burning Vampire in soil and forms a kind of igloo over the man. Despite the indignity the Count hisses in relief and the smoke from the igloo indicates just how powerful the flames had been!

OOC Danger Sense 10 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,12,+0 Total:14 (24) vs
OV4 + Diff 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 9,6,+0 Total:15 (22)
+2 (to 12EV) vs RV4 + diff 3 (RV7)=5 RAPs. Success. He 'feels' the shot coming...

Steeplejack turns, sways backwards and...

OOC The Chosen Assassin attacks from distance with the powerful rifle she carries...

AV12 + 2D Weaponry (2D Acrobatics) + Roll(4d12)+0: 1,7,9,4,+0 Total:16 (28) vs
OV13 - Diff 3 + 4D Acrobatics + Roll(6d12)+0: 7,8,5,3,3,10,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE (taking the 18 would have meant a hit) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:19 (29) Missed (by one!)

The shot flies impossibly close and Steeplejack sways back from it at the last moment! Tracing along its path the heroes see - up in a tree some eighty feet away - the lanky yet agile form of the Assassin as she gapes. "I never miss!" she screams. Well, there's always a first time...

With the fire about Dracula put out, the 'man' himself under cover and safe for now and the Chosen Assassin crouched in a tree nearby, Haunt could target her or the two Advent agents...

OOC Haunt is up.

Admin wrote:OOC Haunt is up.

OOC: With the Count out, for now, we need to take that assassin down before she starts to pick off the others. Right now she is mad at me, but if she tagged the others they'd know it and we'd know it as well.

Sj

Haunt brings back his telescopic eyes and stretches out his hands to smash the assassin out of her tree.

OOC Started to post, had to cut off and got to work, then leave work and drive an hour to my sons house for his birthday and finally get home/bed. Then do the same again, except get home to pick up where I left off and the saved post I put on the desktop... has nothing in it. Haunt missed but seeing as it's all gone now let's try again...

Haunt morphed his incredible body to give himself telescopic peepers and zoom in with an overlaid target on the Assassins' jaw!

OOC AV10 + 6D Weaponry - diff 3 + Roll(8d12)+0: 6,6,8,12,2,4,3,9,+0 Total:12 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
2,11,+0 Total:25 (32) vs
OV12 + 2D Acrobatics + Roll(4d12)+0: 4,12,12,5,+0 Total:24 Boom DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,2,+0
Total:37 (49) Attack missed (looks like you were fated to miss, but last time missed by 1 because of the time difficulty thing)

The Assassin is too fast, too agile even for Haunt and sways aside as one punch then another swishes by!

She's impressed and disturbed though, staying quiet this time.

The Advent Priest tries to freeze John Carter (of Mars) with a gesture!

OOC Mental Freeze 11 + Roll(2d12)+0: 2,3,+0 Total:5 BURNED OUT. Catastrophic Burnouts. Love em!

Carter waits for... well, nothing really. The Priest looks at his hands then at Carter, holding them up and backing off...

OOC AV7 + 2D M Arts (0D Acrobatics) + Roll(4d12)+0: 7,2,4,9,+0 Total:16 (23) vs
OV6 + 1D Acrobatics + Roll(3d12)+0: 6,4,10,+0 Total:16 (22) Hit +1 (to 9 EV)
9EV vs RV7=2 RAPs. Advent Priest is on Body 1/7

Carter lands a solid punch but the Advent priest is still on his feet!

"I don't understand... on Mars I land a punch and the target flies..." he frowns. "I shall never give up sir! You SHALL feel my wrath!"

Dr Jekyll cowers behind a tree then starts to shudder, the fight/flight response inside him triggering the change that causes muscles to twitch and swell, veins to fill fit to burst and bones to stretch, warp, morph... until he's stood eight feet tall in rags and wild eyed, hair a mess and raging!

He moves around the tree then sprints - at speeds that would shame a race horse - towards the Advent Priest and John Carter!

The Priest gapes and Carter smiles "You'll not fool me villain! you think I would fall for... for..." he hears the thump of heavy feet. "For that old..." he turns and gasps, backing up alongside the Advent Priest as the pair of them see an enraged giant rush at them! Who was the target?

The Advent Purifier, having been thwarted in his attempt to kill Baron Alucard, turns his attention to Steeplejack!

OOC Flame Project 16 + weaponry 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 7,3,3,10,4,12,+0 Total:6 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
7,5,+0 Total:18 (34) vs
OV13 + 5D Acrobatics - Diff 3 + Roll(7d12)+0: 11,10,11,7,3,5,10,+0 Total:22 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 11,9,+0 Total:42 (52) Attack Missed. By a lot.

The Advent Purifier blankets an area in searing flame so hot it makes the rocks it touches glow! Haunt shields his eyes from the white hot glare and scalding heat! No way that ...

He watched Steeplejack step under the flames, around them and dance aside to seem them move harmlessly by him! Though Haunt was the more powerful of the two he was mindful that Steeplejack moved unlike most other heroes or villains he'd ever met and his skills? They were the real clincher. With astonishing Agility and the skills to shame the greatest of any era acrobat or gymnast, Steeplejack really was a force to reckon with!

OOC initiative...



The Chosen Assassin glances about then hisses "AWAY!"

She vanishes!

The Advent Priest and Purifier start to glow as they activate their transporters... but not before the time travelling heroes can get a shot in!

OOC you have one shot before they vanish. The Priest is on his last legs, the Purifier is unharmed.... Steep then Haunt...

Admin wrote:The Advent Priest and Purifier start to glow as they activate their transporters... but not before the time travelling heroes can get a shot in!

OOC you have one shot before they vanish. The Priest is on his last legs, the Purifier is unharmed.... Steep then Haunt...

Looking to do like for like, Steeplejack doesn't hesitate. Taking one bad guy down now means less for later. And with his lightening reflexs goes to attack with devastating consequences, he hopes anyway.

Sj

Haunt will try for multi-attack on both of them. Telescopic eyes, stretching and omni-arms

OOC Haunt is going for both, not sure who Steeplejack is aiming for so I'll assume he's attack both as well so that the good guys are getting a team attack to offset the multi attack as they hit at the same time on both targets...

Dev Attack Steeplejack AV13 + 5D M Arts (0D Acrobatics) - Diff 3 + Roll(7d12)+0: 8,10,12,2,12,4,10,+0 Total:24 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,4,+0 Total:34 (44) vs
Highest OV8 + Multi Attack 2 - Team Attack 2 + Dev Attack 8 + 2D Acrobatics (3D Weaponry for Purifier) + Roll(4d12)+0: 4,10,3,9,+0 Total:19 (35) Hit +4 (to 17)
19EV vs Highest RV20 (Purifier with his force shield) + Multi 2 + Diff 3 - Dev Attack 12 (RV13)=6 RAPs.

Advent Priest is DOWN and OUT
Advent Purifier is on Body 3/9

Haunt wallops the remaining bad guy!

I presume a devastating attack to punch through that field...

AV10 + 6D Weaponry + Roll(8d12)+0: 8,3,5,3,8,1,3,10,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0:
10,4,+0 Total:30 (40) vs
OV8 + Multi 2 - Team Attack 2 + Diff 3 + Dev Attack 8 + 2D Acrobatics (3D Weaponry) + Roll(4d12)+0:
3,5,4,7,+0 Total:12 (31) Hit +4 (to 19) vs RV20 + diff 3 + multi 2 - Dev Attack 12 (RV13)=6 RAPs.

The Purifier is DOWN and OUT!

The heroes attack with devastating power and skill, dropping the pair of Advent agents despite their amazing durability hiding behind a circular force field! John Carter (of Mars) moves towards the downed Priest but...

The pair start to glow, shimmer, then fade from view!

"What on Earth...?" splutters Carter.

Dr Jekyll (or rather his alter ego Mr Hyde) slides to a halt and looks around "Need enemy to SMASH!" he roars, breathing hard.

Haunt and Steeplejack move to Carter's side and Mr Hyde through a rage fogged brain recognises that even his great strength pales in comparison to these two, and starts to calm...

OOC though you can't see the Advent Chosen Assassin, she may still be about. Rely on Steep's danger sense, go for a look around or consider them gone and move on?

"Steeplejack, you want to look for the woman while I get the time stone fragment out of this one," the Haunt asks, moving towards the fallen foe.

Admin wrote:OOC though you can't see the Advent Chosen Assassin, she may still be about. Rely on Steep's danger sense, go for a look around or consider them gone and move on?  

Turning to Haunt, Steeplejack said, "That was...different. Not sure of that assassin is still about, but their sudden disappearance means we can't remove their time stones. I think we should take a good look to make sure she hasn't just turned invisible and will end up dogging our path. We need to catch up to the grail, time - no pun intended, is running out and who knows what Moriarty and his crew have recruited to help them."

With that Steeplejack bends down, one knee on the ground leaning into the earth from which he derived his mysterious powers and connection. Reaching out with his mind drawing in the area around him and bending his mysterious danger sense to seek out any harm from those about the group in the surrounding area.

OOC: Assuming Haunt does his dog trick to sniff about and we both succeed if we are in the clear I think we make best speed forthwith. We need to 'rescue' the count, get the wagons and high tail it out of here.

Sj

ooc: As an aside, can Steep or does he have some kind of Tremor Sense? Like the D&D spell where you can feel and locate anyone based on the vibrations of them moving on the ground? Is there such a power in this game?

OOC Danger Sense does have a range but only activates if there is danger presented to the user. When that danger is presented (now or in the future) though is the question when we see characters like Spider-man move past people and his danger sense gets set off for reasons he doesn't know. Of course it's not entirely reliable as he's been brained by Aunt May with a frying pan a few times.

So if the Assassin were targeting Steeplejack with her rifle and was in range of Danger Sense, there was a good chance he'd know about it. She's not, and she's not, so it doesn't

The 'tremor sense' is a good idea and a kind of power stunt but it's probably covered by the power 'detect' though I'll have a look. Like anything when you start using it (like Miss Victory using Mind Maidens powers) chances are it won't work but with practise...?

Try as he might Steeplejack couldn't sense anything dangerous targeted at himself for the time being. Though he was loathe to admit it without knowing for sure he had a good idea that the Chosen Assassin was gone... for now.

Haunt had been thwarted trying to scoop up those time stones when the Purifier and the Priest vanished with the Assassin but that didn't mean they were gone for good! For now, though...

Mr Hyde was a brute but he wasn't stupid and backed off rather than get another pasting at the hands of Haunt or Steeplejack. Almost immediately he shimmered and changed, morphing into the smaller figure of Dr Jekyll, who hugged his ragged clothes to himself. "I... I'm sorry you had to see that. Hyde is such an awful brute! I... I'm sorry!" he hissed as he hurried back to where the others waited.

John Carter watched him go then frowned, turning to a large rock and hefting it up without too much trouble. "Still strong, so it's not me. I'm not used to fellas standin' up when ah whack em." he muttered.

With a hovering circle of Earth providing shade to the wounded Baron/Count and Mina Harker helping the Vampire, the group made is way back to where Holmes, Watson and the others waited.

After letting them know what had happened Holmes nodded "We are at a disadvantage, again, I am afraid. The enemy can transport their agents to our location at any time..."

"Why Holmes that's preposterous!" blustered Watson.

"Indeed my dear Watson, but after all you have seen with your own eyes, and including the fantastical company that we keep, can you deny it to be anything but truth? We live in weird and dark times Dr Watson. Our minds, our... open... minds, are our best asset but for now, we must move." said the Detective.

Haunt morphed into a carriage and four horses to draw it with people piling on board and putting cases on the back and sides.

"Remarkable." muttered Captain Savage as he ran a hand down the 'wood' of the carriage. "I've seen it and yet..." he shook his head and climbed on board, as did everyone else.

Steeplejack climbed up front but there was no need to take the reins and John carter (of Mars) cleaned and oiled his rifle. "Punchin' folk seems ta get the best results but ah can still hit th' eye of an injun from 100 paces with this thing." he said, patting it.

The group started moving in the direction which gave Baron Alucard the most distress, indicating that was indeed the direction the Grail had gone.

=========

Vengeful eyes watched from a distance and the Chosen Assassin shook her head. "I have never encountered such foes."

A 'man' much like her with a shock of white hair hissed "Too much for you sister?"

Another 'man', tall, muscled and rangy like the other two and clearly not human, stepped up. "Brother, sister, as much as I hate to admit it, we need to pool our talents to defeat this group."

The Chosen Assassin hissed in protest but stayed her lips.

The other the Chosen 'Warlock' chuckled "Though it pains me to do so, I will agree. Not because I need you to defeat this rabbled. My mind and the mental abilities it holds will crush any defence they throw up. No, I want to show you that it is I who will bring victory for the Elders by defeating these meddlers and in so doing you will acknowledge me as the rightful ruler of this world!"

The other two stood, baleful glares at one another. It was clear that whilst they hated the enemies they all hunted, they hated each other with equal venom...

All three vanished!

OOC End of issue! HP awards to come and a greater role for the NPCs you travel with in the next (final) issue of this Victorian era caper...

Admin wrote:

The other two stood, baleful glares at one another. It was clear that whilst they hated the enemies they all hunted, they hated each other with equal venom...

All three vanished!

OOC End of issue! HP awards to come and a greater role for the NPCs you travel with in the next (final) issue of this Victorian era caper...

OOC: Wow that went fast, I have to say Paul I always struggled with in the GH games I ran to know how to do these cutaway scenes in a way that didn't seem like meta gaming and yet did create a way to engage interest beyond what our characters are aware of. I have loved within our campaign how this has worked and become a substantial part of what has been going on. Its been a feature at different times for as long as I can remember, but it's been one I've neglected to tell you how much I appreciate. So thanks for taking the trouble to do this - it does bring something of the villain's ecology, mindset, attitudes and back story to the front without them having to do a monologue or something to explain on justify their actions. So bravo sir, bravo.

Sj

ooc: I just sort of blinked when you said "end of issue". I was going, What? Why? We Just Started! Then I saw we were on page 9 of the adventure and I was going, REALLY!? That many!?

ooc: Just so you know, i don't really intend to raise up my powers this go round, unless we get so much HP I can afford to raise Dex and the two linked powers with it to 11. Instead, I'm going to concentrate on raising all my stats, powers and skills to a minimum of 8. For the Haunt that would be increasing Aura and all his skills. His powers are already 8 or higher.

Planning on doing that with all my characters actually. Trying more for useful versatility instead of powering up. Once I get everything up to 8 on each character, however many years that will take, then I will look at increasing the top powers. I like being more versatile instead of power creeping up to be the most powerful.

Is that enough HP to raise my Dex and the two linked powers to 11?

Admin wrote:OOC 315HP apiece! That's a lot but the majority of that comes from the boost from Difficulty because it ups the Inferior opponents dramatically. So what you lose from the level of opponent you get back (and a bit more) from the difficulty.

Haunt is on 324HP

Steeplejack is on 424HP

Still looks like a lot until you figure that it's 5 months of play from start to finish of the issue!

Have a think about difficulty level and see where we go from next issue but also come up with a shopping list of improvements.

Steeplejack could maybe do with upping Mind and especially Spirit - next issue has you up against people seeking to use the MAGIC of the Grail against the world... with only the heroes able to stop them!

Ok, so my mind is 7 and Spirit is 6 both low, easy to assume that the travelling about the timeline etc has upped us as much as it hampered us etc.

So what would you recommend I raise them to? Dave was talking about 8 across the board?
I'd like to grow in detective skill. Dave also raised a good point about gadgetry, I never seem to get to use that? I think it's a hangover from the GH days, but never had an in-game reason to do anything with it. I'd like to think about what my other options are? I can stare at powers and stuff, but it's hard to know what to do when there are many variables that are hard to figure out for a novice to the rules.

So let me turn this around if you were in my shoes, what would you recommend?

Sj