Re: The Ultrahumans! Issue #3 starring Miss Victory and Lionheart "And there came a reckoning!"

DavidMcMahon Tue Nov 30 2021, 12:21

Sighing in relief, "This is really hard on a person's heart," she muttered, Miss Victory landed near the warhead to exam it and to figure out what it could do and how to make it safe. If she could make it safe, she had to figure out where to put it until it could be disposed of. Maybe she could throw it into space far enough away that gravity would pull it back down, maybe at the sun?
{not sure if her max strength would allow that}

Admin wrote:OOC You're right, missed Telescopic vision. You missed by 1 (instead of 5).

MISS VICTORY HP25

Scooping up another TV sized rock Miss Victory bounded off after the missile again, each leap taking her miles at a time and she had to angle her descent so as not to land on cars or houses!

There would be a heck of a clean up bill on the roads and pavements of course but the Ultrahumans would cover that.

If there WAS an Ultrahumans after this?

With her speed and jumping ability she once more caught up and passed the missile. It travelled around 60 miles a minute, well within her capabilities...

Taking careful aim and zooming in on the target with her incredible vision Miss Victory hefted the rock again, putting some force behind it but aiming with the background of hills and trees rather than any built up areas in case she missed again!

OOC

Dex 23 (str 16) + 2 dice (13hp) + Roll(4d12)+0: 8,9,7,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 2,11,+0 Total:27 (50) vs
Speed 12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,12,+0 Total:24 BOOM double plus Roll(2d12)+0: 1,1,+0 Total:2 FAILURE! OV Zero! Talk about contrasting fortunes! Probably first time we've had a max and minimum roll on doubles!
Success + 10 (to 26 EV) vs RV16=10 RAPs The missile is reduced to zero (or below) and explodes!

There was a blinding flash as something - an energy field protecting the missile - flashed bright white then crackled out and the rock punched through the side of the missile!

Somewhere inside a fuel line ruptured and there was a blinding flash as orange fire mushroomed outwards... but at least the main warhead itself - the superhuman equivalent of an electromagnetic pules - hadn't gone off!

The missile fragments began tumbling to the ground with smoke and debris and Miss Victory breathed a sigh of relief. She'd reached the smaller towns on the outskirts of New York and realised that her throw had been perhaps her last, only shot at taking this thing out!

MISS VICTORY HP 12

OOC Heading to the Ultrahumans HQ or are you doing something about the warhead which is currently lying in someone's field with smoke drifting from it...

Admin Wed Dec 01 2021, 08:44

LIONHEART

Steeple_jackuk wrote:
Admin wrote:OOC Initiative to Lionheart. You are at an impasse and the bad guys are beating the youngsters! Mental or Melee...? You can put up to 4 dice in Mental and that leaves 1 die for defence. Or play about with 5 dice in defence as you see fit (so use 1 for mental 4 for defence or whatever). Melee you can use up to five dice in attack. Crit Blow (easier to hit) or Dev Attack (harder to hit, a lot more damage)?

He knew his foe was deadly but that only meant he had to fight harder, since he was at least his equal in every way physically he had to try for a break through mentally and see if he could push his foe beyond what he might be able to otherwise manage.

OOC: OK mental attack go for dev attack, 4 dice and 1 defence, and I am going to spend 21 HP on three bonus die 2 more for attack 1 to defence, if this fails I could easily fall here if he gets another attack on me like before.

Sj

OOC Pointless spending more for attack. Cost starts at the point where you have current extra dice. You then pay for the extra dice so a fifth die would cost 50HP. It was done this way because we ran into the situation where everything you had trouble with could be tackled by your mountain of accumulated Hero Points (over 500 apiece at one point if I recall). Any situation could be overcome by burning through HP, which meant you succeeded and earned more HP. Why would you not spend them? The way we do it now means HP are great when you don't have extra dice from skills. Lionheart is probably the most capable character in the game even over 'canon' characters like Batman. He simply acts on a different level.

Defence no problem adding dice. They are slightly more expensive (starting at 1 extra die) but you only need to add them if the attack fails and you have to defend.

Despite the physical problems this guy presents, and despite how tough he is mentally, I reckon another mind zap will see him down. Let's see.

DEV ATTACK Mind Blast 15 + 4D Accuracy + Roll(6d12)+0: 11,7,3,10,10,7,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 9,4,+0 Total:33 (48) vs
OV8 + 8 Dev Attack + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,9,+0 Total:10 (26) Success +7 (to EV22) vs RV22 - 12 (Dev Attack)=RV10. 12 RAPs. Savager was already on 5/13 Mind and absorbs 8 for 36HP (4 HP remaining). He is on 1/13 Mind and is STUNNED (no attack this round or next)

Lionheart, toe to toe with an opponent even faster and more skilled than he was, finally decided "ENOUGH!"

"Enough what? Do you surrreeeeeeeeee..." started the Savager until Lionheart's eyes glowed, an energy field crackled around him and a 'roaring lion' leapt from him to engulf the villain! More, Lionheart grasped the man's shirt and stared hard into his eyes, face to face, and poured more and more energy at his foe!

"GaaaaaYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" screamed Savager! His mind was smashed, the impenetrable shields that gave him so much confidence swept aside by the attack which lit up every synapse in his head!

Lionheart released him and the villain staggered back, energy 'smoke' drifting from him... The British hero had to admit - that was his most powerful mental blast and to see the villain on his feet still... Could ANYTHING put this guy down?

'Relax' said Saladin. 'You have him.'

Lionheart blinked and recognised the truth of that. Savager was drunken reeling about.

'Finish him' said Saladin.

The sounds of battle behind him seemed to have died down - the kids were getting battered, but Lionheart couldn't afford to turn his back on this guy!

He stepped up and noted his opponent didn't move with the astonishing speed he'd exhibited thus far...

OOC DEV ATTACK Mind Blast 15 + 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 11,1,2,1,5,4,+0 Total:16 (31) vs
OV8 + Dev Attack 8 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,1,+0 Total:13 (29) Success +2 (to EV17) vs RV22 - Dev Attack 12 (RV10)=7 RAPs.

Savager goes down.

'He probably heals as fast as you do. KILL HIM!' snarled Saladin.

Instead Lionheart spun.

Superboy was down at the feet of two robots, one of whom had a melted arm.

Kid Flash was already dazed put looked to have been cocooned in some kind of sticky glue. Robin likewise in goop and was unconscious.

No sign of Miss Martian.

Lionheart faced off against six powerful (albeit some were damaged) robots.

"SURRENDER!" stated one. "Subject: LIONHEART. Superhuman Class... CORE ULTRAHUMAN. Powers: Superhuman speed, reflexes, strength, durability, force field, mental powers and sensory array."

The robots (as one) levelled arms. Their hands peeled aside to reveal arm cannons!

OOC Lionheart goes first. These ARE powerful robots, make no mistake.

It is incredibly unlikely they could hit or hurt Lionheart, but might slow him down. Want to take them all on or test things out by trashing one first? Mind Blast/Powers unlikely to work on them.

Admin Wed Dec 01 2021, 08:57

MISS VICTORY HP12

Miss V approached the warhead... uh oh!

OOC Whatever is inside this thing will affect her!

MULTI ATTACK on all powers and Str POWER DRAIN 40 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,6,+0 Total:18 (58) vs
Highest OV23 (power Reserve) + Multi 8 (11 Abilities) + Range 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,6,+0 Total:16 (50) Success +4 (to 44) vs RV23 + Multi 8 (RV31)=13 RAPs.

Miss Victory has 2 Str and Power Reserve 10 remaining! This for 13 APs of time. You can spend 10 of your remaining HP to reduce this to 9APs leaving her with Power Reserve 14 for 9APs of time (1/2 hour).

Miss Victory reeled. What...?

The radiation alone on this acted as a kind of defence/deterrent to depower any superhuman in a short range!

She staggered away, feeling every fibre of her being energised with unwanted power! If she went any closer to this thing it would depower her completely!

Steeple_jackuk Wed Dec 01 2021, 12:12

Admin wrote:The robots (as one) levelled arms. Their hands peeled aside to reveal arm cannons!

OOC Lionheart goes first. These ARE powerful robots, make no mistake.

It is incredibly unlikely they could hit or hurt Lionheart, but might slow him down. Want to take them all on or test things out by trashing one first? Mind Blast/Powers unlikely to work on them.

OOC: Phew, OK Lionheart will go for multi-attack and use speed, strength and martial arts to take as many out as I can (but not overdo the numbers I take on so it makes it nigh on impossible) and see if I can get them out of the picture asap.

Sj

Admin Wed Dec 01 2021, 14:45

LIONHEART

Using his astonishing speed Lionheart faced off against the robots!

"Assess target. Apply protocol..." said one robot. It never got chance to finish the phrase!

OOC DEV ATTACK Superspeed 26 (as AV) + 5D M Arts (0D Acrobatics) + Roll(7d12)+0: 3,5,9,8,7,7,3,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 7,7,+0 Total:14 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 3,10,+0 Total:41 (67) vs
OV9 + Multi 6 + Dev Attack 8 + 1D acrobatics + Roll(3d12)+0: 11,9,9,+0 Total:18 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 3,5,+0 Total:26 (49) Success +6 (to EV20) vs RV20 - Dev Attack 12 (RV8)=12 RAPs. All six robots go down (10 Body and 10 force field).

There was a blur of motion and smashing of expensive metal constructs as thousands of high speed punches and kicks trashed the defensive automatons used by the Ultrahumans for general peacekeeping and repair duties. Powerful in their own right, but expensive and no match for the most powerful 'Core' Ultrahumans who were the 'best of the best'.

Lionheart glanced about. The robots wouldn't be getting up any time - ever again. Moving to the downed Superboy, he checked. Pulse strong. Just unconscious. Breathing a sigh of relief he shredded the sticky goop from the two youngsters who were unconscious but alive thankfully.

"I don't... I don't believe it!" said Miss Martian. "You trashed ALL those robots on your own!" she said as she faded into view. "My strongest punches didn't dent them and Superboy got manhandled like I've never seen before and... wow! Uh, are my friends ok? And what do we do next?"

Steeple_jackuk Thu Dec 02 2021, 12:39

Admin wrote:LIONHEART
"I don't... I don't believe it!" said Miss Martian. "You trashed ALL those robots on your own!" she said as she faded into view. "My strongest punches didn't dent them and Superboy got manhandled like I've never seen before and... wow! Uh, are my friends ok? And what do we do next?"

What were they going to do? All along Lionheart felt that he was on the back foot. Reacting but never having the chance to recover or even get some kind of an idea how to get out in front of this disaster. That he had remained involved this long was nothing short of a miracle. But now his only allies had been roundly subdued. He needed allies, he needed some leverage some way to take down the traitor and restore the base back to those who weren't working for the enemies.

But first, he had these young champions to take care of.

"Help me with the others, we've got to get them to some medical facility within the base or at least somewhere safe away from prying eyes to give them space to recover!"

OOC: OH man what am I going to do? 🤨

Sj

Admin Thu Dec 02 2021, 13:22

LIONHEART

Moving too fast for the eye to follow and allowing his danger sense to guide his progress - along with his astonishing skill as probably the world's greatest living thief - Lionheart mapped out the facility in his mind. Though he didn't have a photographic memory he was genius level smart and able to find a medical bay.

Scooping up the fallen heroes with his telekinesis he led the way. Miss Martian was jittery enough and feeling somewhat out of her depth when a voice bellowed across the tannoy system.

"LIONHEART! This is Atomic Champion. All of this has been a misunderstanding! Power down and stay put whilst we make our way through the facility and straighten this out. There's no need to be scared my friend! Things are changing around here and this is your chance to be a part of something better, something new! Silver Sentinel and those others had their hands in so many pies... man... I'm only just finding out what they were up to! It sickens me! It's time for a change, and it's happening right now. Those kids will need to be locked up for their own safety. Once this blows over you'll see."

"He gives me the creeps" whispered Miss Martian, who was invisible. "How can he say stuff like that when he sent robots to kill us? I mean, we're like, the junior Justice League! Good guys!"

Inside the med bay Lionheart found he had a problem.

Atomic Champion (or one of his cronies) had restricted access to the automated medical robots. They were turned off. Mind you, Lionheart was a world class Doctor and Surgeon too thanks to all that implanted knowledge. He could try to help the youngsters but it was a sure bet that Atomic Champion and who knew what else was on their way as soon as he flicked a switch or activated a machine. Heck, probably as soon as he opened the door or turned a light on.

He had to admit - the corridors weren't the best place to be stealthy.

Steeple_jackuk Sat Dec 04 2021, 13:50

Admin wrote:LIONHEART

He had to admit - the corridors weren't the best place to be stealthy.

Knowing how difficult an advisory he faced, didn't make the job of using the interior facilities any easier. But Lionheart had little choice. Moving quickly with the teens in tow, he worked to stabilise, heal or help whatever he could. But this didn't solve his bigger issue, how was he to stop this crazy one time hero! Clearly, despite the extreme lengths he was going to he had convinced himself of the rightness of his course. They would be no backing down, he was in too deep. But stopping him was a whole other level of crazy. Who was Lionheart going to find in this place that would help? He had seriously underestimated the Titans abilities and now they were in serious trouble owing to them wanting to help.

Pushing aside the guilt that had stabbed at his heart, Lionheart focused on the task at hand. Truth was, he really wasn't sure what he was going to do and even if he was going to have a chance to do it before Atomic Champion shut him down by threatening the lives of the heroes. He wasn't a fatalist, but this was looking pretty hard. And where was Miss Victory, at least if she was here, he'd maybe have an ally that might leverage support that would make a difference?

OOC: It occurs to me in a game like this, unlike D&D where characters get killed routinely, and that was part of the risk and reward of it all, death here would be a greater hardship since it would be like killing the golden goose. But what we do have is very difficult scenarios that challenge our characters to come up with plans that get us out of a situation that is so difficult it does look like a no-win scenario. Sometimes the way forward is easier, other times it does feel more difficult because as in this case there is so much I don't know so I am working off the back foot all the time. Anyway all that said, I need to secure the Titans, make sure the place cannot be gassed, sealed and starved of oxygen or is likely to be attacked and destroyed when my back is turned. My worry here is that AC might use a threat against them to coerce me. If he does it's something I'd have to go along with, but I am trying to avoid a direct confrontation because I won't win that way. So I am reaching around for ideas, allies or anything else that might be a clue to find a chink in his armour, get SS back to Earth or stop AC leeching energy from him etc...

Sj

DavidMcMahon Sat Dec 04 2021, 15:56

Miss Victory was a bit flummoxed. There was no way to leave the missile where it was and go off to the base, some villain might get it and start the whole thing over again and this time win. Was there some way for her to disarm it? Some way to shield whatever it was that sapped her powers from her? She couldn't imagine a team of super-villains who built this thing had it blasting power zapping radiation around them while they prepared it. Also if the warhead was still working, did that mean that the villains still had a way to remotely detonate it?

The whole US military missile command probably had these missiles on their radar which meant whichever military bases that were close to here would be sending troops soon. Helicopters being fastest would be dropping troops, then all the ground vehicles loaded with troops. And that didn't count any jets that would be flying overhead soon to get a bird's eye view of things. Drones? Maybe but they would be slower than the jets and helicopters. At least, that's what she was thinking would happen based on the movies and novels she had read.

She decided to stay out of its energy range and examine it as best she could from the distance. If she had to, she would approach it and attempt to disarm it or at least remove any remote detonation device or activate its shielding to make it "safe" even if that meant she lost her power forever!

She didn't know if she dared to try to contact the Ultrahuman HQ for assistance as she believed their comms were compromised and didn't know if the traitor had been found yet.

Admin wrote:MISS VICTORY HP12

Miss V approached the warhead... uh oh!

OOC Whatever is inside this thing will affect her!

MULTI ATTACK on all powers and Str POWER DRAIN 40 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,6,+0 Total:18 (58) vs
Highest OV23 (power Reserve) + Multi 8 (11 Abilities) + Range 3 + Roll(2d12)+0: 10,6,+0 Total:16 (50) Success +4 (to 44) vs RV23 + Multi 8 (RV31)=13 RAPs.

Miss Victory has 2 Str and Power Reserve 10 remaining! This for 13 APs of time. You can spend 10 of your remaining HP to reduce this to 9APs leaving her with Power Reserve 14 for 9APs of time (1/2 hour).

Miss Victory reeled. What...?

The radiation alone on this acted as a kind of defence/deterrent to depower any superhuman in a short range!

She staggered away, feeling every fibre of her being energised with unwanted power! If she went any closer to this thing it would depower her completely!

Admin Tue Dec 07 2021, 11:14

LIONHEART

OOC You hit the nail on the head. In a supers game characters already start at the equivalent of 10th, 20th or higher level characters might be in a fantasy campaign. Therefore the challenge isn't just to survive (because you have like, 7 HP and a single hit might wipe you out) because you are bulletproof and bomb proof to a degree, plus you have Hero Points to soak damage up. The challenge - as I see it - is to present situations that flummox, challenge, present some difficulty and are ultimately more challenging and satisfying than walking up to something and swinging at it till it falls down.

Different kind of role playing on a wider scale (Lionheart can be anywhere in the solar system in a few minutes and can in theory juggle a small mountain) but challenges remain! Be no fun if everything could be resolved with a roll of 5+ on 2D12!

That said sometimes the way forward isn't obvious even after much head scratching. I'm ok with that - I get stumped too. And so...

Lionheart glanced about then made a decision. The Ultrahumans could bill him for the repairs but he suspected they had other things to worry about.

Floating up to the camera in the room he crunched it with a hand then punched into the ceiling - aluminium or some recycled metal - and poked his head up and around in the darkness above. Conduits, wiring, pipes... and no cameras. Maybe there were heat sensors or something else but right now it was safer for the youngsters to get out of the way into the innards of this place rather than wait in a room for Atomic Champion and his villainous buddies to come and get them!

Miss Martian - visible - formed into an eel like snake with her plasticky body and oozed into the gap. "We can make our way into the guts of this place and lie low. I think I should be able to bring the others with me."

Lionheart poked his head out into the corridor. Quiet right now but they would send villains in force knowing that Lionheart was a 'Core' Ultrahuman and would need some serious firepower to take down. Perhaps even Atomic Champion himself.

"You go. Do your thing." said Miss Martian. Though she was frightened she was holding it together. A visit/desire to answer the call and help out had turned sour. Three of her team mates were out of it and the place was crawling with powerful robots and super villains!

Lionheart closed the door behind him then ran his hand over the handle/door lock rapidly. Hotter and hotter, it started to ooze and melt... then he switched to wafting with his hands and cooled it. Maybe it would slow someone down. The walls and doors of this place would present a problem to non supers and even then you'd need to be pretty potent to get through them.

Then he moved.

A blur, he stopped, making himself visible to a camera and giving a rude gesture. A heartbeat later he was gone again!

==========

"Got him!" said a villain as she sat at the bank of screens in the control room. There were dozens of screens all over one wall and normally the room would be crewed by more than fifty operatives. Now there were a dozen, all costumed and intent on finding the fly in the ointment.

"So have I. What did you say this guys' powers were?"

"Can he split up into separate people? I know a guy could do that. Well, until his wife caught one of his selves cheating and ... let's just say that didn't go well."

"I think he's just fast." said a villain with a goatee and looking like he stepped from the set of a Flash Gordon serial from the 30s.

"Fast? What are you...?" spluttered another villainess.

The villains looked at the screens. More than fifty of them. Lionheart was on thirty odd of them, giving various rude gestures. Then the camera would crackle and go blank.

"We're running out of cameras!" declared one villain. "Someone find this guy and stop him!"

"Yeah? How we gonna do that? He's too fast!"

The villains glanced at each other.

=========

Lionheart crunched another camera in his hand. More than a hundred so far.

Luckily it seemed that the majority of sensors and detection devices ran through the mounted dome cameras all over the place. Some of the time his danger sense detected hidden cameras and a punch through a one way wall revealed the camera.

OOC Carry on with this tactic (it's leading somewhere, honest)? Or go another route now that you are making this place 'go dark'?

Admin Tue Dec 07 2021, 11:27

MISS VICTORY

Knowing she had to get to Ultrahumans HQ and see if the bad guys had made their move Miss V thought hard.

This thing would give off radiation that energised the cells of anyone that had superhuman abilities and effectively 'drained' them of power for a certain length of time. Even her vita pill wouldn't work well under such circumstances because the pill might work fine whilst her body couldn't process the energy it gave her.

Any villain going near the thing would - probably - be affected unless they were somehow shielded. In frustration the weaker super heroine booted a rock towards the thing. It bounced, tumbled and rolled to clatter against the side of the warhead. She dare not go any closer but had an idea...

Minutes later hurled rocks, clods of earth and grass was mostly covering the thing! It was obvious to anyone from the sky that something had crashed in the field and that someone had covered it up, but it seemed to have an effect. Several feet of earth, rocks and mud seemed to have a reasonable effect on the unpowered warhead. Powered, well it would probably flood around and above any obstacle and 'get' whoever it was targeted at.

She could keep burying this thing and hope for the emergency services to turn up or keep heading - at reduced speed - back to New York and the Ultrahumans HQ.

By burying it she could approach it - cautiously - and only start to feel the tingling of the radiation from twenty or so feet away. if she kept burying it - enough that it would need a digger to excavate - she figured it would be 'shielded' enough to block the effect to within a few feet. Of course, what to do after that was another problem but at least it wouldn't affect other supers like it had her. Plus...

She glanced about. A distant combine harvester might be a bit of a struggle in her current state but something like a tractor dropped on it...

OOC Do you want to destroy this thing, bury it so it doesn't affect anyone (it's nearly there, and Miss Victory is covered head to toe in mud) or leave it here for the authorities? She's made enough of a mess that someone would have to know what was underneath the mound of earth and rocks she'd left now in order to get at it. Then they'd need to dig...

DavidMcMahon Tue Dec 07 2021, 12:21

ooc: I'm still worried about a remote detonation command. There may not be a lot of supers around here but then again, I don't know the radius of any blast if it goes off. So let's try destroying it and then burying the remains under a couple of tons of dirt and rocks and trees. I guess use road signs as spears and rocks to destroy it at a distance. Want to avoid destroying someone's farm equipment. I hear those harvester things actually can cost up to a million dollars.

Steeple_jackuk Tue Dec 07 2021, 12:44

Admin wrote:Lionheart crunched another camera in his hand. More than a hundred so far.

Luckily it seemed that the majority of sensors and detection devices ran through the mounted dome cameras all over the place. Some of the time his danger sense detected hidden cameras and a punch through a one way wall revealed the camera.

OOC Carry on with this tactic (it's leading somewhere, honest)? Or go another route now that you are making this place 'go dark'?

OOC: Sometimes I am so smart I am dumb...I didn't think that it would be a simple as crunching camera's to blindside them. Yeah so let's keep this up, anything that puts AC and his cronies on the same side as me, i.e. fighting in the dark a bit. Whilst my primary goal is this, I think we'll also look for allies to get intel and also maybe start anything random going we can, that might cause additional disruption. Whether a fire, setting off alarms, opening doors that ought to be shut etc... let's make some noise.

Sj

Admin Tue Dec 07 2021, 16:40

MISS VICTORY

Struggling to uproot the biggest of trees, Miss V found roadside 'furniture' that would do - signs - lamp posts and the like, then pounded on the mound of rock and soil crunching whatever was inside it (the deactivated bomb) with every crunching hit!

She heard a helicopter whupping in the distance after some minutes are saw THREE heading in this direction!

Two were attack helicopters, the third a smaller faster model.

They slowed to hover and a voice called out over a tannoy "STAND DOWN OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE!" said the Air Force pilot!

Admin Tue Dec 07 2021, 16:48

LIONHEART

Continuing with his tactic of 'blinding' the inside of the facility, using his array of senses and superhuman speed (as well as his astonishing Thieving skills) to accomplish his task, Lionheart also switched to rerouting wires. At the speed he could do it (instant) it might help...

=========

"What the hell? Someone just... look!"

The screens in the control room started to flicker... and the control room itself - with a dozen villains at the controls - started to show up on the screen!

"This guy is messing with us!" roared a villain and started tossing papers about.

=========

Lionheart moved on. He moved so fast the world appeared frozen and he checked every door he came across.

Most rooms were empty of people, offices, gym equipment, exercise areas, lounge, mess room facilities, quarters...

He came across another door and frowned. Double door, looked to be thick and sealed. He pushed with his finger. Nothing. Applied more strength. ALL his strength. Nothing.

What the...? Had to be Adamantium or that other stuff, Promethium. That took the force applied against it to reinforce its own atomic structure!

He looked up. "CELL BLOCK" said the sign.

He'd avoided robot patrols and groups of super villains so far but knew they were within ear shot of his current location. Moving so fast he was invisible, or at least appearing to teleport, he'd gone unnoticed. If he wanted to get in this cell block he would definitely be noticed but... might it be worth it?

The majority of people - unpowered human staff and superhumans alike - had been turfed out, evacuated. Whoever was in here - if there was anyone - might be able to help. Then again did he want to expose them to the risks the Young Justice teens had fallen to?

DavidMcMahon Tue Dec 07 2021, 22:57

Admin wrote:MISS VICTORY

Struggling to uproot the biggest of trees, Miss V found roadside 'furniture' that would do - signs - lamp posts and the like, then pounded on the mound of rock and soil crunching whatever was inside it (the deactivated bomb) with every crunching hit!

She heard a helicopter whupping in the distance after some minutes are saw THREE heading in this direction!

Two were attack helicopters, the third a smaller faster model.

They slowed to hover and a voice called out over a tannoy "STAND DOWN OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE!" said the Air Force pilot!

Miss Victory blinks at this a bit bemused. It's not like she was carrying any weapons on her. She drops what's in her hands, brushing the dirt from her glove and then with one hand on her hip, lifts the other one and gives a big wave and smile towards the troops.

Steeple_jackuk Wed Dec 08 2021, 12:22

Admin wrote:The majority of people - unpowered human staff and superhumans alike - had been turfed out, evacuated. Whoever was in here - if there was anyone - might be able to help. Then again did he want to expose them to the risks the Young Justice teens had fallen to?

Talk about Deja-Vu, this was like being in the supermax prison all over again. This time he was being hunted and trying to find a way to take a superior foe down with little or no resources. The Titans had been brought low, and the last time he was in a secure facility his attempts to recruit people had proven effective, till the point they got annihilated by the release of Silver Sentinels enormous energies. That time he met people who ought not to have been there, but that couldn't be said here, surely. And if they were here, what right did Lionheart have to drag them into a fight, he couldn't even win. Would they end up being another list of casualties on his ledger that was already running red?

Know he risked being found and right now being a nuisance was about all he could do, whilst staying one step ahead and evading patrols. And all the while seeking a clue, a strategy some way of locating a chink in this impossible situation, to leverage things in his favour. He had to hope he would find something before he was found by someone. And even if he did evade capture, to what end, time for the world was running out. Atomic Champion and his allies would soon win if he didn't get a decisive immovable spanner into the spokes of what looked to be an unstoppable force.

OOC: Move along, nothing to see here. I am wondering if I should just go for more direct action, or perhaps capture one of the bad guys, take him someplace cosy and see if I can get them to talk. Mind you I'm not much of one for torture or manhandling someone, so not sure that would work. So for now it's looking and seeing what else there is by way of an option. Since this is more a thinking man's game, I'm doing much thinking, exploring and seeking for that secret door, that killer clue, that way through the Kobayashi Maru scenario! I'll expend whatever means, senses, and whatever I can as I go from place to place. Seeking to mentally map the facility, gain as much as I can from its access points, layout, and take note of things like what is made of Adamantium etc, and what is not. Where things like power are drawn from, what ways one can disrupt backup systems and then main frames or whatever. If this links to the outside world there have to be physical points like comms, antenna, hard lines, that can be accessed and disrupted. So looking for ways around my current predicament and to avoid face to face since the shoe - this is very much a die-hard situation, how fitting just near Christmas as well!

Sj

Admin Fri Dec 10 2021, 11:00

MISS VICTORY

It seemed the emergency services were somewhat on edge considering all that had gone - and was - going on. Their response would be to shout and point weapons first and be civil later, it seemed.

"WHOEVER YOU ARE! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND! FACE DOWN! ARMS AND LEGS SPREAD!" shouted one of the all in black clad soldiers coming towards her. His gun could best be described as a 'cannon' with the multiple barrels for firing who knew what at supervillains!

There were eight soldiers in all, spreading out and scanning the area with half of them in a semi circle and closing in on Miss Victory. The helicopters had dropped them off then taken off again, hovering in the air some distance away but not close enough to disturb Miss Victorys' mud plastered hair. She glanced down at herself. All that digging had muddied her from head to foot!

OOC Does Miss V comply or respond..?

Admin Fri Dec 10 2021, 11:22

LIONHEART

Relying on his super speed (OOC Honestly, at 26APs, the original Flash's speed, it's hard to justify real world physics applying. He's gone before the air has a chance to react to his passing. To even move that fast you'd need some way of bypassing real world physics like air/wind resistance, so we'll hand wave the sonic boom stuff and save that for flying. Same for Miss V.) and Danger Sense the British man from the future started mapping out the place, going up and down floors, avoiding places where villains were present and getting some idea of 'safe zones'.

There were black clad presumably human or enhanced operatives with guns who herded the civilian staff of the Ultrahumans HQ and locked them in rooms. Others were costumed or clad in orange and had captured/beaten some of the lower powered supers who'd not evacuated before the blast shields/force shield clamped this place down.

Lionheart was a smart guy. Genius level smart.

OOC Power Reserve switched to Intelligence.

Int 25 (!) + Detective (Clue Analysis) 4D + Roll(6d12)+0: 10,12,4,9,3,11,+0 Total:22 (no doubles...) (47) vs
OV12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,3,+0 Total:14 (26) +6 (to 13EV) vs RV12=1 RAP

1) It seems clear now that Atomic Champion is working with the bad guys and caused a bogus emergency to evacuate everyone outside - where a missile to depower everyone (and very likely kill many people in range) will - at a stroke - wipe out the vast majority of the American superheroes.

Lionheart considered. There were dozens, over a hundred easily and probably much more than that, of super heroes outside. Some were powerful, many were less so, but all formed a vital part of what protected the country in this day and age. For them to be wiped out at a stroke...

Didn't bear thinking about. Still, he was on the move, switching to superspeed again and never staying in one place. What he could really do with was an ace in the hole. Someone who could open the doors to this place whilst he kept Atomic Champion busy and let all those supers back in. Someone who was powerful, tough in their own right and able to tackle the army of orange clad goons/bad guys still in this place.

Lionheart had counted nearly fifty so far. Not all of them would be world crushers, he knew, but some would have attacks he wasn't well equipped to deal with. Magic for one.

Best to keep moving...

OOC We'll see what Miss Victory says/does with the guys who are trying to arrest her. She's fast enough to be here in a very short time and start helping out... And Lionheart has 'spoken' to her mind to mind before. To establish mental contact with her at range is possible, considering his (power reserve boosted) Telepathy has a range of 23. Off the top of my head that's about 7,000 miles or so. If he wanted he can have a mind to mind chat with his buddies in Britain, and certainly Miss Victory anywhere in the United States of America...

I know you're not 'up' on the DC Heroes/Blood of Heroes rules and that's fine - we're about Role playing, not who can squeeze the most out of a set of rules and I'll never hold that against any player.

So, I'm happy to point out options!

DavidMcMahon Fri Dec 10 2021, 15:09

Admin wrote:MISS VICTORY

It seemed the emergency services were somewhat on edge considering all that had gone - and was - going on. Their response would be to shout and point weapons first and be civil later, it seemed.

"WHOEVER YOU ARE! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND! FACE DOWN! ARMS AND LEGS SPREAD!" shouted one of the all in black clad soldiers coming towards her. His gun could best be described as a 'cannon' with the multiple barrels for firing who knew what at supervillains!

There were eight soldiers in all, spreading out and scanning the area with half of them in a semi circle and closing in on Miss Victory. The helicopters had dropped them off then taken off again, hovering in the air some distance away but not close enough to disturb Miss Victorys' mud plastered hair. She glanced down at herself. All that digging had muddied her from head to foot!

OOC Does Miss V comply or respond..?

"My name is Miss Victory. I'm a member of the Ultrahumans," she snaps backs, while getting down on her knees and putting her hands behind her head, "I'm the one who brought down this missile and buried it. And even though I am wearing shorts and not a skirt, I will NOT lay down and spread my legs for you men to perv on them! The words "Sexual Harassment" mean anything to you?" She glares at the man who told her to do that.

Steeple_jackuk Sat Dec 11 2021, 11:00

Admin wrote:Best to keep moving...

OOC: If he wanted he can have a mind to mind chat with his buddies in Britain, and certainly Miss Victory anywhere in the United States of America...

I'm happy to point out options!

OOC: Ace, appreciate that. It gives me more chance to not rules play, I could read up on stuff and maybe I will do at some point, its not like I don't mind reading the rules but I have to be in the right headspace to take it in. Anyway, I like the idea of contacting Miss Victory and calling her in. This whole Die Hard thing is getting a little one-sided, and unless I take time to take out the bodies one at a time, assuming they stay down, it could take a long time to get to Atomic Champion.

Lionheart paused, at these speeds as what seemed like an eternity. Where was Miss Victory? Right now he needed allies, powerful ones and she had intended to meet him here. No doubt with the mess the country was in there was any number of situations that might well have called her away. But right now, this was what was important. He had to find a way to draw in the others and snatch victory from the clutches of Atomic Champion and his new villainous best buddies.

Switching his considerable resources to his mental abilities was a sudden shift in perspective and speed. But he had hoped he had found a suitably redundant part of the building, having noted where the bad guys were, to contact her. He'd previously been in touch with her mind, so locating it was a bit like listening for a distinct note, a sound or a distinct shape and colour.

"Miss Victory, Miss V, V!" He said urgently. "Where...never mind where, whatever you are doing, I need you help..."

Briefly, he brought her up to speed on the situation.

"Can you get her urgently. If we can get the other heroes locked out on the outside in, then we can start to unravel our traitors plans within the camp and start to get a foothold in this scenario that might see us gain the upper hand and stop fighting a rear guard action..."

Sj

Admin Tue Dec 14 2021, 12:08

MISS VICTORY

The lead soldier moved up, still cautious and lowered her gun. "You're not my type ma'am" she said. "But my wife would probably like you. Sorry. We have to be extra careful these days. The country is going to hell in a handbasket and bad guys are crawling all over the place."

Another soldier - the one who'd barked the order to get down - mumbled through his face mask. "Uh, sorry about that ma'am. Bit jumpy. We're finding communications real sketchy and we think we've got you on the database. You're uh, you. We think."

The other soldier, the Captain, shook her head. "We are trained for this but when the Ultrahumans get involved... well, that's WAY above our pay grade. They give us the gadgets, nannite injections, train us, teach us how to deal with meta humans... yet every time we turn up it's something different."

"Like 'whack a mole' but with the stakes meaning you get it wrong and someone dies. Johnson's unit got mauled by some orange jumpsuit scumbags who tossed SUVs around like confetti. He's jumpy, but I'll talk to him." said the Captain.

Miss Victory explained what she'd been doing and why she was plastered in dirt and mud and the Captain nodded, barking orders to set up an exclusion zone and get bomb disposal specialists in. "If that thing had gone off we'd have been affected. There's also a limited EMP effect so we'd have dropped out of the sky to our deaths."

She pressed a finger to her ear and Miss Victory saw her frown behind the half face ski mask, then shake her head. "Ma'am, the situation at Ultrahuman HQ is... confused. It's locked down and the majority of the capes are stood outside." she said.

Miss Victory's keen mind glanced at the mound of Earth and put two and two together. The bomb would have gone off at Ultra HQ and nailed all those outside, protecting those inside... who must now be the bad guys! Somehow someone had convinced - or ordered - the gathered Supers from all the different groups that answered the call to leave the building. Some trumped up emergency or other no doubt.

If Miss Victory hadn't stopped the bomb... the majority of Super Heroes in the United States of America would be depowered at best, but more likely dead!

"If you want to clean up, you can use the copters' supplies. Or we can set you up in a black jumpsuit." offered the Captain. "Or..." she glanced at the mound. "Did you need a ride? Did that thing affect you?"

Admin Tue Dec 14 2021, 12:14

MISS VICTORY

Just then...

"Miss Victory, Miss V, V!" He said urgently. "Where...never mind where, whatever you are doing, I need your help..."

The voice rang in Miss Victory's head! The 'accent' sounded British - the other new recruit, Lionheart she thought! Unless it was some kind of trick...

Briefly, he brought her up to speed on the situation.

Apparently Atomic Champion was in league with the escaped villains and had arranged to evacuate Ultra HQ in time for the bomb to go off and kill/depower the majority of Americas' supers. Whoever was left would be overwhelmed by the villains leaving just those Ultrahumans still in space helping Silver Sentinel left! Of course Silver Sentinel and Thunder Woman could mop most of them up but the fact was even they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers - and who knew when Silver Sentinel would get back from his place of healing inside the sun???

"Can you get here urgently. If we can get the other heroes locked out on the outside in, then we can start to unravel our traitors plans within the camp and start to get a foothold in this scenario that might see us gain the upper hand and stop fighting a rear guard action..."

Lionheart (if it was he...) finished outlining the plan. It seemed he'd gotten himself inside - no surprise given his speed - and was vastly outnumbered!

DavidMcMahon Tue Dec 14 2021, 19:06

Trying to think back to Lionheart, "I've lost most of my powers due to the missile having some way of negating powers. Got too close to it.
I'm pretty sure it was meant to take out all the Ultrahumans outside the base. I'm involved with the military right now where I brought the missile down but will be with you as soon as I can but its going to take time.

ooc: Along with my reduced power pool, what powers does she have left and at what level? And is copter faster than her running and jumping?

Admin Tue Dec 14 2021, 21:25

MISS VICTORY

OOC Miss V has Dex 10, mental and mystical stats the same along with Body but 2 Str. All powers are at Zero and she has Power Reserve 10 remaining. She can boost whatever she has but thinking about this, would Power Drain below zero with regards using her Power Reserve? Power Drain is supposed to stop the use of the power and at zero it is 'turned off' until the time passes where her powers return. Some of the powers would be at -5, some at -12 but for now she's scuppered. I think... with regards Power Drain it should turn the powers off until she can get back to 1AP then she can boost with Power Reserve again. Strength she can boost (because it is reduced to ordinary human levels) but that's all the abilities she can call on. Did you spend the HP to reduce the time to 9APs (half an hour) or leave it at 13APs (8 hours)...?

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