World War II - The Vanguard Issue #4 - The Battle Of Britain!

OOC Ah jolly good, let's get things moving again.

With their weapons jammed, the rank and file Nazis were no match for Anyman. His fearsome reputation after Berlin and the two metahuman training centres (both colossal disasters from the Nazis point of view, and the legend of each was enhanced even more by the botched attempts to cover up the mess by Nazi propaganda control...) saw to it that he remained unmolested as he moved over to a fenced off fuel dump.

NoMan, having become the recipient of the several powers (OOC those being flight, tough skin g2, strength g2, energy blast g2, and absorb kinetic energy - a special power) took a moment to adjust before he lurched into the air, arms and legs flailing as he flew in the rough general direction of the Nazi, intent on pounding him into the floor!

Anchor grabbed up a staff car, hefting it above his head and turning to face the oncoming Nazi troops!

The big Nazi snarled as he saw Anyman 'running away'. "You are weak, English pig! Time to die! My own legend will be enhanced when I extinguish yours!"

OOC Initiative time. 6 for good guys, 10 for bad. They have two frames. Using regular dice now. Getting a bit fed up of invisible castle turning up the same results (2nd roll higher than 1st) eight times out of ten...

Taking aim at NoMan, who clearly was struggling to get to grips with the dynamics of flying, the Nazi laughed. "Time to die!"

OOC Roll 15+3+6=24. 7 accuracy, x5 (energy)= 18htk, 17htc. Dividers reduced by 3 each to 2/2. NoMan takes 9htk 8htc. Nazi is down to 7/22 energy round 2/5

Anyman saw a number of Nazi troops heading his way. A dozen or so. Despite their weapons being ineffective, they sought to grab him and wear him down through sheer numbers!

The same happened to Anchor. The big man held a car above his head as if it were weightless, only for the Nazi troops to rush in and grab at him!

"Hey! Tha' tickles!" shouted Anchor, before he realised he was surrounded. "Hey... hold on a second now... you guys..."

Boadicea stuck to the shadows, moving around the walls and hiding behind oil drums when more troops rushed past. P'ertaria morphed into the form of a Nazi trooper and advised the PSI agent when the coast was clear! Their intention was to find out which building housed the captive P'utinarians and figure out a plan to free them!

Meanwhile Anyman neared another building (A) and saw that NoMan would have his hands full with the Nazi.

OOC Anyman, NoMan, Anchor to act, four frames apiece.

ooc: Was there supposed to be a map? wondering since you mentioned Building A.
Is there a PA system for the camp? Maybe at the commandant's office? Or at the radio shack?

Got a new idea. Destroy the radio. Get to the PA and announce "Anyman is Here!" And for all prisoners to escape through the hole in the fence while they can. IF they can't get out of their buildings, set up a ruckus or signal where they are so my team and I can rescue them. THEN start blowing things up and smashing power lines and over head phone lines, etc.

OOC that would be this one. As you can see, I slaved over it for seconds, sparing no effort (indeed, literally, sparing no effort for it) and making it the best that I could*



Anyman looked about. The building (marked D) to the North of the camp seemed rather large and had a wall of sandbags with machine gun posts outside of it. On the roof, another machine gun nest, manned by frustrated soldiers who tried to blast the invaders without joy!

If that were anything, it would be the 'command' area!

Heading towards it, he heard Anchor call out "We'll try 'n keep 'm busy, but dinnae take too long laddie!"

Anyman sped towards the Nazi troops heading towards him, and they wisely parted, seeing as their every effort to fill him full of holds resulted in weapons that wouldn't work - even the triggers were frozen solid by the mysterious magnetic effect that Spartan had arranged!

As he neared the command building, several braver Nazi soldiers stepped forwards, bayonets fixed to rifles and full prepared to lay down their lives for the cause!

OOC at this point Anyman has moved 3 frames - he can continue to move (and get inside the building) and come under attack from three soldiers, or stand and tangle with them, and clear the way. If he gets bogged down with men joining the three who are attacking with bayonets he might miss the opportunity to get to the loudspeaker system. Your call - risk coming under attack and get the job done or clear a space to (hopefully) do it without any interference (i.e. before they realise what you're trying to do).

NoMan faced off against the large Nazi. "Where is the accursed Anyman going, eh? You green skinned freak! I shall..."

Lunging at his foe, NoMan intended to wipe the snarl from his face and show - if only to himself - that he still had a valid reason to live in this world!

OOC Attacks on the Nazi. He uses a frame to move, then swings three times.Roll 11 (hit, barely. He is WC1.) for 22htc (41str +26 damage, same as the Nazi). Reduced by dividers (5/5) to 4htc. Roll 11, same again, 4htc. Roll 14, 34htc reduced to 7htc. Total 15htc. Not a massive amount, but enough to get the Nazis attention!

As NoMan floundered in the air, flailing with his fists, the Nazi was silenced by first one punch, then another, then another! As he wiped a trickle of blood from his nose, the man hissed "Alright. I will deal with you first!"

Just then a hurled car tumbled through the air - missing both combatants - and smashed into the roof of a building, disappearing out of sight!

On the ground, Anchor looked up. "Damn." he muttered (OOC rolled 8) then he set about slugging the Nazis surrounding him!

OOC Roll 16 (double) K'Od nazi - he goes flying through the air! Roll 17 - same!

With two tremendous THWACKS Anchor sends Nazi goons flying! They don't stand a chance against his huge fists! That said, there are over a dozen crowding up against him now, and he shouts "Back! Get back ye're dogs, else ah'll kick yer asses all th' way back tae bonny Scotland!"

OOC Just need the call on Anyman - if he keeps moving there'll be 'free' attacks on him, but at least he'll get to the speaker system.

*assuming I was blindfolded and draw with the pen between my toes whilst being tickled by a feather duster.

ooc: Too bad there's no "I clothesline them as I run by as they are so weak I don't even need to stop to deal with them." rule.

Keep moving and go for the PA system to let the prisoners know we are here and scare the pants off the Nazis who haven't yet heard they are being attacked by Anyman.

OOC Three soldiers get an attack in with bayonets as Anyman runs past. I will compile Anymans stats/hero points etc in the next post as I've done with the others. He's barely used the Dark Power, just a reminder that the more you use it, the better you get at it. Oh, and the greater the risk of wanted an unwanted apocalypse, of course, but that's by-the-by. Those attacks (WC0+DC6 of Anyman): 10 (miss), 5 (miss), 6 (miss). Well, that was a waste of time for them.

Anyman sprinted past the hapless soldiers as they flailed at air! He ran through a large open plan office with startled Nazi clerks (men and women both) sat at desks, some trying desperately to get a radio working whilst others crowded at windows to see what new atrocity the feared (and infamous) Anyman was committing! They screamed in panic as he raced amongst them, trenchcoat trailing and holding onto his hat as bumbling guards fell through the doorway behind him!

OOC By the way, note taken about your clothesline attack. That will be a multi-attack option as per the DC Heroes game we tried for the Lore Knights in the re-write I am doing for the GH rules. In other words, watch this space (I am starting on the powers, upgrading and expanding them. After that, everything is more or less easy).

He paused, looked about, then headed towards what looked to be the commandants office up the stairs! He crashed through a door to where the Commandant, a portly fellow in uniform and surrounded by three other officers around his desk, squealed in panic as Anyman burst into the doorway!

Anyman glanced about. "There!" he hissed, looking at the P.A. system in the corner of the room.

OOC Initiative... 3 Good Guys, 10 Bad guys.

The Nazis hastily pulled weapons whilst the Commandant stood, bellowing "Outrageous!" He fished in his draw and brought out a weapon unlike the standard issue luger!



With a cackle, he opened fire!

OOC This is unaffected by the magnetic field currently rendering 1940s technology useless (take note of what I just said...) Roll 17 +DC6=23. 6 Accuracy, x3 damage weapon and reduces dividers by 2. That's a hit. do you want to dodge (no parry unless with an object in hand already or energy attack/suitable power). Anyman would take 18htk and half that (nine) in htc. Nasty thing, but seeing as it's a 'death ray' the Nazi might want to take it back to the shop and demand his money back... Anyman is far from dead!

With a bright flash the pistol spat a ray of light that crackled in the air, setting Anymans hair on end!

The three officers pulled their lugers, aimed... and stared at their weapons in disbelief! The triggers wouldn't budge and the weapons were jammed! Downstairs there were shouts and commotion as the Nazi troops crashed through the office and started up the stairs...

OOC Aside from the desk, bookshelves, large sofa, drinks cabinet, there are several chairs and behind the desk/Nazis, a large window looking out onto the camp. There Anyman can see...

Anyman glanced to see the Nazi swoop in, grab NoMan, and with the aliens head in his hands, he lit NoMan up like a christmas tree! NoMan dropped, smoking, to the ground, whilst the Nazi glowed with new energy! Beyond that Anchor was being pummelled from all sides by a dozen Nazis, each kicking and stabbing at his huge form! There was, thankfully, no sign of P'ertaria or Boadicea...

OOC Response to the blast then your four/remaining frames. This is getting tricky and crowded... and there's another metahuman on their way...

ooc: Ignore the blast and hide the damage with my shapeshifting so they will think it is a useless weapon.

Now pounding my head against my desk as a brilliant thought, three days too late, comes to my mind. If guns won't work, why would a radio or PA system work? Total waste of time to go for the PA!!!!!!

But going to try and see if it will work anyways. Lance wouldn't have thought of that and Putty has huge memories gaps so he probably didn't think of it either.

Commandant should have a map of his camp up on the wall, they did in Hogan's Heroes. Buildings should be labeled to let me know where the prisoners are being held when not being experimented on and where the "experimental Labs" are at, which I imagine is where the prisoners who are being currently used are at.

So in order: try to get the PA working and let the prisoners know that they have an escape route open, that will close shortly when re-enforcements arrive. Look over the map, if PA system is working, let my team know where the labs are so they can go there to free the experimental subjects. IF the PA doesn't work, head for the labs myself quickest way there, which is probably jumping out the window or smashing through the wall and dropping to the ground.

The smile dropped from the Nazi officers face as Anymans form seemed to 'morph' back into shape, without trace of injury! (OOC damage noted in totals above). Allard moved past the terrified Nazis, scooped up the microphone for the camp PA system and flicked several switches. Nothing. He frowned, then gave it a whack on the side, ignoring the officers as they started to run for the exit and ran into the guards coming up the stairs!

Flicking the switch on and off, Anyman turned, a growl escaping his lips. Damn!

Glancing to the wall he saw that the buildings marked up (B1-B4) held the prisoners and the large building (marked 'A') was the science lab, where all the experiments took place!

With a glance back at the Nazis struggling to their feet near the entrance to the room Anyman hopped at the window, crashing through it and landing twenty feet below on the ground with a WHUMP! of earth thrown up! He hit running, and crossed the space between buildings by simply barging through the panicked Nazi troops who found themselves defenseless against the accursed Anyman! He was everything his legend said - and more!

As Anyman closed in on the lab door, suddenly the sky darkened! Everyone looked up to see a striking woman drop from the sky, slowing as she hovered above the roof of the Science block to float several metres above it (about 15m up in the air).



"Surrender, Anyman! We were told you and your friend 'Lionheart' would attack this facility. Him, we don't know, or care for. You? Berlin wants you dragged back in chains to face the wrath of the German people!"

She thrust her hands out, and energy blasted at Anyman!

OOC Anyman has used his movement/frames to get almost to the door of the science block, then this lady shows up. Elsewhere in the compound NoMan has been flattened by the other Nazi and Anchor is being beaten/stabbed anything sharp the Nazis can get hold of. Roll 14+WC3+DC6=23-17. 6 accuracy. X5 energy damage for 30 points, split 15htk, 15htc. Dividers reduced by -3 so Anyman would take that hit unless he dodged or parried (somehow). Response then initiative (the others are in their own private scraps). Heroes 3, bad guys 5 so they'd have a frame to act before Anymans' four.

Again, going to ignore the damage and get inside as fast as possible. Both these foes are out of his reach, so it is better to get the fight indoors where he has a better chance at taking them down.

Once inside, then will decide what to do when I see what's behind door number one.

Anyman more or less fell through the front door of the large science building wood exploding inwards as his shoulder hit - hard! He felt in ragged shape, but was still on his feet 0 that meant he still had a chance to set the P'utinarians free! It felt right to do that, and he knew the mysterious voice inside was all in favour of it. Though the other voice, the one that sounded like it gargled hot coals in its mouth, didn't seem bothered either way!

Inside was a large office, men and women in uniform at desks, others in white coats making notes and comparing them. There must have been fifty people in this room.

All looked up at the same time. One woman gasped, her pen falling from her hand as she moved it to her mouth.

It clattered to the floor, sound deafening in here where a pin dropping would have been heard!

Anyman glanced at the back of the room. Two large doors led deeper into the buildings, doubtless to laboratories and testing areas.

Half a dozen guards - soldiers - ran from the back of the room towards Anyman, hampered by the terrified scientists trying to get away from him! Everyone knew who he was - his picture had been splashed over every newspaper, though every account differed. One man's 'artists impression' was the next mans look of blank confusion, but enough of the reports had described the man in front of them in enough detail that they knew to fear him!

One person who didn't fear him was the woman outside!

She shouted in "Don't make me come in there after you, coward! If you surrender now, your friends lives will be spared, I promise you!"

The guards were still coming at Anyman, though having drawn ineffective pistols they seemed rather less enthusiastic at taking him on hand to hand. In the rest of the room panicked screams and cries from the Scientists drowned out the sounds of battle from outside. And the glow from the flying woman was getting closer as she floated down towards the door...

Ignoring the shouting woman, Anyman looks around for any signs on the doors telling him which way to go.

ooc: If there aren't any, he picks the left door.

"You better leave," he tells the scientists in German, "if I find what I think I will find, I'm going to smear your bodies flat and make blood jelly on the walls with them!"

He then starts running for the door he picked.

Anyman barged past panicking scientists to come into a long corridor. Scanning the labels on the doors, he saw 'examination room' amongst them, and darted for it. There was a red light on above the door, but he ignored that - and the fact it was locked - to crash into the room with an explosion of shattered wood!

The room was large and dimly lit with a red light. There were waist high banks of advanced looking machines, along the wall more machines with arcing electricity crackling between metal poles, and dials that flickered and registered various readings. There were two scientists stood at consoles looking towards a clear area in the centre of the room and there, inside a glass tube that ran to a machine in the ceiling, was a P'utinarian, grey ooze turning decidedly pink and mushy as whatever ray it was being subjected to broke down it's bodily substances!

There was another couple of scientists over by the wall machines, noting down readings. All four turned as the door crashed in. "How dare...?" one started. Another chirped in "This is a restricted area! There is radiation in here!"

Anyman saw all were wearing top to toe suits and on their heads were sealed hoods/clear glass panels. There WAS some kind of strange radiation in here... he felt it pulling at his skin... a glance at one of his hands showed the 'bandages' - which were part of his skin - were oozing slowly, like candle wax! He turned to look at the pitiful creature dying in the tube, then saw the wall at the back of the room was lined with shallow cells, the doors made of glass. Inside the four cells was a P'utinarian, all very pale grey which suggested they were terrified!

A Nazi scientist came forward "Who do you think...?" Then he stepped back, gasping. "You... you're..."

Somewhere out in the corridor there was a commotion - the flying woman was hot on Anymans' heels!

A Nazi scientist came forward "Who do you think...?" Then he stepped back, gasping. "You... you're..."

Somewhere out in the corridor there was a commotion - the flying woman was hot on Anymans' heels!.

"Anyman is Here," Anyman sang out in German so they would all know who he was.

With that, Anyman looked for some way to stop or reduce ther radiation. There had to be some sort of lead doors or panels to close to shut it off. He wouldn't take too much time doing it though as the clock was ticking and the woman was getting closer.

"Time to activate our Dark Power," he told his inner selves.

ooc: Going for Energy Immunity - Radiation and Grade One Superspeed. Will use a Hero Point, if needed, to keep from going out of control. Can't take too much time looking for a way to stop the radiation, maybe a half frame at superspeed. If nothing found, smash in, grab the P'utarnarians and run out away for the room and the radiation. Since it was a corridor, maybe I can find another room or a air vent I can drop them off into with orders to get ouf of the camp as fast as possible and tell them where the hole in the fence is. If not, try running past the woman with them in my arms. With stretching, grade two strength and Shapeshifting, I might be able to carry all of them at once. How many points is these two powers since I don't normally have them? 20?

OOC for powers you don't have, cost is 20 points (if it normally costs 2 powers to get in the first place, then it costs 40 points). So, if you're looking to net around 40 points or a bit more, I'd say you'd need to go for around 9 Dark power ego. Using a hero point if necessary should make it a cinch, but those dice can be fickle! Let's see... 2D10+12 Ego vs 2D10+9 Dark power ego. ( [10,8,12] = (30) Anyman, [10,9,9] = (28) Dark power,
[2,5,9,2,10,7,1,4,9] = (49) The 10 gives a bonus die, the 1 cancels out the bonus die. 49 points to spend as you will.) You get energy immunity (radiation) and superspeed grade 1

With eyes that crackled with Dark red energy, Anyman sped into action! Moving past the terrified scientists he looked at the panel and said "Ah ha!" pulling a lever that stopped the deadly red lamp from shining down! Anyman had stopped feeling its prickly bite, and hoped the unfortunate alien in the tube had as well. He sped over to the tube, smashed a fist through it and whispered "you're free. Come on.". Then he zipped over to the cells, undoing each from the outside with just the slamming back of a bolt. The Aliens had been through a lot - they shrank back in fear at first, but something about Anyman made them trust him, and they formed up into vaguely human shapes to move from the cells.

Speeding back to the stricken alien in the tube that had been suffering, Anyman looked about for a container. With a frown he pulled off his hat and gently scooped the alien mass into it, though some spilled onto the floor! One of the P'utinarian prisoners came over "We will help." it stretched an arm out to touch the stricken alien and the pale grey mass oozed into the P'utinarian, diluting its colour.

Anyman turned as the Nazis screamed to get out of the door.

Then he heard a cry out "Move out of my way fools! I will kill the Anyman!"

She was here!

The P'utinarians glanced at one another. One spoke up "The radiation... from a 'Lunarium Ray' they said. A means to empower their forces, make an army of people like you! They used it to change us, altering the power and frequency. Many died! They... they cannot be allowed to keep torturing us like this!"

The Nazis had more or less left the room, the P'utinarians were ready to leave. Then in the doorway, the Nazi woman stood. "Now I have you, freak!"

OOC End of your round with the Dark power, but you can call on it as many times as needed. Remember that whatever Ego you decide for the Dark Power gets a bonus of +1 to its roll to take over, and every time you use the Dark power after that, that goes up by +1. 1d10=4 Anyman, 1d10=2 Nazi villainess. You have 1 frame, then she has 4.

"More Lunarium," Putty muttered, "where is it?"

He looks around for it. Another supply taking from the German and getting it home would be a very good thing.


oocL going to hold my one frame to dodge/block/parry/whatever seems appropriate for her first attack.

Anyman looked about. The machines led into the roof, and some kind of metal piping/tubing went up into the ceiling. Clearly the machine supplying the 'Lunarium rays' was in the building. The precious ore really was starting to be troublesome now for the allies. The Nazis were intent on perfecting the technique so as to create an army of superhuman soldiers, each man capable of taking out hundreds of enemy troops!

Allard figured he had a pretty good idea on which way the piping went, towards the centre of the building. That meant back into the corridor and find his way through the maze of rooms or create his own door - by smashing through the walls!

Then he turned - the woman was there! Cursing under his breath - a gentleman never swore in front of a lady, no matter how insidious they were! - he tried to prepare for whatever attack came his way...

The lightning blast that flew from his hands lit the room up, causing those nearby to feel their hair standing on end! Somewhere a scientist shouted "NO! Not in here!"

OOC Dreadful rolls. 2d10+3+6-17=1 Hit, 2d10+3+6-17=0 Miss. That's a full 3htk, 2htc. I'm not sure you'll be able to take that sort of hit etc. I assume no response required, other than a snort of derision. 4 frames, you're up. The Nazi has spent 15 energy of her 20. 5 remaining, round 2/5. Anymans current status:

Get in stretching range, if not already, and punch away.

"Sorry, my dear," Anyman says as he swings away. "I was tuaght never to hit a lady. Luckily, you are no lady!"

OOC 2d10+2+6=20, 2d10+2+6=24, 2d10+2+6=17, 2d10+2+6=19. One miss. 31htc, 39htc, 29htc, all reduced by dividers to 33htc.

POW! PAFF! SMACK!

Stretching an arm out Anyman delivers an uppercut, a backhand and a chopping right whilst stood there checking his nails with his other hand. As his arm stretches back he watches his foe peel herself from the smashed wooden wall, an angry look on her face and a bloodied nose to boot!

"You... YOU!!!" she screamed, face flushing with rage!

OOC Initiative... 1d10=9 Heroes, 1d10=6 bad guys. 2 frames. I will assume more of the same? Heh, KAPOW! 2d10+2+6-17=7, 2d10+2+6-17=10. First roll was double 8. That comes up with 2d10=6. 13 accuracy, +12 from punch +25 from strength. 50htc /3 =17htc. The Nazi woman is staggered. Next hit 45htc /3 =15htc. Down and out! I'd forgotten how badass Anyman can be in a straight up fistfight!

Before the woman can say anything else, Anyman narrows his eyes, picking his spot. He slams a fist into her stomach then delivers a right cross that spins her on the spot to face the other way and collapse into a heap!

The P'utinarians gape. One of them comes forward "You ARE the ANYMAN..." he whispers in admiration. "We thought of you as myth.. the Nazis speak of you in fear, and look in suspicion at one another when your name is mentioned..."

OOC You plan to get these guys out or going looking for the Lunarium/other aliens?

"Yes, I'm Anyman. Part of me is P'utarnarian too," Anyman says. "Listen, we have a ship to get you folks out of here. We made a hole in the fence and for now, most of the weapons of the Germans won't work. The more futuristic ones do, so beware of them! But pistols, rifles and machine guns won't work. Get yourselves out of here, through the fence and into the woods where the ship can pick you up. There is at least one other Nazi super out there, avoid him if you can. Change your shape, if you still can, into one of these scientists or soldiers and flee!"

"I'm going after the Lunarium and then free as many of the rest locked up elsewhere. I have friends fighting outside right now, though they may have been overcomed at this point. So do your best to get out of here and into the woods. Free your comrades where you can as you go."


ooc: Priority is the Lunarium and then freeing anyone else in this building, then if Mr. Bad Ass hasn't come inside after me yet, get outside and start freeing those locked up in their barracks. If he does come after me, fight him inside where I can reach him. Going to use one more round of Dark Power, using a Hero Point if needed, to heal myself up as best I can in that round. HTK before HTC. Forgot your rules for healing costs of doing that. But not a lot of points to spend in it. Hate to kill everyone just for trying to heal myself.

Game Mechanics Proposal - The Dark Power (version 1,000,000... and not the last by any means... Rolling Eyes )

OOC In game terms, you tell me (as a player) a number from 2 upwards. Then we make an Ego roll with, say, Frostbites Ego vs the number you choose, and if Frosty/whoever wins they get to play around with boosted abilities for a few rounds. When/if the High Prince wins the Ego contest, he takes control, and a mess ensues. Here's the thing. The number you specify is the number of D10 you roll for 'Dark Power' points. If you roll a '10' on a die, it grants a (free) bonus die to roll and add to the total, BUT if you roll a '1' on another of the dice, it cancels out a bonus die. So '10s explode' and 1s spoil the fun by cancelling out a bonus die.

Example: Frosty rolls 1d10=2, 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=1, 1d10=9, 1d10=3, 1d10=10, 1d10=10, 1d10=9, 1d10=7. That's two 10s and one 1. He gets two bonus dice but takes one away for the one, so rolls another D10 to add to his 10D10 total. If he rolls a 10 on that, it also 'explodes' and so on.

Spending the Dark Power points goes as follows:

Increase the Grade of an existing power for one round: 15 points.
Buy Grade 1 of a power you don't have for one round: 20 points.
For a power that normally requires 2 power rolls, double the cost.
Absorb HTC or HTK damage (from yourself or anyone you touch, so you heal them): 1 for 1 basis.
Increase Ego to protect against external attack: 1 for 1 basis for that attack only.
Buy an extra Frame for the round: 15 per frame

Dark Power points also drain at the rate of 1D10 points at the end of a round.

You can also spend Dark power points with a special 'Dark power blast' that has the following effects:

1D6 of Htc or Htk (your choice): 2 per die up to 6d6, then 3 per die up to 12d6, then 4 per die up to 18d6, then 5 per die up to 24d6 etc. Rather than actually rolling the dice for damage, simply assume a roll of 6 per die.
Range is 10m for every 3 points, so blasting it 30m away costs 9 points.
Making it an area attack costs 3 per metre of radius at the point of impact, so hitting with a 10m radius blast affecting all in the area costs 30 points.
Dividers cost 5 points for each -1 damage divider reduction.
Accuracy (an addition to your hit roll) can be increased with +1 per 3 points spent.
You can also skip all the roll to hit stuff by spending 10 points per 5m radius with a blast that centres on you and affects everyone - friend and foe alike, within range (but not yourself).

That's per blast, so once the points are spent, they are gone.

Example: Frostbite is feeling lucky (a rare occasion...) He tries for the number 10, and tests his Ego (12) +1d20 vs the Dark Power (10) +1d20. He gets a higher total, and rolls 10D10 for his Dark power points. He can use them to boost existing powers or use new ones, absorb damage and so on. There is a 'natural drain' of 1D10 points/round at the end of every round as well.

When the Dark Power points are gone, it's back to testing Ego again, save that it's Frostys Ego of 12+1d20 vs number of points (number of D10s) Frosty wants to try for + the number of rounds he's been using the Dark Power (1 upwards) +1D20. If Frosty makes the roll, he gets another <however many points he tried for in D10s> Dark Power points to spend as he likes. If he doesn't make it... *kaboom* etc. The score is reset by 1 point per hour. So use 10 rounds worth, and 10 hours later, it's back down to zero again, but you can try to use the Dark Power at any point at any time. Eventually all these costs and numbers will change if the characters get more experienced, so that the Dark Power of low risk to use, at a power Golden Heroes rules set wasn't designed to emulate!

Example: Frosty used his Dark power points over 4 rounds. When they run out, it's clear that trying for 10 points again will be trickier, because it's his Ego (12) vs 10 + 4 (number of rounds he's used Dark power) meaning he's better off trying for less Dark power points to use, unless he feels lucky!


Things are trickier for Silver Sentinel. His Ego is effectively halved, because of his inexperience and the fact that Frosty, Anyman, Wynn and Nowhere Boy have all done this before and have lots of voices in their head. Nowhere Boy would have his Ego changed by a random amount because of all the confused squabbling noise he hears in his head, which might help, or hinder him, he just doesn't know, which is why he tends to keep things restrained. Silver Sentinel can still try to use the Dark Power, but is relying more on luck than anything else at staying on control of turning into some megalomaniac Dark phoenix style cosmic power!

I hope that makes sense.

Edit: You can use Hero Points to pay for a reroll of your Ego check - as many as you consider you'll need (1 HP=1 reroll)

When you're picking powers and upgrades, if there's a roll involved, you roll the maximum. So an extra grade of strength adds 12 points for example. I may jig those costs about some, and add/edit a few options so that the decidedly street level powers Golden Heroes has are more fitting for a character that can flatten countries. Remember this is your characters and the Dark Power trying to keep things in check, so you'll get a boost certainly, but you won't be the all conquering world smasher you have the potential to be - unless of course you tell the Dark power to have his wicked way and stand back to watch the fireworks!

Disclaimer: I am not, and do not claim to be, a maths whiz who can balance probabilities and costs/game balance, so some of these costs may have to be tweaked!

OOC All that mumbo jumbo is what you need. It will be copied into the house rules document when I rewrite it (I'm also still on the 'Vanguard' version of the GH rules, which to be honest so far is only keeping the frames/actions mechanic along with a few other things.You'll be able to stretch further when its done, for a start... Healing is done on a one for one basis with Dark power points, You could do with around 50 points or more, but knowing the risks its probably best to play it safe so... your 12 ego vs, what, 7 for the Dark Power (+1 to 8 because you used it recently) and see how that goes... Let's see...[5,9,12] = (26) Anyman vs [7,7,8] = (22) Dark power (DOUBLE!) plus 2d10=14. Result is 26 (you) vs 36 (Dark Power). I assume you use a hero point to avoid annihilating most of Northern Poland... 2d10=18 (and that was a double, too).
[7,2,5,9,8,7,9] = (47) Dark Power points to spend. I will update your totals when I get home, but you heal 27htk putting you on 48/48 then 20htc putting you on 58/60. You are on 14 Hero points, Dark Power Ego is currently 2 (that drops by 1 point/hour you don't call on it) and Dark Power XP is on 3/5. When you've completed 5/5 every point you challenge of the Dark Power will net you 2d10 instead of 1D10, so its worth taking the risk, even if only to use it for small amounts. That said, you've just seen what the dice can do, and you won't earn new Hero Points by using the Dark Power...

As dark red energy crackled in his eyes and around his form, the shadows seemed to grow in the room. The P'utinarians shrank back in fear, and for a moment it looked like they - and this entire area - might feel the wrath of a fallen god! It passed and Anyman recovered his composure, looking up and down himself, His wounds were almost gone!

And yet he'd felt the rushing tide of the Dark power come towards him as he tried to hold it back. It had been close...

He moved into the corridor and kept an ear out for the sounds of battle coming from outside. Checking every door as he went, regardless of whether it was locked or not, he discovered mostly administration offices though some had scientific data written on sheets of paper along with various lab equipment. Smashing it would probably start a fire and cause another diversion, but would he have time to accomplish his goal?

He moved on. His appearance was enough to petrify any Nazis he came across who sprinted in the opposite direction - even the guards, for their weapons were useless! One brave/foolish guard swung his weapon as a club, only to be batted across the corridor like a rag doll in return for his efforts!

Finally Anyman came up to a metal door and knew he'd come up with something. Just then there came a crackling over the tannoy system and a sneering Nazi voice rang out.

"Our weapons work again Anyman! We know not what witchery you performed to do that, but know this! We have your friends! Surrender or they die, horribly!"

'The stone you seek is behind that door' said the Dark power. 'Your friends' sacrifice will not go in vain!'

Anyman heard many booted feet coming down the corridor (and they'd have to turn a bend before they got to him at the end of the corridor with the solid metal door). They were coming!

OOC Hard choice to make. Your friends or the Lunarium?

"Our weapons work again Anyman! We know not what witchery you performed to do that, but know this! We have your friends! Surrender or they die, horribly!"

'The stone you seek is behind that door' said the Dark power. 'Your friends' sacrifice will not go in vain!'

Anyman heard many booted feet coming down the corridor (and they'd have to turn a bend before they got to him at the end of the corridor with the solid metal door). They were coming!

Damn hard choice. But surrendering won't get us anywhere except a group firing squad. Doubt if they want to keep me alive for experimentation at this time. Put up against a wall and shot, with lots of cameras to record the scene to be replayed over and over again.

That said, having the Lunarium may help me out since floating big guy outside may be vulnerable to its rays like many of the others are. So going for the Lunarium and fighting my way out to my teammates with it.

Anyman made the choice, stepped up to the door and felt for the gaps between door and frame. He could hear the booted feet - a lot of them now - getting much closer and concentrated on the task at hand as best he could. The metal made a groaning sound as steel hard fingers twisted and pulled it away from the door frame. He got a hand in and tossed the door behind him into the corridor!

A red glow met him as he shielded his eyes. Inside this large room a number of suited Nazi scientists monitored banks of machines around the walls. In the centre of the room was a large glass cylinder running almost to the ceiling with a metal cap and pipes/metal tubes running out of it to various machines. Inside the cylinder was the largest single piece of Lunarium Anyman had ever seen! It was huge, around the size of a child, and suspended in the middle of the cylinder whilst liquid - presumably water - bubbled around it. At the bottom of the cylinder more cables and conduits ran from various machines and a smell of ozone filled the air. They were directing electricity through the cylinder which somehow reacted with the liquid and the lunarium to discharge energy through the hoses and tubes at the top, sending out wave after wave of Lunarium radiation!

"You cannot come in..." started one of the scientists as he walked over. His head to toe suit had a panel where the face was and the face inside registered shock as they saw who the intruder was!

Even from here Anyman felt the buzz, the tingle of Lunarium radiation! These idiots didn't know what they were playing with! This rock was one of the most powerful substances in the known universe apparently - enough for Alien races to traverse light years in the hopes of securing a supply, and here the Nazis were applying brute force science to use it to generate power without realising that too much would cause a chain reaction and blow this place - and probably miles around it - sky high!

Anyman turned. Around 10m away soldiers rounded the corner and levelled weapons. "SURRENDER!" they shouted.

Over the tannoy the voice announced "THE BIG MAN IS DEAD, ANYMAN! DOES THE FREAK HAVE TO DIE TOO?"

OOC The Lunarium would be a valuable prize indeed. It's the rare red kind as well, the most powerful of the variants that the Vanguard have so far encountered. That said there are a dozen soldiers behind him approaching steadily, the radiation in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife and according to the Nazi, he's killed Anchor...

Even from here Anyman felt the buzz, the tingle of Lunarium radiation! These idiots didn't know what they were playing with! This rock was one of the most powerful substances in the known universe apparently - enough for Alien races to traverse light years in the hopes of securing a supply, and here the Nazis were applying brute force science to use it to generate power without realising that too much would cause a chain reaction and blow this place - and probably miles around it - sky high!

Anyman turned. Around 10m away soldiers rounded the corner and levelled weapons. "SURRENDER!" they shouted.

Over the tannoy the voice announced "THE BIG MAN IS DEAD, ANYMAN! DOES THE FREAK HAVE TO DIE TOO?"

OOC The Lunarium would be a valuable prize indeed. It's the rare red kind as well, the most powerful of the variants that the Vanguard have so far encountered. That said there are a dozen soldiers behind him approaching steadily, the radiation in the room is thick enough to cut with a knife and according to the Nazi, he's killed Anchor....

ooc: oh no! Not Red Lunarium! I hope I don't get a giant Ant head or turn into a rampaging giant gorilla.!



Anyman quickly stretchs into the room, trying to smash the cylinder and grabbing the glowing red rock.

With arms shooting outwards, Anyman shatters the thick glass and almost instantly regrets it! There is a strange tingling sensation in his fingers, which spreads rapidly to his hands and arms... they flop like they have deflated, pooling on the floor, whilst the radiation burns his eyes when he looks directly at the thing!

Water gushes out from the shattered glass so that the rock is no longer cooled! It's radiation bathes the room in red waves, and the Nazis in the suits scream! Their suits had been adequate for a certain amount of time before but now? Exposed to the unfettered might of the radiation they dropped to their knees, silently screaming into the helmets and clawing at their faces!

One of the Scientists' suit splits as spines grow from his back, 6" long and wickedly pointed. His helmet smashes as his jaw extends and juts with rows of teeth! Another expands like a balloon, then explodes, showering the room with green acid that starts to melt machines and burn through the walls! Yet another turns into gas, his suit empty as yellow smoke seeps from the gaps in it and another cries out as his skin falls off, leaving him screeching into his suit as his body steadily crumbles!

Each one is massively mutated, most in a fatal way, and Anyman himself reels backwards, head spinning! He hears booted feet come up behind him and shouts, but they die away as they are replaced by screams! Through a haze of pain he sees a lever on the wall that runs to a box and cables running up and across the ceiling. A glance there reveals a strange metal container, steam coming off the sides, like a bath but one that splits in the middle. The sign says 'Emergency Containment'.

With all the strength leaving his limbs and his powers diverted into keeping his body alive, Lance Allard knows his time is running out - if he had no powers, he would be dead by now! He flinches as the screams of a Nazi shatter the glass in the entire camp, too high for humans to hear but enough to wreak devastating damage! Another bursts into flames and melts, yet another immediately transforms into an Ocotpus/man hybrid, his top half tentacled and useless whilst human legs stagger under the weight!

'...listen... must ... away... foolish... cannot understand...' said the Dark Power inside. The words were disjointed as part of his brain simply shut down, and Lance Allard felt the last of his superhuman power dwindle... a few more moments and he would suffer the fate of these others!

Through a haze of agony he staggered across the room and reached for the lever. He more or less fell on it, and a klaxon sounded... he turned to see hot lead drop down from the bath like box on the ceiling, dousing the Lunarium and hardening near instantly...

Allard slumped backwards against the wall. His face, hands, all of his exposed skin was blistered... This was it... the end... after all this time he would...

'Foolish mortal.' rasped the Dark Power. 'Still, I am glad you lived. It would be an inconvenience to find another host...'

Allard felt his strength and his powers returning. The place looked like it'd been melted, with every metal piece of equipment oozing like wax. More remarkable was the wooden walls, even the chairs. The wood had somehow come back to life and the chair legs had dug roots through the floor. There were leaves sprouting from window frames whilst the doors twisted and buckled to resemble trees!

In the corridor were a score or so of mutated, slain Nazi soldiers. The range hadn't been so great - perhaps 30m or so - but everything caught within that deadly unfettered radiation had felt its touch!

OOC The Lunarium is coated in lead. No bother for you to carry but it will slow you down. Close shave, but I figured Allard would pull the level so made it happen. You have your rock. Getting it out might be more of a challenge...

"That went well, don't you think," Allard moaned to his other selves.

"Right! Piece of cake," Putty agreed, getting into the mood. "Everything else will be just peachy after that."

"Yes," the third voice said coldly. "Easy. A mortal with powers greater than your own, unless you use my power, waits outside for you. All the guns are working for the enemy now. All your comrades are probably already dead. You've only freed four P'utanarians out of who knows how many and they are trapped in this building unless they too were killed by the radiation. So you have saved no one. You have gotten your team killed ... again. And you are going to have to fight tooth and nail just to get away."

"Like I said," Putty replied grimly, "a piece of cake! Now shut up!!!"

"Good thing lead is soft," Allard says, as he staggers out of the room with the rock in one hand. "I can peal back a bit of it and point it at Mister Flying Nazi and see how he likes the radiation, the rest of the lead should protect us if I point it right."

actions: head out and face the music.

Hefting the unwieldy mass of the lead encrusted Lunarium, Anyman picked his way through the corridor over and around the bodies of the fallen soldiers. The place had been warped unnaturally, wood and glass reverting to their natural states whilst the building creaked and swelled underfoot. Moving out of the initial range of the strange stone seemed as if a line had been drawn - from mutated/corrupted/altered to normal. Leaves were sprouting from window sills whilst branches grew from wooden chairs. The floorboards had split, swelled and started regrowing into trees.

The place would be a miniature forest in a matter of hours! Clearly, the Nazis had no inkling of the power they played with. They used it to change their people, enhance them, little realising that every human the Lunarium radiation touched would have their lifespan shortened dramatically! Only Anymans existing superhuman abilities had saved him.

He walked out into the sunlight of the courtyard, shielding eyes against the light. The flak guns were tracking the sky now for sign of Spartan and the V-Ship, but he wasn't crazy enough to come close and risk destruction without word from Anyman and the others.

Lance looked about. He faced near on sixty armed soldiers, some with machine guns, others with rifles, some with flame-throwers, all trained on him. Floating above them, some 10m in the air, the big Nazi held a pulped slab of meat in his hands. With a sneer the man tossed the limp form to the ground. Hardened to death, Anyman didn't turn away as Anchor thudded head first into the floor, falling at an unnatural angle. His body was cut up by multiple bullets, and it looked like he'd taken a savage beating before he died.

He'd not gone down without a fight though - there were Nazi soldiers scattered about, dozens of them, and the Super Nazi looked like his face had been trampled by a herd of cattle, such were the bruises that swelled and split on his face.

"He fought well." rasped the Nazi. "But he died." The man shrugged. "On my mark, prepare to open fire!"

Anyman glanced about. There was no sign of P'ertaria or Boadicea, and he hoped beyond all hope they'd managed to get the Aliens out somehow whilst the Nazis were preoccupied with their mortal enemy!

'You cannot sacrifice yourself.' rasped the inner voice. 'Too much is at stake. I would not die, and nor would you, but there would be a setback. Call on me if you must, but do not sacrifice yourself!'

"My orders were to bring you back in chains to the ruins of Berlin. I say to hell with that! You are too wily, too dangerous. I respect what you hef done, Anyman. You are my enemy, and your legend is deserved. Mine will be enhanced beyond all measure though when I drag you back to Berlin, broken and rotting! Any last words before you are killed?" snarled the Nazi.