Archive Mutants & Masterminds: Legacy - Issue #0 - Crisis

[Rorx]

Hype shrugged, whether anyone could see it or not, "Yeah, I'm sure you could Echo, but this is going so slowly I'm getting itchy feet, and this was the most I could do without risking more of Watchmans tricks. So the faster you peeps get here the happier I'll be ok?"

[Tesstarossa]

Tessa nodded and took the air as well, She couldn't make herself smile, She was upset that she still had work to do with her telekinetic powers. Instead she just moved on to the shuttlebay, because evidently he was just itching to get moving. She looked at him once she got there.

"In a hurry to see what's waiting in the dungeon?"

[z-Watchwoman]

"Hype, stay there, we're in route." Watchwoman made a note to discuss acting on physical 'itches' to Hype after the mission - After all, if I acted on mine, you'd all be in trouble, she thought bitterly.

She glanced at Centurion as he spoke. "Thank you for your assistance," she said. Thank you for helping to rescue my father. "We'll do everything in our power to help you in return."

She realized she hadn't acknowledged Echo. "I heard you," she said to just the cybernetic woman. "We'll proceed with all due haste, but you were right to not tell the others. Until we know they wouldn't panic, we'll have to keep them in the dark." Part of her hated that, but the cold part of her that was just like her father pointed out that her teammates had shown that they could react without prudence or forethought.

She nodded at Hype as they entered the hanger bay, then glanced at Echo. "Please use the codes to get us in. Everyone, give her time to work." I shouldn't have to say that! Be calm. They'll learn.

[Joani]

Echo easily accessed the prison's security system and opened the shuttle bay doors which led them inside. The bay was large enough to contain 2 shuttles and there were crates and heavy load bots to unload the supplies which were regularly delivered to the prison. There was blood on the floor which must’ve belonged to at least 2 person but the bodies were gone. No traces of combat could be seen.

Echo hesitated briefly before she accessed the next door which would get them into the prison complex.

[Joani]

The rescue was more important than small details like bloodstains on the floor.

Echo opened the next door and guided the team to the elevator section. The main level of the facility was mostly intact except for the section where the spacecraft had crashed into. The force must've been extreme since the structure was constructed to withstand extreme damage. Taking a look at the ruined and damaged parts it was obvious that something more must've happened than just a crash. Someone must've known how to bypass parts of the security measurements in order to get this far.

All guards and staff were dead on this level their bodies sprawled randomly around. It was a perfect match to the crash - people weren't expecting anything to breach the facility and were caught in their daily routine.

The elevator was still undamaged and after MegaGirl removed some of the debris, very glad her strength and powers were restored, the way was free.

Echo sensed a short power spike in the system just before the elevator reached the fifth level. The doors opened and then the power shut down - all lights turned off and Echo got violently disconnected from the system.

(ooc: Echo is briefly stunned and disoriented before she can readjust to the surroundings. It is dark and there is absolutely no light. You can hear someone moaning not far away.)

[z-Watchwoman]

"No one move," Watchwoman said, even as Hudsy switched on the night goggles.

"Too dark, Serene," the AI told her in his calm voice. "Switching to Infrared."

Watchwoman blinked as the colors on her display went crazy. "Alright, I can see, kinda. Anyone have a flashlight? Or something more than a mild glow?" she added, glancing at Karra's eyes.

[MegaGirl]

MegaGirl felt bad about the not living people - it wasn't supposed to be like that. They should get back up after losing.

MegaGirl pushed the unpowered doors the rest of the way open, then peered out of the elevator, still staying behind Watchwoman - she didn't want to make a mistake again - or get sprayed by the bad stuff.

"It's dark... "

"I can't see without some light, like suns or stars or moons or things..."

"I wish I could see in the dark."

[Djane]

"As you wish, master." Djane's voice got strange. She snapped her fingers, and MegaGirl felt her eyeballs change shape, becoming more catlike.

Click to reveal..

Using Empowerment to give MegaGirl Darkvision (Super-Senses 2 ranks) for 2pp.

Current PP allocation... I'll say 18 points to keeping MegaGirl's suit able to fit her (assuming the original is about 5lbs) and 2pp for Darkvision, leaving 46pp in the pool.

[SalmonMax]

"Ungh!" Echo put a hand to her head and caught herself against the elevator wall as her legs wobbled. After becoming accustomed to the information overload of prison interface, suddenly having it collapse back down was a shock.

For a few seconds she could only stand there, collecting herself. Finally she managed to say, "I've been ejected from the prison network. I'm not sure why."

When she realized it was too dark to see, she activated the DRUID's phased array radar to resolve the surroundings.

"I don't have a flashlight, but I have a radar system."

[MegaGirl]

"Oh! My eyes feel funny - hey! I can see! You're the awesomest Djane!" MegaGirl seemed unaware of new shape of her pupils, or the slightly more intense glow of their - now - golden-green colour.

MegaGirl leaned over the shorter members of the group, peering ahead at what she could now see.

Click to reveal.. ( Notice Check)

Notice, if needed (1d20+8=28)

[Joani]

The darkness slowly gave away shapes and forms to MegaGirl's enhanced vision. It was getting better with every passing second until she could almost see as good as in bright daylight.

The elevator was part of a security lock system that only let pass one person before it let the next pass through to the next room where a large array of scanners made sure any person entering the high security area was clean. The doors were opened though - forced open by something that must've been either very strong or very hot or both. Parts of the layering was melted and fused.

MegaGirl could see that all doors of the prisoner cells were opened.

Watchwoman's infrared vision gave some weak shapes shielded partly by the walls around the cells. It looked like all cells were still having prisoners held.

[MegaGirl]

"Watchwoman - now that I can see, I can see that all the doors are opened. Prison doors should be closed, right?"

Megagirl took a long step forward, then pointed at the partially melted doors - thinking since she could see, others should be able too, as well. "Those two doors look like they're melted by something really, really hot or like when I play with metal and squish it too much."

[Djane]

"Uh... no problem?" Holy hell. I did it without even thinking. That's... that's a little freaky. I want to go home...

"Wish I could see in the dark, too." She snapped her fingers, her eyes transforming as well. (44pp remaining) She looked around the room. "So someone blasted them out? Or... how do they hold super-people here, anyway? Like, ones that can shoot fire and stuff..."

[Celestial Centurion]

With both infrared and ultraviolet vision now part of his standard vision Centurion didn't notice the dark so much as he noticed the loss of certain details. "Without some effort to contain the heat and radiation I cannot generate light without ... collateral damage." He slowly glided ahead and inspected the melted doors to try and gauge the material and how hot they would need to have gotten to melt.

Click to reveal..

Search +9

(17:12:29) ChatBot: (Centurion) rolls 1d20 and gets 7. +9 = 16

Investigate +6

(17:13:46) ChatBot: (Centurion) rolls 1d20 and gets 6. +6 = 12

[SalmonMax]

"There are bodies in the cells," Echo said abruptly, her head tilted a little as if listening to something inaudible.

"Twelve. I've lost contact with the shuttle...I can't confirm if they're alive or dead."

Her voice spoke simultaneously in Serene's head. This wasn't how I saw this floor through the cameras. They've been moved. And I'm pretty sure my loss of contact with the shuttle and network were because of outside interference.

[Joani]

The Celestial Centurion couldn't determine what kind of alloy the metal was but from the way it melted and by the looks of it the heat must've been close to a sun's supernova - only very focused and centered to a point. He wasn't sure if he was able to generate so much energy with one of his blasts.

Whatever melted the doors must've possessed near unlimited energy or power.

Suddenly his cosmic awareness 'tingled' and he sensed something affecting the cosmic balance coming from one of the cells - it felt dark and sinister... evil

[Celestial Centurion]

"Uh oh ..." Centurion didn't know what it was that he was feeling but he knew it was anything but good. "We need light, real light now!" He turned to Djane, "I wish for full illumination to dispel this darkness and reveal our enemies!"

[Djane]

"Now hold on a minWhatever you wish of me, master." Djane snapped her fingers, and the Celestial Centurion flared, filling the room with light as his armor turned phosphorescent.

"Hey, ask first, okay? It's rude to - to - " Djane looked around at the suddenly well-lit room.

Click to reveal..

8pp of Environmental Control: Light. 4 ranks; reduces partial concealment to none, and full concealment to partial; 50 foot radius. 12 pp allocated to Empowerment; 18 to Transform.

[Djane]

Djane's eyes unfocused slightly as her lower half tailed off into smoke. She drifted lazily into the room for a moment, before shutting her eyes and shaking her head.

"There's something in the cell over there." She waved towards the far end of the room, on the left. "Something magical. It's drawing me in..."

[MegaGirl]

As Djane drifted into the room, she felt a large hand settle on her shoulder. The grip was gentle, but it's strength was impossible to ignore.

"Djane - wait! Don't go ahead," MegaGirl said firmly. "You have to wait for Watchwoman to say what to do. If you don't, bad things will happen - like orange-calcium or things or... or... Oh no! Your legs are gone, Djane!"

[SalmonMax]

There was a metallic series of tings as Echo's right arm changed configurations. Metal plates ticked open, and a smooth, round cowling extended out from along her forearm. A few silvery jointed cables extended from her shoulder, snaked down her arm and connected with ports on the back end of the cowling...which then emitted a thin, piercing hum that rapidly rose in pitch until it was inaudible.

She lifted her arm and aimed it at the door Djane had indicated.

"Whoever's in there come out now," she demanded. "We know you're there."

[Celestial Centurion]

"Whatever it is, it is evil. Thoroughly and purely, evil." Centurion glided out across the hall maintaining a constant distance from the cell, his hands once more glowing with contain solar fusion. "Show yourself fiend!"

[z-Watchwoman]

Gah you don't announce yourself to the great evil thing in the darkness! Watchwoman growled to herself before sidling along the wall, stopping near the door to the cell. She was utterly silent, and in her chosen shadows, nearly invisible. Scowling, she quietly pulled her batons off her utility and belt and waited for the evil thing to attack the people yelling and drawing attention. Then she was going to come from behind and fuck it up.

It'd feel good to pound on the thing that was probably responsible for what had happened to their parents.

Click to reveal..

Watchwoman's Stealth check (just in case its needed): 28, nat 20

1d20+8=28

[MegaGirl]

MegaGirl watched Watchwoman and the Centurion move toward the cell, her head cocked in mild confusion. Watchwoman hadn't given any orders, but it must be okay to go forward now, right? They were doing it, she should be able to, too.

"Stay behind me Djane, that way I can protect you," MegaGirl said to the comparitively tiny genie, her hand dropping from her shoulder.

MegaGirl strode briskly down the hall, her long strides hitting the ground with force enough to make it tremble slightly. She inhaled deeply with the sound of shrieking air, prepared to let loose a breath of gale force winds or freezing cold. Her muscles, stronger than the strongest steel, were tense, ready to strike or constrict as needed. She looked into the other open cells as she made her way to the last one on the left.

Click to reveal.. (Notice, if needed)

Notice, if needed (1d20+8=27)

As she neared the cell, MegaGirl began to speak, her breath passing her lips with sharp, cool gusts. "Whoever is in there, we're Heroes of the Legacy League! If you're a Villain, we're here to stop you! If you're not a Villain, we're here to help you!"

MegaGirl looked in the cell.

[Rorx]

Hype had stayed where he was, as ordered, and carefully keeping his thoughts to himself while he waited for MegaGirl to have her decontamination shower and get fresh clothes before Watchwoman finally made her way to the shuttle bay.

Once she arrived Hype kept a careful 6ft behind her, after all he wouldn't want to be accused of doing something useful now would he. The loss of lights and Echo getting booted from the system was unwelcome, but hardly surprising. After all they were in the prison housing the worst villain alive, and it had already been breached. It was only reasonable to assume that one or more of them would be around when Watchwoman lead her group down to their level.

However, he hadn't counted on the bright lights and shouts of Centurion and MegaGirl. Regardless of that he kept his place near the rear, having decided it was probably safer to at least start off behind MegaGirl, than in front of her.

[Tesstarossa]

The Dark hadn't affected TK at all, but what's done was done now. She looked back to Hype, keyed up a private burst over the ring. "Keep a good Eye on our six, We may yet need a very quick exit."

She reached out with her mind Into the cell, all the defenses her mother taught her in place, but trying to get an inkling of just who was in there.

Click to reveal..

using telepathy to scan the room (can we see what power I'm gonna be raising?)

[Rorx]

Hype sends a message back to TK, "Ok, but we're kind of stuck since they cut the power to the lift, and I hate to think what sort of traps etc Watchman built into the lift and shaft to prevent prisoners getting out. I'll keep an eye on the cells and corridor's we've passed though."

With his speed it was little trouble to split his attention between the cell ahead and area they had already passed through.

Click to reveal..

Notice roll. +8

(12:52:30) ChatBot: (Hype) rolls 1d20 and gets 14.+8 = 22

Initiative +44, in case it's needed

(12:53:31) ChatBot: (Hype) rolls 1d20 and gets 20.+44 = 64

[SalmonMax]

(notice: 18 (16+2))

(07:17:59) ChatBot: (Max) rolls 1d20 and gets 16.

[Joani]

The young Legacy Heroes moved carefully forward and checked the cells, each one of them drawn to a different cell as they proceeded. MegaGirl reached the cell to which Djane felt strangely drawn to followed by the Celestial Centurion.

The last room was sucking in their light and dark alien letters were written on the wall. Right under the letters the wall seemed to fade into eternity and all three of them felt a pull towards that darkness getting stronger and stronger with each passing second.

Click to reveal..

Will Save vs. Darkness (1d20+5=24) MegaGirl = 24

Will Save vs. Darkness (1d20+8=21) Djane = 21

Will save vs. Darkness (1d20+2=18) Celestial Centurion = 18

MegaGirl and Djane passed the check and only feel the pull. Celestial Centurion can withstand the pull but reading the letters makes his eyes bleed.

The writing was dark and sinister and the Celestial Centurion could feel it’s evil source that came from another dimension. His eyes hurt badly as his brain tried to decipher the blasphemous words.

Click to reveal..

Knowledge Arcana auto-success for Djane – If Evil has a name it lays directly beyond that dark portal. You can feel it is tearing at your sanity and sucking in everything that opposes it. This is not good.

Hype almost stopped instantly as he saw his father laying in one cell. He ran right next to him and examined his father. There was blood all over his body and his legs were twisted in directions anatomy has not designed them to do. His fathers arms were twisted, too. Hyperion was barely conscious drawing rattling breaths while his smashed body struggled to survive. Hype couldn’t tell how long his father would last without medical care.

Tessa saw Hype turn to the left and decided to take a look into the cell opposite of it gasping when she recognised her father… or the remains of him. Colossus’ body was chained against the wall his once powerful limbs and barrel chested torso deflated like someone sucked the life out of him. He was barely breathing and unconscious muttering her mother’s name again and again.

Echo followed up to the next row checking her radar briefly and deciding to turn right where she found Tessa’s mom laying on the floor with her eyes wide open staring in shock at the cell door with her mouth quivering unable to speak or respond to anything. It looked like Thoughtwave was in some kind of shock. The whole room smelled of blood and after taking a closer look Echo analysed it was really blood that covered the whole cell but Thoughtwave had no obvious injuries.

Serene sneaked quietly passed the other cells feeling drawn to the one opposite of Echo’s choice. Her Hudsy enhanced the darkness revealing the shape of someone standing there as if the person was waiting for her. Serene eyes widened as she recognised it’s features and removed her mask to take a better look at her.

“Mom?”, she asked her voice shaking.

The woman put one finger on her lips and smiled at her daughter. “I just wanted to see you before I left – I want you to know I’ve got nothing to do with this. I love your father – I would never hurt him.”

Serene nodded feeling tears watering her sight. “You don’t happen to have that Zippo of the Jade Djinni with you, my dear?”

Serene looked down and nodded faithfully. “Would you give me that just for one second there? I’ll give it right back, honey.”

Serene reached into the compartment she had put it which was shielded against radiation to keep Karra save from it and gave the Zippo to her mother.

“Good girl.”, her mother smiled. Then she disappeared in a cloud dropping the Zippo to the floor.

Reappearing in the cloud was Djane looking very confused and scared blinking at Serene who had the presence of mind to put on her mask fast enough. What had she done? Her mother had taken control of her! But what had she done?

Click to reveal..

First of all – everyone gets 1 Hero Point. Serene – you failed your saves vs. your moms mind control, sorry about that. Djane – You just fulfilled a wish and I will PM you what it was. Your unable to tell what it was though until a certain condition has been met. You feel drained again but are not fatigued

[Rorx]

Hype's first reaction was to call for help, "MEDIC!, I need help in here!"

Zipping closer he did the best he could to examine Hyperion without touching him and probably making things worse, "Christ dad, why didn't I do that paramedic course! We'll try to get you out of here, ok. Just try to relax and hang on there. I'll be back in a few seconds, ok."

Next he sped from cell to cell, keeping back from the one the Darkness emanated from that Centurion was approaching as he tried to find some clue as to where, and in what condition, his mother, Twister, might be.

[Celestial Centurion]

Centurion tore his eyes from the evil, he could feel them hemorrhaging beneath his helmet but that would have to wait. He saw what the others saw, the twisted mangled bodies of the Legacy League. "By the light of Hælious!" he cried as he saw the damage done. Just saying the name of his patron shored up his resolve and he launched himself at the downed heroes his hands already glowing with a warm yellow light unlike that which the others had seen before.

He went first to Hyperion, the man was somehow still conscious and in obvious agonizing pain. Centurion hit the floor with a thud surprisingly heaving for his size and knelt down next to the crumpled hero. As he reached forward he said as gently as he could, "This will hurt, a lot." The warm yellow light brightened and flooded over the downed man as the primordial energy of life and health itself flowed through Centurion and into Hyperion.

OOC: Centurion is utilizing his Sun's Health power. It is a rank 10 Healing effect with the Stabilize & Regrowth feats and the Total extra. It grants an immediate check with +10 bonus (on top of the normal Fort bonus of the target) and for every 5 points that the Check exceeds the difficulty (standard DC 10) it heals an additional level of damage.

[Djane]

"Ah... uhm..." Djane clasped her hands over her mouth, mortified. After a few moments, she withdrew them.

"She... she made me do it. She made me..." Her voice caught.

"Listen. Whatever's out there, I can feel this... magical pull to it, and I can't explain it but it's evil. Evil personified..."

[Tesstarossa]

The sight of her Father in such a state was enough to make TK forget most of her training and rush to her father's side. "Dad!" She heard Hype's cry for a medic and knew it was the same for him. She tried with all her telekinetic might, but was unable to break the chains binding her father. When she got home she was going to fin a weakness for this alloy, or she was gonna find a way to get strong enough to break it.

"I think they all need medics!"

"Echo find a way to get the sytems back online under your control. I know you can! I need these restraints released as soon as possible." There was the beginning edge of panic in Tessa's voice.

Over a private burst via the ring to Watchwoman she sent "We need to get out of here with everyone now Serene. Gather everyone up and I can carry anyone who can't travel fast on their own myself, without jarring them around." using her name to emphasize how important she thought leaving with everyone was.

[z-Watchwoman]

"Bitch!" For a second, Serene was just an angry teenage girl, ranting at her mother. Then she regained control and focused on Djane. "It's not your fault," she said, her voice miserable. "It's mine." She tucked the lighter away; she hadn't had enough time to leave it behind.

TK sent out her urgent message and Serene bit back an angry, smart-assed response. She reached out and grabbed the djinn's shoulders. "Djane, I'm sorry about this, but I wish that we were all back at the shuttle, safe and without any loss of time."

[Djane]

"Uh, I - yes, master." Djane's eyes blanked, and she snapped her fingers, blipping everyone back into the shuttle.

Click to reveal..

I don't know how far it is to the shuttle, so let's just say that Djane puts every last bit of her Empowerment pool into herself to give herself Teleport with all appropriate extras, and then poofs them all into the shuttle.

[SalmonMax]

"Wait," Echo called. "There's more people here than just the Legacy League!"

But the wish was made...

[Joani]

As soon as Djane said yes, master. the world shifted around the young Legacy members and they found themselves with their parents on board the shuttle.

Their parents were in terrible shape only Hyperion having received some healing from the Celestial Centurion seemed to be improving - though under great pain.

Colossus was a shadow of his former self easily one fifth the man he used to be. His emaciated body looking closer to that of an anorexic than the most powerful hero known.

Thoughtwave still stared in utter shock at the walls of the shuttle, her state was catatonic and she responded to no outside stimulus.

Twister was, just like her husband Hyperion badly twisted and seriously wounded. Her body looked torn as if she was caught in one of her own tornadoes.

Watchman's mask had a crudely drawn smile on it's front. The area around his eyes was crusted blood and his body looked terribly beaten. His uniform was torn and sliced with countless cuts from which he slowly bled to death.

Serene suddenly looked at Djane who looked really exhausted this time and had to sit down while she rubbed her temples. - Dawnstar was missing - where was Dawnstar?

(ooc: You are all on board the shuttle. Samson looks a bit confused but quickly initiates the the shuttles medical capacities took care of the most badly wounded. The shuttle has a med bay large enough to hold 2 passengers on special gurneys. Other patients need to be treated 'manually'.)

[Celestial Centurion]

Centurion seemed unperturbed by the sudden change of venue. Standing he said to Hype, "Your father will be fine, I must tend to the others. Stand aside all of you, this will go faster if I can move unimpeded." With that he took stock of the other Leaguers and moved to Watchman next, the copious bleeding making him the next most in need. He rose above the floor and glided to the man before laying his golden healing energies upon the man. He repeated the process, moving from victim to victim, providing each with a healing touch before moving on to the next. Stabilize, heal, next person, stabilize, heal next person. In short order he had visited every one of the injured once and began to move around to the each of them a second time, tending to those who's injuries were still lethal until all were resting as comfortably as possible within the tiny ship.

[MegaGirl]

Oh no! It's a black hole! Is it a prisoner? This is BAD! My eyes are hurting again. MegaGirl braced herself in the doorway to prevent anyone from passing her and getting sucked in. Slowly, she pondered what to do... Maybe I can break the ceiling to stuff the black hole, or I can-

Blip!

All of a sudden, MegaGirl was crouching inside the shuttle, surrounded by her Legacy Friends, the Knight, and their parents. Who looked to be in very bad shape.

"It's not supposed to be this way, they're the Heroes! They shouldn't be broken.... Oh! That's good CeeCee," Karra's voice went from shock to wonder as she saw the Celestial Centurion's glowing hands ease the horrible wounds of the Legacy League. "I guess you aren't a Black Knight after all..."

"... Mom? ... WHERE'S MY MOM?!" Karra roared in fearful rage when she noticed Centurion going for a second round of healing and he hadn't helped Dawnstar yet. Her super powered lungs blew out a gale that caused those in the shuttle to stumble. "You forgot her! I have to go back and find her!"

MegaGirl immediately turned and headed for the shuttle door, pushing anyone in her way aside, not roughly, but inexorably.

[Rorx]

While the Centurion busied himself healing the parents, Hype zipped to what passed for a bridge on the shuttle and asked Samson to check on the anomaly's status.

Least I can do for the guy while he heals our people up is to check on the thing that brought him here.