Jump to content

Mutants & Masterminds: The Unlikely Prophets - Issue #2: The Man Who Built Yesterday


Charlotte

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 373
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Hex could, in fact, see where the hatch was - it was rather like the hatch that led to the attic in her father's home... and that's when she noticed that the plaster on the ceiling was inconsistent in spots.

The Scarlet Samurai leapt for the hatch, which seemed to be locked. He was confident that he could pry through it, even one handed, though.

The security guard looked at the network cable as Hex pushed it back into the computer, and he went dead pale. "Oh no. Oh hell. Oh hell..."

He got up to leave, but was cut off by Cyco zipping into his path. "What's the rush, pal?"

"We gotta get out! It's a thinking lock! If the network's broken it'll trip the flag and - "

There was a flash of red. A huge circular section of the roof fell away, flaming at the edges. So did a larger circular section of the floor, cutting through power cables and network cables and sending the lights flicking. Everyone could swear that they saw a thin red beam zip around, cutting it like it was Jello, just before the sections fell away.

The tech heard the security guard's words and he went into full panic. "Luh muh guh! Uht'll kuhl uhs uhl!"

There was the sound of something very heavy and very thick unlocking from the room above. Then a dent appeared in the ceiling, shaking tile dust free. It was... sizable. As if a truck had been dropped onto the roof.

Then a second dent appeared, and a rolling sound was heard, sounding like a drum rolling downhill... and then, through the hole, dropped a pair of giant eggs.

"Egg" was the most accurate descriptor, at first. A giant, gold plater egg. Then the sound of gears and machines ground inside of each one, and they unfolded. They sprouted six thick legs from the underside, and discs popped off the left and right side of each one. Out slid a pair of giant arms with long barrels on the ends, and the top unfolded into a mess of gold-plated mechanical parts and a glowing red eye. Then each disc - four in total - began to whir, and spin, and take to the air, a nasty-looking device popping out of the bottom of each one.

The robots didn't speak. They just began to cycle up their weapons.

Originally Posted By: OOC

It's Combat Time. First UP: Cyco. You have until Tuesday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robots! Hex thought, startled. Immediately she was uncertain. Would her chains spell work on them? The 'chains' weren't physical...they were mental effects, binding not the muscles but the mind that moved them.

Unnerved, she thrust out her hand, summoning eldritch energy with a simple incantation, then hurling it in a comet of whirling blue and violet light!

The strange magical missile swerved as it hurtled, zeroing in on the golden eggbot to Hex's left!

(Magic Missile! 18 to hit, damage DC 25. It has 6 ranks of Penetrating too, just in case there's Impervious toughness at work. smile Also, if 18 misses, it's a Homing shot, so it gets another attack roll...)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2379644/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The eldritch blast arched through the air, coming in at an off angle, and if the giant robot had fully unfolded, it might have dodged...

But it hadn't, and it didn't. It took the missile directly to its camera, and it paused in the midst of aiming.

Click to reveal..
It hits Thumper #1's flat-footed defense, doing 1 bruised level and stunning it for a round.

Next UP: Strongarm. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Radiance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Her question obviously remained unanswered as the decision was taken from them. Bodhie's eyes went wide when she saw the robots and adrenaline flooded her system making her grow the last few inches to her full size. Without giving it much thought the huge juggernaut of a female bodybuilder charged shoulder first into the largest target she could make out hoping to tackle it and tear it down before it could do any significant damage.

Click to reveal..
Charge giving +2 Attack Bonus and -2 Defense for the turn. (1d20+9=29) yay! A natural 20!!! Unarmed attack DC27 but I currently don't know how a critical affects this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The second giant robot sighted against Stromarm - and then staggered, knocked for a loop, as her super-humanly strong fist found its weak spot, sending spiderwebs of cracks across its body from the impact point. Strongarm actually had to twist her fist to free it, knocking loose some critical circuitry.

Click to reveal..
A critical hit increases the save DC of your attack by 5. Toughness Save (DC32) (1d20+13=25)

It failed by 7, so it is also stunned.

Next UP: Radiance. You have until Friday.

On Deck: The Scarlet Samurai

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Radiance struck home, sending sunlight bursting harmlessly in all directions - as she connected, unfortunately, with its highly reflective surface instead of its more vulnerable spots.

Click to reveal..

Next UP: Scarlet Samurai. You have until Friday.

On deck: Thumpers (both stunned) then Tweeters

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kenshin drew without thinking. The howling of the demon blade filled his mind. With the speed and power of his ancestors guiding his hand, and his mind clear of purpose he slid through the crowd of his fellows and into the midst of the robots. His blade slashed, a flashing, whirling, screaming whirlwind of destruction. In his mind, nearly detached from the scene entirely Kenshin wrestled with the spirit of the blade. The spirit wanted nothing but violence and blood, and Kenshin fought with it, directed it away from his allies and the technician. You will obey me!

Click to reveal..

Using A Flurry Of Blows: Strike 12 (Extra: Autofire)(Feats: Accurate x3, Split Attack x2) - splitting to attack 3 of the "Tweeters" - +8 total on attack

(20:27:44) (Kenshin): Attack roll +8

(20:27:48) ChatBot: (Kenshin) rolls 1d20 and gets 6.

Total = 14

Damage = +4

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately for the Scarlet Samurai, while he had the jump on them, they had enough maneuverability to dodge his furious swipes and stabs.

The large robots didn't act. The flying disc-shaped robots, however, did. Each one focused on one of the four superheroes that had attacked the larger robots, and the guns on them screamed, shattering computer screens and cracking the windows on the floor.

Hex felt her teeth ache, as the air warped around her, and a high-pitched sound surrounded her. Simply moving took effort - she was trapped in some kind of sonic cage. It felt like swimming through tar.

Radiance faced a different configuration. Her attacker simply hit her with a solid wall of sound. She tried frantically to flip out of the way, to no success - it sent her flying, past a chair and over a desk and nearly out the window. It shattered upon impact - she wasn't hurt, but only a quick grab saved her from falling. Seattle dangles below, shattered glass glinting like stars.

The one targeting Strongarm switched to a narrow beam, seeking to pulverize her bones with solid sound. The sound washed over her, tugging at her skin... but when it abated, she was unhurt.

The Scarlet Samurai faced the same kind of attack, and his armor was not quite as tough as Strongarm's. It absorbed the worst of it, but his world was filled with noise and pain, and he took a step back, and then another, lost to the world.

Click to reveal..
Hex's Reflex Save (DC17) (1d20+7=9) Failure: Hex is Entangled.

Tweeter Knockback Attack (1d20+7=23) vs. Radiance's Acrobatics Check (1d20+5=10) Radiance fails and is hit with a knockback attack.

Damage of the tweeter's sonic blast is exceeded by Strongarm's impervious toughness. Barely.

Scarlet Samurai's Toughness Save (DC22) (1d20+10=16) Fail by 6; Scarlet Samurai takes 1 Bruised level and is Stunned until the end of his next turn.

Next UP: Jade. You have until Tuesday.

On Deck: Gloom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sharatur gaped for a long, crucial, frozen moment. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" she moaned. "Killer robots?!?" And then all hell broke loose around her.

Her newfound calm and center was shattered. She took a step back as well, muttering "I don't, this isn't, I've been trained to fight people, I don't..." She stopped shaking her head as her companions were attacked. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath, and looked up. "This sucks" she stated matter-of-factly...and vanished.

She reappeared atop the big transformer egg robot that Hex had damaged, aiming a brutal kick at the thing's eye.

Click to reveal..
Shifting Focus to Enhanced Martial Arts: Penetration +10, and I have Sneak Attack if that's relevant.

Sharatur's Acrobatics Check, if needed: 1d20+11=16

Sharatur's Attack Roll: 1d20+9=19

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gloom eyed the robots, wondering, Why'd it have to be robots!? She couldn't do much against them, not with powers.

You didn't always have powers, she reminded herself. Use your greatest power - your brain!

That was painful, Darkness informed her, coiled in her soul.

Yes, it was pretty bad, Andi admitted, as she tensed her muscles and got ready for her moment. She pulled off her jacket and froze, patient as a snake. When her moment came, she launched herself at the one that had just attacked Radiance, attempting to get four arms and the jacket around its camera.

Click to reveal..
Gloom's roll (base attack is 6, +4 for grapples): 1d20+10=24

She is targetting Tweeter, just to be clear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gloom grabs the flying robot with one hand, and then the other, wrapping it up like it was a Christmas present. The 'tweeter' bucked wildly, trying to get it off. Without limbs, it was difficult.

Click to reveal..
Tweeter's Grapple Check (1d20+7=11) It fails, and is effectively blinded. Maintaining the grapple maintains the blinding.

Next UP: Necronaut. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Cyco

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Necronaut regarded the sudden robot-infused melee with surprise. He glanced back and forth and noted that his comrades seemed to be taking it in stride, so he skipped from his first intended response (pointing and crying out "Robots!") directly to a more useful course of action.

"You, get him out of here. And you, go to town with the chair on the big one. No, the other big..." The Necronaut's introductory attempt at field tactics was interrupted as the machines unleashed their onslaught and sent Radiance flying. "...woah hey! Go get her back inside and on her feet, worry about clobbering the machine after."

"Hang on guys, I'm going to get some more help in here..."

The Necronaut beaconed to something only he could see, "Hey, you, without the face? Could you give us a hand over here?"

The Necronaut began to summon a third spirit as one of his current minions spirited (*rimshot*) the tech-guy to safety while the other went to Radiance's rescue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Radiance felt herself pulled away from the edge by an unseen hand. She heard a soft whispering.

"... lost it and we found it and we lost it and we found it and we lost it and we found it..."

The technician was abruptly yanked toward a concrete stairwell, as Necronaut concentrated on summoning a new spirit.

Next UP: Cyco. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Hex

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Order's minions shall take all forms, fear not, for you shall smite them with a mighty vengeance born of years of oppression and a desire for holy justice.

Cyco poofed upon one of the unoccupied hovering nuggets and tried to grab it, her intention to whirlwind at a blazing speed and hurl it into one of the larger 'Tick-Tocks'. They were obviously hard to penetrate, but maybe they could do it to themselves.

Shiny wankers

Click to reveal..
Not sure how, or what this would take. But it sounds cool.

From what I read, I am using my Move By Action Feat and then Grapple check with the result being Throw.

Melee Attack for Grapple 1d20+10=23

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cyco leapt into the air, grabbing the robot and throwing it like a frisbee at the robot Strongarm was engaged with. It bounced off with a PWANG!! noise, leaving neither the worse for wear - but at least the robot she threw was disoriented, wobbling in place as internal gyroscopes recalibrated.

Click to reveal..
Tweeter's Grapple Check (1d20+7=9)

Cyco's Grapple Check (1d20+12=29)

Cyco's STR bonus (+2) plus the Toughness bonus of the Tweeter (greater than +2, for a total of +4) does not exceed the Impervious Toughness of the Thumper, nor of the Tweeter. (Treating it as an improvised weapon.) I will rule, however, that the Tweeter is Slowed for a round due to its disorientation.

Next UP: Hex. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Strongarm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These things are tough! Hex thought. Her hand dropped to the leather binding of the spellbook in the heavy pouch at her side, and drew it out.

It was a dangerous spell...but if it worked, it would either destroy one of these things, or at the least soften it up and make it easier to destroy.

Her eyes fixed on the book, and she began to read...translating the passage into English automatically as she went. It wasn't the language that had the power, it was the words and the will they represented.

"Spark from the candle that first lit the universe,

hot 'til the last glimmer fades from the ash of the real,

I invoke thee, I invoke thee, I invoke thee."

A distinct chill could be felt in the room as Larissa incanted, and over her outstretched hand a peculiar green light began to swirl. Hex's voice went up in volume as the light became brighter and brighter.

"I reach behind the veil of time to steal the bane of Prometheus! Give me the heart of the forge of stars! Give me the flame that burns fire!"

The green light erupted into a pillar of ghostly green flames that rose from the floor to the ceiling, passing over and around her hand. Larissa stared at the eerily beautiful sight.

"It's real...the balefire..." Her gaze was both awestruck and fearful, and she absently reached with her free hand to the amulet around her neck and touched it.

Then she remembered WHY she'd conjured the stuff, and with a cry she made a motion as if she were pitching a baseball at the larger machine on the left. The pillar of balefire whistled and crackled and swung around towards her target!

(Attack: Balefire! 24 to hit. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2388848/ A rank 10 Disintegrate effect. Fort save at DC 20 or lose 10 points of Toughness bonus. Then apply a DC 25 Toughness save. The Toughness bonus will regenerate at 1 point per round. Also, just in case there's any question about her defenses, Hex turns her protective spells on at this point. :))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The blast of eldrich fire hurt the thing, square on. It cores a hole through the robot the size of a basketball. The effects are immediate - the robot crumbles in on itself, flickering wisps of flame curling up around the hole and sparks flying out of severed wires. The lens of the main camera pops loose, and rolls along the ground, spinning to a halt.

Click to reveal..
Max & I went back and forth on this and decided that since they're constructs they are affected by things that affect objects, but they should get some kind of fort save for drama's sake...Hail Mary Fort Save (1d20=7)

Thumper's Toughness Save (DC25) (1d20+3=9)

Gloom, this means that your Drain power will work too. If you Drain on your next turn I will let you roll twice and take the higher number for the attack roll, and I will roll twice and take the lower for the defense.

Next time I'll give them sky-high Fort saves and immunity to specific effects.

Next UP: Strongarm. You have until Tuesday.

On Deck: Radiance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

“Way to go, Hex!”, Strongarm cheered as she saw how the witch disintegrated the Thumper with magical fire. Motivated by their success Strongarm reached for the machinething she had just charged and tried to lift it up with both hands and then tear it apart.

Click to reveal..
OOC: I try to grapple the thing and then tear it in two if possible. I think I need to make a normal attack roll to hit and then a grapple roll? Strongarm has Improved Grapple and I keep Interpose handy to trade places with Hex should she be attacked.

Attack roll to hit for Grapple. (1d20+7=20) – that’s a 20

Grapple roll which will be opposed assuming my to-hit landed. (1d20+33=53) – another natural 20 for a whopping 53 on my Grapple Check!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As soon as she grabs in, Strongarm realizes that despite its appearance this robot is not as bendable as she'd expect gold to be. She digs her fingers in, punching holds in its hide and doing some damage nonetheless.

Next UP: Radiance. You have until Tuesday.

On Deck: Scarlet Samurai is Stunned, so the robots go, then Jade goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This time, Radiance struck home, shoving her sword into a crack that had formed from Strongarm's continued pounding. The robot's camera went crazy, jerking from side to side, as the laser-sword sent sparks flying from inside the machine.

The robot that Gloom was grappling with spun around, trying to shake Gloom free - unsuccessfully, as the four-armed shade held firm.

The three floating discs turned as one to Hex, firing blasts of solid sound at her - through sheer luck, she managed to avoid the worst of it, though she still felt like she was swimming through porridge.

Next UP: Jade. You have until Tuesday.

On Deck: Gloom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sharatur noted the other big robot being holed by Hex's weird ball of plasma with a corner of her mind--(it looked like some sort of contained energy, generating it would be the hard part really, it's probably quantum)--but she had to focus out of even that feeble mental protest, as the giant robot she was perched on like a pouncing panther started wrestling with Strongarm.

When the sparks from Radiance's attack started flying, she yanked herself back with a startled cry--but managed to avoid falling to the floor. When she looked down to see why, she discovered she was standing on nothing at all. "Oh right" she muttered to herself.

Leaving the big thing to the others, she decided to try to take out the three smaller. Darting nimbly through the air, she positioned herself in the middle of the remaining smaller robots, where she shifted her stance, lashing out at all three with her bo staff.

Click to reveal..
Changing my Focus to Autofire with the Bo Staff, hopefully so that I can get all three Tweeters with my Reach weapon. If I can include the last Thumper, I will; it will be the last roll. I did not include any penalties in my attacks. You had best check my numbers; I think I did it right though.

Sharatur's attack rolls: 1d20+10, for 17, 21, 22, and 25.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jade misses the first, and can't quite reach the third - they've spread out since joining the fight. She does, however, strike home against the one Gloom is holding still for her, hitting it square on. Normally wood wouldn't dent metal; in Jade's hands, it handily does.

Click to reveal..
Number of Tweeters Jade Can Hit (1d3=2) Can't decide how many is fair, so I decided to roll.

Jade misses one and can't reach the third, but hits the one that Gloom is grappling.

Toughness Save (DC25) (1d20+7=17) Failed by 8; Tweeter #4 is Stunned and at -1.

Next UP: Gloom. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Necronaut

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Necronaut's focus has continually shifted between his summons, and the spot where Radience nearly plunged to her doom. He replayed the horrific worst case scenario in his mind a couple more times than might have been healthy. "Two can play at that game." he grumbled. He extended his hand toward the wall seperating the room from the sky over the pavement far below. The concrete and glass rippled slightly as it was drawn into the netherworld. Then, like a stop-motion video of a rotting orange the wall began to crumble and decay as if the claws of centuries were scraping it away in a matter of seconds. The resulting hole was what one might expect to see riddling a structure after ages of disuse.

Then he turned to address his ghostly helpers, "Okay guys..." He paused to glance at the robots, trying to reassure himself that they probably wouldn't get any particular advantage from hearing his plan. "You see that big robot? All together now... out with it! Give it the toss!"

The ghosts desended upon the least damaged of the two thumpers, attempting to grab it and push it out the side of the building!

Click to reveal..
Ghost 1 attempts to aid ghost 3's impending grapple attack giving it a +5 bonus to attack if it hits ac 10 with 1d20+1=11. Ghost 2 attempts to engage in a grapple with the machine 1d20+1=19 to hit. If it hits it uses its grapple check to aid ghost 3's grapple check 1d20+1+5=18 vs ac 10. Ghost 3, a slower, burlier looking sort of phantom, attacks1d20+5+5=21 and attempts to grapple 1d20+5+5=18, with a +5 bonus to that grapple check if ghost 2's attack roll of 19 hit. Note that, despite Necronaut disregarding this entirely, the ghosts are invisible!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gloom hung on as the robot attempted to shake her. Gritting her teeth against the rapid motions, she attempted to retain her grip and keep the robot occupied. It was the best she could offer to the group.

Click to reveal..
Gloom's Grapple attack: 1d20+10=24

For her grapple action, she's going to pin the robot for another round.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

'Well that didn't work like I planned.' Cyco thought to herself as she saw the Frisbot go clanging off Tick-Tock. 'Let's try that faster!'

She moved to the disoriented Tweeter and tried to grab him again, intending to blast the tuna can into bits of slag against the larger foe, if not turn Tick-Tock into a doughnut.

Click to reveal..
Move-by-Action, Grapple, Rapid Fire, but only using the Tweeter.

Super-Speed is rank 8 (for damage) and Autofire applies to Rapid Fire. I'm not sure what kinda rolls you need for this...so here is the Attack and Grapple check

Melee Attack 1d20+8=23

Grapple Check 1d20+10=22

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Necronaut stared incredulously as the three ghosts tried to shove the robot through the new rent in the sky-scraper. Only he, and possibly the robot itself, was aware of their heroically meager effort. "Ok then... Um... right... Robots are heavy. Give me a minute here guys, we're just getting warmed up!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hex swallowed nervously at the mess the balefire had made of one of the robots. It was a powerful weapon, no question...but she still wasn't completely sure of herself to the point where she was comfortable wielding that power. Maybe it would be best if she relied on more tried and true methods for now...

Incandescent violet-white light crackled between her fingers as she spoke the words of a much simpler spell; one she'd committed to memory. It streaked away like a comet the size of a softball, heading for the other large robot!

(Magic missile! 15 to hit, but it has Homing so lemme know if that misses and it'll try again next round. Damage DC is 25, 6 ranks of Penetrating on it.)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2400091/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bodhie grunted as she tried to reinforce her grapple on the robot. Bastard is tougher than I thought Her muscles tensed as her hands dug deeper into the machine trying to rip it apart with sheer force.

Click to reveal..
Grapple check vs. Robot (1d20+33=39) only a 39 this time. Damage DC would be 27 - having Interpose readied in case Hex gets attacked
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Strongarm finally found a leverage spot, digging her hands in and opening the robot wide, reaching in and tearing out something that looked important. The robot sparked and fizzled, clearly on its last legs.

Click to reveal..

Next UP: Radiance. You have until Friday.

On Deck: Scarlet Samurai

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Radiance struck home, shoving a blade of solid light straight through the device. It wasn't dead, but like the larger robot, it looked like it was about to fall apart if breathed on wrong.

Click to reveal..

Toughness Save (DC25) (1d20+7=15)

Failed by 10; Disabled + Stunned.

Next UP: Scarlet Samurai. You have until Friday.

On Deck: The Robots, then Jade

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...