Mutants & Masterminds: The Unlikely Prophets - Issue #3: "History is a Bomb"

[SalmonMax]

Hex hesitated, then quickly hurried to Radiance's side.

"If there's a door in here somewhere, I think I could get us out," she said softly, "But I have a feeling they may not use those. What's your plan?"

[Radiance]

"I might be able to simply make one Hex." She smiled, and nodded. "I created a functioning bicycle from light once before, that's indistinguishable from a real one so long as I concentrate. Do you think that's enough for your power as well?"

[SalmonMax]

Hex grimaced. "I'm not sure. You have to understand, my spell is based on what a door is metaphysically, not literally. When we see a door, we see a plank of wood with a latch that lets people in or out of a place. But what a door IS, is a transition from one place to another. The spell takes advantage of that...it sort of...hijacks that transition, and twists it another end. I'm sure you could create a literal door...but I'm not sure it would have that 'door-ishness' that the spell needs to work."

[Radiance]

"So if cake it a real transition it could be possible?"

She shook her head, and sighed. "We should at least try it, if only to avoid what's likely waiting us topside."

With that She created a door in the tunnel leading to the surface, her defensive field flickering off.

The end result was a large door in the tunnel, with a seam down the middle for it to be opened in halves. "Care to try?"

[SalmonMax]

Hex nodded and began the spell's ritual, drawing onto the 'solid light,' a series of emblems and runes that would...if possible...cause the door's destination to change...

[Charlotte]

The sensation was not unlike trying to pour a glass of water using an empty jug. The construct looked like a door, and worked like a door... but it lacked that essential doorness that the spell relied upon to work. So, try as she might, she couldn't get the door to open anywhere other than the other side of the corridor.

[SalmonMax]

Hex shook her head after a few seconds.

"It's not working. Metaphysically, this isn't a door. I don't know if it's because it's temporary, or made of light, or what...but the spell's not catching hold of anything. It may as well just be more air here."

[Radiance]

Radiance shook her head. "Well it was worth trying."

She chuckled. "I knew it couldn't be that easy."

"So we go check for trapdoors, or barring that, fight our way out worst case scenario, and find a door we can use."

[Thomas Froit]

Glitch tapped a button, releasing the minotaur with a squeal as it flew out, and walked off from Stheno without a word. Fortunately, he had seen a mugshot corresponding to Jasmine's name, and so used it in mind while evaluating the statues as he looked around for her's.

He also noticed Bodhie's holding onto the reverting minotaur and sighed. "Bodhie, let go of the minotaur. We're going to pack up and go like we said soon."

Click to reveal..

Notice check:

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2932914/

[Charlotte]

Necronaut did his quick head-count, while Glitch looked for one specific target. There were about sixty to seventy statues present, which was quite a number to sort through - and half of them were in the process of reverting to normal.

The one that Glitch found wasn't - Stheno must have turned her gaze on her. Jasmine Gold stood, staring into space, her arms clasped in front of her as if held by invisible handcuffs. Her expression was defiant, if fearful. There were small indents on her nose, as if from glasses she was no longer wearing. Nothing was left of her prison fatigues, a condition shared by much of the statues present.

As Glitch neared her, Stheno hissed. "You try my patience, and there are many more of the labyrinth guardians to take the place of those that fell here. Make your decision now, or I swear by all I know that that one will be the first statue I break."

[z-Gloom]

"Fine," Gloom said. Her rasp cut through the silence following Stheno's hiss. "Safe passage out for us and all of the prisoners, anyone that wants to go. That includes the bull-guys."

She despised bullies and people who treated others as commodities. Stheno saw the minotaurs are cogs in her machine, but Gloom wasn't happy with that. And from the looks on the other's face, neither did they.

"Us, all the prisoners and anyone who wants - we walk out of here without opposition from you," Gloom clarified. Her fathomless black eyes stared at the gorgon. "How's that sit in your craw?"

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Feeling how the Minotaur got softer and weaker under her grip Bodhie slowly let go giving it a stare to stop struggling now that she could easily put it down. Hoping that her attempt at intimidating the Minotaur was enough she made a step backwards and crossed her arms over her mighty chest.

Keeping an eye on her opponent, just in case it was up to something stupid Bodhie nodded in agreement to Gloom’s suggestion. They had won this fight and the Gorgon’s had surrendered, if the snakewoman didn’t agree to their conditions the alternative would probably be death and unfortunately this fight had reached that point so backing off wasn’t an option either. Maintaining her confident heroic pose Bodhie was ready to lunge into combat should the Gorgon disagree...

Just do what Gloom said and we’ll be all back home for dinner...

[SalmonMax]

Hex stiffened at Stheno's threat, and dipped a hand into her pouch, ready to create a protective warding around Jasmine's statue should anything so much as bat an eyelid funny. They weren't going to have gone through all this for nothing.

[Charlotte]

Stheno laughed. She motioned to the one that Glitch freed. She spoke a few words at it that no one seemed to understand. It nodded, running off.

Stheno spoke to the others that were conscious. After a long pause, all of the remaining minotaurs shook their heads.

"Your deal is fair, shadow-one. There will be more prisoners to give beauty to. I have sent that minotaur to find the others. You will not find one of the minotaurs willing to go with you. They love and fear my sister and I too much." She concentrated, and the statues began to soften, turning to flesh. Thus satisfied, Stheno slithered next to her sister, cradling the wounded gorgon with an uncharacteristic gentility.

Within moments, Jasmine Gold - and about sixty to seventy other people - were flesh and blood again. Jasmine looked at Glitch, blinking. She reached up, touching her ears, then looked annoyed. Then she looked down, and gasped, folding her arms across herself in embarrassment.

She didn't speak. She just looked at Glitch and made hand gestures awkwardly.

[Thomas Froit]

Glitch turned around quickly to preserve Jasmine's modesty from his sight, his features showing a sudden embarrassment. "Okayyyyy. Radiance, do you mind making some 'light clothing' for everyone? Oh, and unless there are other doors in the Labyrinth, we may have to jet this convoy out the Vault door. If that's the case, how about Jade and I go ahead and make sure we don't have prison security breathing down our throats there?"

[Radiance]

Radiance nodded. She had to focus, dropping her barrier again, trusting in the others. It was hard, but she created enough clothing for everyone. "Don't get too far away, and don't ask for anything else at the moment."

Her voice was strained, splitting her focus and maintaining everything the former prisoners were wearing.

[z-Gloom]

Gloom had been watching Jasmine. Seeing her gestures, she walked over and began gesturing in return. As she did, she spoke in her hollow voice, "Jasmine, we're here to help you. You're in an Order prison and we're breaking you out. We'll get more clothing and implants for you - I'm not sure where they are. Can you read lips?"

As her upper set of arms gestured in ASL, the lower set was checking her weapons and making sure her belt was in order.

[Charlotte]

At the sight of Gloom, Jasmine got visibly relaxed. She started signing back. ~Thank God, I sound like a retard when I try to speak. I can read lips but not that well. I never learned to that well - I had special custom ear implants designed by my - ~

At this, she paused. ~My dad... I think? I can't remember.~ She looked confused. ~Who're the Order?~

If she was surprised by Gloom's multiple arms, she didn't show it. When the light-robe flickered into existence, she breathed a sigh of relief, and pulled it on.

Meanwhile, the prisoners looked around, confused, waiting for someone to take charge. Someone did - a young, thin man, who wrapped himself in a robe before he looked around. "Uhm. Who's in charge?" He looked at Stheno, and gasped, looking away, shutting his eyes.

"You have nothing to fear," say Stheno to the man. "You are 'free.' Free to age and grow sick and die, instead of having eternal youth, and in time, the honor of serving as one of the Stoneguard, forever faithful to me and my sister. Whether or not you think this is fair, they made the choice for you. On their heads, be it."

At that moment, a group of minotaurs rounded a corner. Quite a lot of them - dozens, maybe a hundred. Stheno turned her head towards them, and spoke in a strange tongue.

They said something back - something that angered her. Her hair rose, hissing, then she caught herself, and made a beckoning gesture.

A male minotaur, not too old, walked forth. He had his head hung low. He was wearing robes with many pockets, and looked studious. He said a simple word.

At this, Stheno hissed. She said something, and the minotaur repeated himself. She withdrew, and pointed towards the group.

"So I was in error. One of us DOES desire to go with you. He is your responsibility now. He was always a trouble-maker here. Spent too much time in ancient scrolls. His name is Eiko. He speaks a small amount of surface-tongue. And with that: leave us." Stheno lifted Euryale in her arms. "In time, she will heal. If she does not, pray that the Order finds you before I do."

[SalmonMax]

"Right," Hex said, giving the two gorgons a worried look before hurrying to the lone renegade minotaur and offering her hand. "Hi, I'm Hex. We're the ones who're...you know, getting you out. Nice to meet you. I need to know something though. You must know this maze...are there any doors in it? Doors that lead from a hall to a room, or between different places?"

Something tickled her memory as well. Had she said... "And...ancient scrolls? What kind of scrolls?"

[Bodhie Armstrong]

They were making progress and Bodhie smiled as she watched the Gorgon utter her disgust over the defective Minotaur follower. The huge blonde amazon walked over to Hex, her primary concern was to protect her and keep her safe from any possible treacherous action on the Gorgon’s behalf but she was also curious to hear what the Minotaur might have to say – maybe an explanation for his decision to leave this place.

Her self-confidence was quickly restored knowing that the flesh Minotaurs, even the huge female ones were no match for her. It was all the Gorgon’s magic that lent them their strength – this was something she could live with.

Looking over to Glitch and Jade she added with her booming voice, „Make sure to retreat in time should you run into the Order’s goons. No reason to have all the fun just for yourselves, right?“, she winked at them placing her hands on her hips in a typical superheroine pose overseeing the battlefield ready to cover their retreat once the others were set to go.

[IndyPendant]

Jade stared hard at Stheno for long moments, and studied the crowd of minotaurs, frowning. "One wants to come. Why?" She paused, then expanded. "We're asking the subjects of an cruel, insane tyrant if they want to leave. In front of the tyrant. Anyone else see something wrong with that?" Her eyes never left the minotaurs, scanning them in an attempt to discern their motives, if such were possible with such odd creatures. Were they yearning, but afraid to speak?

She considered as she studied, and vanished to reappear by Necronaut. She reached out tentatively, touching his shoulder softly. "The Order seems to have sent many important prisoners down here" she offered, apparently in response to his uneasy thoughts. There was something odd about her words; they were coming out in a tumble, as if she were babbling excitedly--yet her expression was calm and cold. Her movements seemed to be jsut a bit too fast as well. "If we kill...her, maybe they will just kill any further prisoners. We can always return and deal with this afterwards." Her tone clearly implied she intended to do just that.

Click to reveal..

Switching her Focus to Skills and Movement, and examining the minotaurs. She wants to get a 'read' on their emotional state. Do they seem to want to come, but are too afraid to say so? Or do they seem to genuinely want to stay?

Sharatur's Sense Motive roll: 1d20 + 15 --> 23

[Necronaut]

The Necronaut nodded quietly and replied in a whisper barely audible through his mask. "We have what we came for. This little patch of wrongness will keep... better than most from the look of it." He spoke to convince himself as much as agree with Jade.

"Besides, it would be irresponsible to risk the other prisoners by attacking now." His head turned toward Jade and he added loud enough for others to hear. "We'd better keep a close eye on the prisoners. All we know for sure is that the Order doesn't like them. That doesn't mean they're all friendly."

[Charlotte]

Jade's read of the crowd was that most of them had made up their minds. There was an undercurrent of fear, but it was non-specific. Some fear of the gorgons, sure... but it seemed more likely to be fear of the unknown, of the world beyond the door to the labyrinth.

Meanwhile, Eiko looked Hex over, his gaze lingering a bit too long on the book in her hand. "Not here," he said in broken English. "Labyrinth shifts soon. Must go."

"Is that a... bull... guy?" The man who'd spoken before squinted at Eiko, not quite believing what he was seeing. "Anyone want to tell me what the hell's going on?"

[z-Gloom]

"If they're not brave enough to come," Gloom rasped, ratcheting off the safety on her personal sidearm as her other hands 'spoke' for Jasmine's benefit, "then they can stay."

At Eiko's words, Gloom nodded, so when the man spoke up, she had an answer ready. "Here's your summary, so listen up." She pitched her voice louder so that all the hearing-enabled could hear while she continued to sign. "This is a prison, we're breaking you out. I don't care how you got here, you'll all free now. You don't like that deal, you can remain; I'm sure that the Snakey-Sisters will welcome you with open eyes. Those who wanna go, follow me and Eiko. Full disclosure will happen after we're safe and sound."

Gloom looked up at the minotaur - he was still taller than her, though he wasn't huge - and waved a hand at the door. "After you, buddy."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie did her best to support Gloom’s authority by glancing over the crowd and maintaining her power stance. She didn’t mean to intimidate but she wanted to make sure that people would make quick decisions and not keep hesitating and stalling.

Hoping that some movement was getting into the crowd, either towards the exit or following the remaining Gorgon Bodhie waited for Gloom and Hex. She’d cover their retreat or take point – where ever Gloom wanted her to be, she was ready to get the job done.

„Maybe the girl knows a way out?“, Bodhie suggested nodding at Jasmine. There must’ve been some kind of door somewhere. I maintanance access or something like that.

[SalmonMax]

Hex looked down at the Book of Keys, then back at the minotaur with sudden dawning curiosity. "You've seen this before, haven't you? Or something like it."

[Charlotte]

"Not here. We go."

Originally Posted By: OOC

It seems that everyone's done everything that they want to here, so we shall fast-forward a bit.

Eiko led the superheroes, and the several dozen people they had liberated, down the twists of the labyrinth. They were heading ever closer to the surface, to the giant hatch that led outside - and then Eiko took a turn down a hallway, not far from the surface.

He approached a room, and swept a curtain aside, revealing a spartan quarters. Near the entrance was a long white box, stained with water and food. He pointed to it. "Scrolls. But not why I bring."

He knelt, clearing some loose bricks from the floor, and brought out a long object that he'd wrapped with cloth. He looked to Hex. "You hold keys. Held by Hecate. Hecate held staff and torch and keys."

He held the staff forth.

"It is dead - no, words wrong. It sleeps. You may able to awake it someday - "

And then, down the corridor, close to the vault door, there was the sound of groaning metal.

[Thomas Froit]

Glitch watched curiously, as Eiko spoke to Hex. This seemed magic-related, which was crazy enough if it was only a day or more ago. How fast his world had changed. Then, he heard the creak of metal, and that likely meant a guard advance.

"Oh, crap." He uttered before pushing his way through the morass of people and heading back for the hallway corner to crane his head around.

[SalmonMax]

Hex's heart flew into her mouth as she stared, goggle-eyed at the staff. The glamour she used as a costume wavered and thinned for a second before she got a hold of herself and reached to take the staff.

"Yes," she said numbly. "The book was...there was a cult of Hecate in the last days of her cult...it mentioned other objects consecrated to her, but I never thought...I thought they must have been destroyed. The staff represents the serpent...icon of knowledge, and transformation..." She traces a trembling finger over the intricately carved snakes that emerge from the body of the staff and twine around each other to make a loop at the staff's end.

For a second she looks like she's going to hug the minotaur, but she composes herself. "This is a priceless treasure, Eiko. Words don't seem like enough to thank you."

Another scream of metal sounded, and she looked away towards it.

"On the other hand...we're not out of this yet."

[Bodhie Armstrong]

There was an inexplicable anxiety when Bodhie heard the noises which very likely heralded the approach of the Order’s forces. The huge amazon quickly took point keeping an eye out for Hex since she was their key to get out of here.

Hoping that her huge size would attract most attention Bodhie mentally braced herself for the attack giving her friends the chance to flank the attackers once they got within range.

„I’ll cover Hex!“, Strongarm said as she positioned herself in a combat crouch waiting anxiously for the attackers.

Click to reveal..

I’m not entirely sure mechanicswise – are we still retaining the injuries from the combat vs. the Gorgons? And regardless of that – Interpose is readied on Hex

Initiative Roll (1d20=5)

Added initiative, just in case – it’s a 5 (yay!)

[Necronaut]

The Necronaut halted upon hearing the assault on the door ahead. He moved as if taking a quick side step, but instead of changing his position in space he fell off the edge of reality. Invisible on the barest frontier of the realm of the dead he advanced on the door and pushed his head through the upper corner as if peering through a veil of thick fog. He remained only long enough to appraise the forces on the other side before withdrawing to the others to rematerialize and report what he had seen...

[Charlotte]

After a few twists and turns, the group found itself staring at the large vault door. Hex realized that it would function as a door for her spell - it would require Strongarm to open it, but Strongarm was right there.

Necronaut dove through the door, and immediately felt confused. Everything was blurry and cold. He could make out the lights of the prison complex, vaguely, through some kind of shimmering blue-and-green field. And even intangible, he could feel the temperature, and it was cold. So very cold...

Not as cold as the grave, though. As cold as the sea.

The entire island was under a wave of water twenty feet high... and then the wave roared.

It could be heard, even inside the Labyrinth. The wave of water reared, full of malevolence, and pressed itself against the hatch, with the weight of an ocean behind it, and the voice of the Order's ruler of the oceans.

Necronaut knew that the water couldn't possibly hurt him when he was a ghost. He knew that. He told himself that.

In the middle of it all, it was too easy to forget.

[Radiance]

"OH now that sounds fun." She was maintaining the clothing for everyone, and deprived of her best defense and offense.

"I don't suppose there's another door?"

[SalmonMax]

Pale faced, Hex shakes her head.

"No...but I think I know a door I can connect this one to. Only if I can finish before 'Aqua' manages to distort it too much though!"

She doesn't wait for confirmation. She just breaks out her chalk and starts scratching at the smooth metal of the vault door, trying not to hear the pounding, or feel the shaking as she went.

[IndyPendant]

Sharatur tensed, but after a moment she relaxed. A little. "I don't...how do we fight water?" She moved over beside Hex, feeling a bit foolish as she guarded her against the door...

Click to reveal..

Switching focus to Skills and Movement. Going to try to protect Hex if she's attacked before she can complete her spell.

[Bodhie Armstrong]

Bodhie charged for the heavy door and prepared herself to open it once Hex gave the signal.

"I open the door once you're done, Hex. I don't think we've got much time. Someone guard her, I have to focus completely on the door, it's really heavy."

Considering that she had already proven to be capable of some mind boggling feats of strength hearing her to say that she considered the door to be heavy left little to the imagination just how heavy it was.

[Necronaut]

The Necronaut stared out into Aqua, probably for longer than was reasonable. He couldn't hear The Drowned, the mournful wailing of those countless poor spirits lost at sea, and indeed he never had. But just now he found himself able to imagine it quite acutely. He wondered which part of Aqua was the living part... He jerked back into the hallway before his thoughts could turn any darker. His mind had stumbled over a more immediate concern.

"...ave to warn the Minotaurs!" His voice became audible to the living part way through his re-materialization. "That thing could easily flood the entire labyrinth!"

Even as he spoke he began to pull out his flying yoke. He wasn't sure how the ghost plane handled in tight quarters, but speed was of the essence.

[Charlotte]

"Flood?" Eiko looked to his room, then ran after Necronaut. "Most do not speak yourspeak! I speak yourspeak and myspeak! One of you! Save my box of scrolls!"

The door was cold to the touch, all its warmth sucked out of it by a monster made of seawater. Hex felt her fingers getting numb, and the door's groaning from the pressure didn't help. But the sigil was completed, and the door was linked.

Strongarm wrenched the door open, to wherever Hex had directed the doorway. The captives shielded their eyes, not used to the daylight.

And Aqua could still be heard... both far away and very close, all at the same time, as the door warped sound.

[IndyPendant]

As Hex completed her spell, Sharatur turned to see Necronaut's plane just starting to race back the way they all came, the minotaur chasing after him. "Norman!" she yelled in sudden fear. Without thinking, she vanished from Hex's side, reappearing in his passenger seat.

"What are you doing?!?" she yelled at him. Then she remembered his words. "...Okay" she said in a calmer tone, a bit grudgingly but also with a certain...admiration. "But I'm coming with you."

[z-Gloom]

"Hold up, Necro!" Gloom called to the moving hero. "I can do this without you needing to risk anything. But I have to do it alone. Everyone, go on through the portal. I'll warn the minotaurs and meet you back home." Still signing, she added to Jasmine, I have to go, listen to Hex. I'll return and we'll get your stuff replaced.

Before anyone could protest, she sank back into the shadows of the hallway and was gone.

Click to reveal..

Gloom's going to teleport back and warn the minotaurs. I'd have included that, but I wanted to let others react - like if Necro isn't listening to her.