Archive Mutants & Masterminds: Legacy - Issue #3 Swords & Sorcery

[Djane]

"Uh - yeah! What ma - what Watchwoman said. I'll do it, I'm willing to do it, but - I need to know what it is I'll be doing."

She's standing up for me. I - never - really had someone do that for me before. ... it's nice. She's nice.

[Joani]

„Make... her... wish my spell succeeds.“, the Dragon Witch almost snarled and moved to the centre of the circle starting to weave magical threads. Obviously she had lost her patience explaining herself and expected everyone to simply follow her... command.

„We are running out of time... she won’t get hurt.“ not much..., she added through clenched teeth while she focused on establishing a connection to the rift.

----------------------------------

Reactor Core Room

MegaGirl’s Hurrican Breath sent the Hounds flying like leaves on a stormy autumn day breaking necks and bones as the creatures smashed into the walls. Her triumph was only short lived, though. Almost instantly the space she created was refilled with new foul Hounds that were following up from the depths of the Portal.

Click to reveal..

You bought yourselves one round for Echo to perform her calculation/roll

TK had less success but nonetheless she managed to tear several „holes“ into the horde of hounds that were approaching sending them across the room as if they were made of Legos. As the ranks got refilled with new Demons TK caught glimpse of something far larger and more sinister approaching through the Portal, she could almost feel the heat it radiated...

Click to reveal..

I rolled like crap, the Hounds miss you but try to encircle you even more. TK will be surrounded by the end of the next turn if she doesn’t do anything against it

[Djane]

"... that seems easy. Actually, yeah, that shouldn't be tough at all." Djane scratched the side of her head. "Just wish for it to succeed? We could do that, sure..."

Djane thought for a moment. "What about the other team, should we check in with them?"

[z-Watchwoman]

Watchwoman glanced at Djane. "Not a bad idea, but I'm not sure they need us bugging them... Still..." She lifted her ring to her face and said, "Watchwoman to Echo. Please come in, Echo."

It took too long for her to respond and Watchwoman was wound as tight as a wire by the time her voice came back.

[SalmonMax]

Echo's fingers and hands turned silvery as the nanocytes that made up her body reconfigured themselves. She placed them on the reactor control panel, and after a moment they seemed to sink into the console just a little. Beneath the controls her cybernetically augmented cells made direct contact with wires and relays, replacing the clumsy manual interface with a direct link to her mind.

Time slowed down by several factors as her consciousness interfaced with the lightning-quick computers of the reactor control station. She lanced through its security, effortlessly ducking around the passwords with a 'generic' admin permission that had carelessly been left installed. From there she rewrote the emergency protocol for core ejection, increasing the threshold temperature after running simulations to estimate how fast the core was launched, and what the interval between the core hitting critical temperature and the explosion would be. The expert system returned warnings and errors that the new parameters would result in an uncontrolled fusion explosion within the shaft. Echo overrode the system and shut it down.

Now there was only one more barrier to cross, and that was the direction the shaft was pointed in. It was directed at an angle off to the east, intended to launch the reactor core on a long ballistic arc in Pluto's weak gravity that would take it well outside minimum safe distance before exploding. That same angle would waste some of the explosion's thrust though, causing the chunk to decelerate AND veer, rather than just veer.

Fortunately, the chunk was precessing.

Replaying the footage of their approach to the fragment of Pluto, Echo found what she was looking for. The chunk was spinning around its central axis...as it would have to be in order to keep its course over the length of the solar system. Without that gyroscopic effect it would tumble in space, its momentum eventually carrying it off course. But no object's weight was perfectly distributed around its axis. Imperfections caused 'wobbles' in the rotation, a phenomenon called precession. What that meant was that, at predictable intervals, the tube's end was pointing in slightly different directions. With proper timing, the detonation would occur exactly as the shaft moved to aim the blast at an angle that would be sufficient to shift the fragment away from the Earth.

She committed the next 100 'launch window' times to memory, and programmed a simple override protocol that would let her start the overload sequence. Adjusting for the time needed for the overload to reach critical temperatures as provided by the control computer, Echo found herself with a list of times that, if she started the overload by...and her calculations were correct...it should result in a successful redirection.

Finally, the several seconds necessary to accomplish those things having passed, she found herself able to address the incoming communication. Watchwoman heard Echo reply calmly, as horrible demonic shrieks and barks echoed in the background, "I'm here. We're under attack by creatures from another portal. I've developed a program that should redirect the asteroid, but getting clear may be difficult." She paused, then added, "How are you?"

(OOC - Roll: 40! http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2802149/ )

[z-Watchwoman]

"You're... in the asteroid. Awesome," Serene said, rubbing her hands over her face. "Let us know when you're off the rock."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to disappear it with magic, or try, and I don't want to disappear you guys," Watchwoman said. "I'm going to leave the comm on so that I can monitor what's going on. Please leave the channel open."

[Celestial Centurion]

Herak ground his teeth, biting back questions and statements that would not serve the situation. Instead he approached the lady dragon. Fighting down his pride and his righteous anger he said, "I can provide you with healing if you would like. To ensure that you are at your greatest strength to execute this spell, and save this world." His hands softly glowed with a nimbus of golden warmth to grant the woman healing should she agree to it.

Originally Posted By: OOC:

Sun's Health: Healing 10 [stabilize, Persistent, Resurrection]

[Djane]

"Gluh. Yeah. Glad we checked in. Well, it'll give us time to recover..."

[SalmonMax]

"Understood, comm channel open," Echo replies, exactly as if there were not a dozen hellhounds nipping at her heels. "If the process of...'disappearing' the asteroid is difficult, you may wish to wait to see if our plan succeeds. We should be ready to set it and leave very shortly."

[Joani]

Delta Prison, Reactor Core Room

OOC: Start of Combat Round 2

The Demonhounds snarled and growled angrily at the Legacy Heroines, reforming to start a second wave of attack when the room suddenly heated up considerably. Echo had nothing to do with it, since she had just finished programming the last routine of her little sabotage „virus“. The Hounds, angry a moment ago suddenly scattered around the room panicking and seeking cover or some way to flee from the Hellgate.

The heat got even worse as a creature made from nightmares squeezed itself through the gate. It stood over 10 feet with a twisted, yet heavily muscled torso oozing poisonous greenish liquid from orifices scattered over it’s entire body. It’s head lacked eyes and was just as disturbingly malformed as the rest of it’s body. There were three odd looking seams, as if the head was stitched together from 3 different parts that were replacing anything that might have been a face once. Standing just 30 feet away from the creature the heat it radiated was almost unbearable and just short of being painfull.

Click to reveal..

Everyone makes a Fortitude save DC 24 vs the firey aura effect at the end of your turn. (Radioactive Hellfire Aura – Affliction Rank 14 Progressive Extra)

Next up is MegaGirl – The Hounds are no longer a problem. Your maintarget is the Horror now.

On deck is TK

--

Dorian Manor

The healing light instantly closed the gashes and bleeding wounds on the Dragon Witches body which she acknowledged with slight nod. Around her hands the magic she was weaving formed into a dizzying pattern of light. In its center the rift reopened showing once again the scenario they’ve seen from the Ritual, this time in much smaller scale though, since it was about the size of a volleyball.

Seconds passed extremely slowly and felt more like minutes or hours, hopefully their friends would succeed on the asteroid with their daring plan...

Click to reveal..

I reward CC one HP

[MegaGirl]

MegaGirl turned around to begin pounding on the Demon-doggies so they'd stay away from her friends Tessa and Echo, when they suddenly started yelping and scattering to away and a miasma of heat began prickling her back. MegaGirl spun around to face the Bad-Word-Gate once more, mouth dropping open in surprise at the horrendous creature there before firming into a resolved, challenging grin. The Icky-Demon might have been bigger than her, but she was stronger, she'd show him-her-it-whatever!

"Ewwwww! Icky-Demon! You go back to the Bad-Word-Place now! You don't belong here!" With that, MegaGirl rushed boldly up to the Icky-Demon and begin raining a flurry of blows down on it, each fist landing with the force of an atomic bomb.

Click to reveal.. (Mega-Combat!)

Using All-Out Attack (+5 to attack rolls, -5 to active defenses)

Attacking with Mega-Flurry (Reach 5ft., Multiattack [p.131])

Mega-Flurry! 1d20+13 = 24 Damage DC 33 (35 with 2 degrees of Success, 38 with 3 degrees of success)

Using Fast Grab to initiate Grab

Grab Check: 1d20+13 = 19 DC 33 (Grab, p.176; If hit, Icky-Demon can resist with Strength or Dodge, -5 to it's roll because MegaGirl has Improved Hold)

Switching Mega-Awesomeness to Mega-Recovery (Free Action)

Fortitude Save: 1d20+18 = 22 Ugh! Using Tremendous Defenses (Luck Reroll)

Fortitude Reroll (+10 if 10 and lower): 1d20+18+10 = 29) Well, that blew monkeyballs, glad you add 10 on Luck Rerolls.

Dodge and Parry are currently 1, used 1 used of Tremendous Luck.

[Celestial Centurion]

Being unable to render further aid the Celestial Centurion withdrew. His dark eyes, apparently lacking a visible iris, or perhaps with an iris as black as the pupil it controlled, flickered over the witch and the d'jinn. Herak's jaw was set stubbornly as he moved to stand beside Watchwoman, "Long has it been since I was last as unable to render aid directly as I find myself now."

He bowed his head for a moment in silent prayer to Hælious that either the ritual or the plans of the other League members would succeed. "I find I do not like this feeling." He added looking to the young woman beside him, "This bodes ill that the villains who did this wield power of such potence. Have you any indication of their deeper plans?" The solar warrior was clearly grasping for something to occupy his mind as he waited, helpless, to see if the Earth would be doomed or saved.

[z-Watchwoman]

Though he couldn't see it, the expression on Serene's face matched the frustration he was feeling. The unhappy frown on her face was clear to him as she glanced up at him. "Yeah, I never thought I'd feel this feeling," she sighed, slamming her closed fist into the palm of her open hand. "Watchman never said it'd be like this." She didn't add, And maybe it wasn't for him because that just made her feel like a loser, like she was letting him down.

The Celestial Centurion's next question made her look away, suddenly nervous. Though she tried to put up a stoic front, he could see that the very question had upset her. "I don't know all their plans. Not for sure. But I think one of them... I think she's try to turn me. Get me onto her side." She could feel his black eyes bore into her with sudden intentness and she stumbled over her words. "I mean... that's just a hunch. Just... I don't know for sure. It's a guess. I could be wrong."

And she might be. But the more she considered it - Amore had used Djane to go into the past and Mr. Smiles had used Amore in his plans before. Could she be right, but it was Mr. Smiles who might want her now?

Serene swallowed hard, suddenly wishing her father was around. But he hadn't been around ever; he'd always been so distant and aloof. But she'd feel so much safer if he were cognizant and in charge.

Celestial Centurion saw the slightest tremble in her lips and her hard swallow. For a second, she looked like the kid she was; then he saw her stiffen her body and stand taller. "We should ask the others, too," she added. "Djane might know more than us." Her mask looked up at him again, all serious super hero. "Do you have any resources we can draw on in that manner?"

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: MegaGirl

"Ewwwww! Icky-Demon! You go back to the Bad-Word-Place now! You don't belong here!" With that, MegaGirl rushed boldly up to the Icky-Demon and begin raining a flurry of blows down on it, each fist landing with the force of an atomic bomb.

Delta Prison Pluto, Reactor Core Room

The flurry of blows unfortunately missed their target or barely glanced the horrific behemoth. The closer MegaGirl got to the vile creature the more intense the heat was and her ability to remained focused was greatly reduced. Her formidable strength was rendered ineffective as none of her blows could connect with her target. Instead of hitting it she tried to get a hold of the Horror but her hands slipped of it’s slippery lecherous skin. This monster was truly a nightmare and now it loomed over her, ready for retaliation.

OOC: Next up is TK – bon chance!

Then comes the Horror...




OOC: Combat resolved in Spoiler

Click to reveal.. (Mega-Combat!)

Using All-Out Attack (+5 to attack rolls, -5 to active defenses)
Attacking with Mega-Flurry (Reach 5ft., Multiattack [p.131])

Mega-Flurry! 1d20+13 = 24 Damage DC 33 (35 with 2 degrees of Success, 38 with 3 degrees of success)

Attack misses by 1

Using Fast Grab to initiate Grab
Grab Check: 1d20+13 = 19 DC 33 (Grab, p.176; If hit, Icky-Demon can resist with Strength or Dodge, -5 to it's roll because MegaGirl has Improved Hold)

Grapple misses by 6

Switching Mega-Awesomeness to Mega-Recovery (Free Action)

Fortitude Save: 1d20+18 = 22 Ugh! Using Tremendous Defenses (Luck Reroll)
Fortitude Reroll (+10 if 10 and lower): 1d20+18+10 = 29) Well, that blew monkeyballs, glad you add 10 on Luck Rerolls.

Dodge and Parry are currently 1, used 1 used of Tremendous Luck.

You're safe - no effect from the radiationaura.

[Celestial Centurion]

"Resources?" the dark skinned man mused, "Perhaps some aid could be found of my contacts within the Galactic Police. Myself, though, I have scarcely any knowledge of those whom escaped, nor do I have a precognitive sense that could foretell of their next criminal act."

Herak studied the young woman, as much as he could, obscured as she was by a suit that covered her entire body save her mouth. She was clearly nervous, unsure, herself of how the escapees would be apprehended once more. Despite his own doubts he knew he needed to stand confident. Their experiences in hell, and his ability to bring light and hope into the dark place, told him that much. "We will track them, find them, and defeat them. Of this I am sure, even if I know not how."

[Tesstarossa]

"I hate Demons." She lined up on the big one, here eyes ablaze with lambent fire, before a blast of visible telekinetic power shot forth, her anger apparent with the strength of the blast.

Click to reveal..

Telekinetic flurry (Blast) +12

(09:50:54) ChatBot: (Tesstarossa) rolls 1d20 and gets 4.

16......... (*@&$$ dice chat... I've defended you....)

Damage DC 29

Fortitude save

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2806749/

1d20+10 → [11,10] = (21) fail by 3

[Djane]

Djane frowned, taking an instinctive step towards Watchwoman. "Listen... ah, in the confusion I might not have apologized, but... she made me do it. You know that, right? I didn't want to. I usually don't like just doing whatever someone wishes of me..."

She glanced to Watchwoman's belt.

"With, uh, some exceptions. For some people." She coughed awkwardly, blushing through her veil. "Anyways, you'll be fine, I'm sure of it. We're here for you. More of us than there is of her, right?"

[z-Watchwoman]

Watchwoman nodded at Djane. "Thank you," she said softly. "I know you didn't have a choice. I'm not upset with you." Her lovely red lips tightened as she added, "No, Amore is at fault here. I hate to think of what mischief and damage she's causing. I was just the only plan I could thing of..." Her voice trailed away as she thought of something.

Serene was quiet for a moment, thinking. "We have the clue we need," she muttered to herself. "Hudsy, link with the house and start a blank Holo-board program."

"Turn to your left," the familiar robotic voice said in her ear; when Serene turned to see the credenza against the wall began to glow.

"Thank you," she said, stepping to the table and the screen it was presenting in the air. "Let's do this logically. Holo - input data: all of the prisoners in the lowest level of the Pluto prison facility. Arrange alphabetically." Names popped up, but Watchwoman wasn't done. "Add Magelords, demons, Aika and the Shytari. Create connections from database information." Glowing lines, red, green or yellow leapt into existence.

Watchwoman took a step back and stared up at the display. "Computer, add connections to the current Legacy roster and display those in the forefront." A series of connections jumped forward and Watchwoman asked, "Anyone see anything obvious?"

[Joani]

Delta Prison Pluto

TKs telekinetic blast was off by a few feet and hit squarely the wall behind the creature denting it considerably. The radiation got more and more unbearable and if the young heroines didn’t find a way to stop the horror quickly they’d soon succumb to it’s malicious effect.

Click to reveal..

TK needs to make a Fortitude save vs. DC24 to resist the radiation aura. Please add that roll to your post, thank you

The huge terrifying creature bend over MegaGirl the seams of it’s oddly shaped head suddenly tearing apart and opening. A thousand eyes and mouths were revealed inside which were close to devouring MegaGirl with a deafening screech.

Click to reveal..

The eyes of Madness Affliction Rank 12 Progressive effect – resisted by Will Affliction roll vs DC 16 (MegaGirl's Will-DC) (1d20+12=31) - that's a 31 - which means, the DC is beaten by... 15... which means you better make your save. MegaGirl saves VS DC 22 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2806847/

MG fails by 4. She's afflicted with one degree.

Next up is Echo

--

Dorian Manor

At first the holographic Image didn’t make any sense as Names floated around the air arranging and rearranging themselves as Watchwoman added more parameters. After a few seconds the Names were neatly arranged in alphabetical Order with lines connecting them. Those names that left no real connections were grayed out and pushed to the background but there was a clear emphasis of lines between Watchman, Armore, Aina, Dawnstar, The Shytari and the Magelords...

Watchman was the center of several connecting lines which had a direct link to Armore, Aina, Dawnstar, Watchwoman and MegaGirl. He was also directly connected to all the heavyweights of the Delta Prison – Nexus, Mr. Smiles and Shift.

Armore had direct connections with Watchman, Watchwoman Nexus, Mr. Smiles and the Magelords.

Aina had direct connections with Watchman, The Magelords, The Shytari and the Jade Djinn.

Dawnstar had direct connections with Watchman, MegaGirl, The Shytari and The MageLords and Colossus.

The Shytari have direct connections with Watchman, Dawnstar, MegaGirl, Aina and the Magelords

The MageLords have direct connections with Watchman, Dawnstar, The Shytari, Aina and the Faerie Realm Arcadia (which is Aina’s Domain)

Further interesting links are (in no particular Order):

Celestial Centurion is connected with the Jade Djinn, Djane and the Cosmic Entity Haelios.

Djane has connections to Mr. Smiles, The Celestial Centurion, the Jade Djinn and the Faerie Realm Arcadia.

Matrix has Connections with Shift and Watchman.

There is a triangle marked as hostile/in war which includes The Shytari, The Magelords and the Dragon Witches.

Hudsy rearranges the holographic image again sorted by most direct links to one item and it produces Watchman being at the center of it all having links to virtually every single item. It looks like a huge Spidersweb. The innermost circle includes Armore, Aina, Dawnstar, Watchwoman and MegaGirl. Hudsy leaves a sixth link open replacing it with a questionmark and labelling it „Offspring Number 3“.

Click to reveal..

I reward Watchwoman 1 Heropoint for making my brain grind. If you need further details, clarifications, please ask in TT. I can provide more information if you choose to explore specific connections (e. g., what’s the reason there is a connection). Hudsy provided you with the frame first. I prefer RPing from this point but if you want to make a roll don’t hesitate.

[Celestial Centurion]

Herak observed as the names, and connections between them, began to populate the tri-vid. "It would seem that the prior incarnation of my station was familiar to your group, or at least to those who came before you." He looked at D'jane, "It would seem that there is some connection between us, perhaps a residual effect of prior contact between my predecessor and you, or yours?"

Turning back to the screen the Centurion studied it again before speaking. "I am not sure what to make of this, though I would request that later, if we survive, I be allowed access to your records. For now, however, I see nothing here which I understand save that this man," he said pointing to Watchman, "appears to have been at the crux of all of this. A focal point of the gyre, around which events appear to be circulating."

Herak looked over one broad shoulder at Watchwoman, "This man was your mentor?" His further questions were implied but no less present; Were you aware of any of these? Do you know his plans? What are you not telling us? "Perhaps we should speak with him."

[Djane]

"Yeah - I don't know what it is. But there's this - feeling of - when we're near by, it's like we're in synch? Wherever our powers come from might be the same place. If so, uh, let me know how I get a sweet suit of armor instead of this... whatever it is. Feels like I'm wearing nothing at all."

She looked to the board. "So... Jade Djinni, that makes sense... just went into you and me, CC... but, Mister Smiles? Eurrrrghh. I hate that guy. That damn laugh. And the Faerie Realm? Seriously? Well, I guess after genies there's faries. We know any faries?"

[z-Watchwoman]

"Aina is from the Faerie Realm," Watchwoman muttered, her voice distant. "So she's probably a faerie of sorts." The Centurion started to repeat his question, thinking she hadn't heard it, but Watchwoman continued, in a louder voice, "He's my father. Adopted." The lie came out as easily as it had for all eighteen years of her life. "I'd love to talk to him, but he was one of the people we pulled out of the prison. As far as I know, he has not regained consciousness.

"As for his plans, only Watchmen knows them." It was odd the emotional distance in her voice as she spoke, and the way she addressed her father by his super hero name rather than 'father' or 'dad'. "He wouldn't share them with me, not all of them," Watchwoman continued. "But he's no supervillain, and while he may be connected to those people, he's not a bad guy. But he's know more about these people than I would."

Watchwoman paused a moment, then said, "Hudsy, take the three offspring out of the links." Watchwoman, Megagirl and the question mark all disappeared, and the rough web shape collapsed. "Put them back in. Hudsy, who is the third offspring?"

"Unknown." Her computer's brisk voice filled the room as Watchwoman's eyebrows jumped.

"It's not one of the other Legacy children?" she asked, frowning.

"According to my analysis, no," Hudsy informed them. "There is a seventy percent chance that Watchman had a third child with Aina."

There was a moment of dead silence; Serene's jaw had literally dropped open. "What?" she whispered, feeling her gut start to knot.

"I said, there is a seventy-"

"I heard you!" Serene barked, cutting the machine off. Her mind was racing as she considered what Hudsy was implying. Three children, herself, an unknown... and MegaGirl. "MegaGirl's my sister?!"

"Half, actually," Hudsy said blandly. "Her mother is DawnStar."

"But... then why...?" Serene's voice trailed away as she struggled to comprehend all that had been said.

[Celestial Centurion]

The dark Sartonian nodded, "I have felt it as well. I find it most curious, especially knowing now that you feel it as well. If time permitted we could perhaps investigate this link but I as things are it would be best if it were tabled until a more opportune time."

Hearing Watchwoman's outburst, Herak quirked an eyebrow, So not adopted then, and unaware of the ties that bind you. Ties of blood. He laid a hand gently on Watchwoman's shoulder, "I am sorry that you had to hear of this in this manner. All of this," he hestitated, "but we have precious little time to dwell on the ties of blood."

The Centurion turned to the screen once more, "Computer, display mathematically projected probable facts about the third child."

[SalmonMax]

Still interfaced with the reactor's computer, Echo viewed the monster without turning around through the installation cameras. She could feel its heat boiling against her back. In a hundredth of a second she weighed her options. A laser hit to a vulnerable area might injure it, she reasoned, but there were many variables. She had no way to judge its vulnerability to her maser system, but she doubted it had much water in its composition. That left a dazzle laser, which might blind it...but wouldn't solve the problem of its heat. She needed a more appropriate weapon, but there was no time to improvise...

A warning was blinking in the back of her mind though, or rather, in the memory allocation she'd set aside for error interrupts to keep her hack of the computer clean. The warning was of excessive temperature in the core, and of imminent activation of the fire suppression system. As long as the routine was trapped, that system was inert...but it gave her an idea.

Her mind rampaged through the computer; found specs, analyzed them. Simulations proceeded. The fire suppression system was a pressurized jet of superchilled inert gas, robbing a fire of both heat and oxygen.

Perfect.

Echo overrode the failsafes preventing the system from firing while living beings were in the room, then took direct control of the directional controls. She'd have to aim this just right so as to hit the demon with the freezing, suffocating gas, and not her friends.

It was as good as it was going to get. There was a clack when the firing port cover opened, then a thunderous hissing roar as a thin, tightly aimed jet of white spewed out...leaving a wake of crystallized ice drifting down after it.

Warily, Echo turned around to view the effects with her own eyes.

(rolls follow!)

(11:48:13) (SalmonMax): First roll: Technology +20

(11:48:19) ChatBot: (SalmonMax) rolls 1d20 and gets 19.

(11:49:00) (SalmonMax): Second roll, targeting. Not sure what the total bonus, but her base ranged skill is +9 I believe.

(11:49:06) ChatBot: (SalmonMax) rolls 1d20 and gets 18.

[Joani]

Delta Prison Pluto

The Radiation and intensive heat was getting a unbearable and TK felt its effect slowing her down while she watched helplessly how MegaGirl was being attacked by that... thing. A screeching noise, almost deafening followed as the Horror bend over MegaGirl, a thousand eyes staring directly into her soul and a thousand mouths gnashing at her essence.

Click to reveal..

TK's status is vulnerable - her defenses are halved until she manages to resist the Radiation.

MegaGirl is Entranced (actually terrified but it's the same effect). Any physical threat will automatically break the effect. Shake free DC 22 (on Interaction checks to help MG get out of the effect)

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

Echo overrode the failsafes preventing the system from firing while living beings were in the room, then took direct control of the directional controls. She'd have to aim this just right so as to hit the demon with the freezing, suffocating gas, and not her friends.

It was as good as it was going to get. There was a clack when the firing port cover opened, then a thunderous hissing roar as a thin, tightly aimed jet of white spewed out...leaving a wake of crystallized ice drifting down after it.

Warily, Echo turned around to view the effects with her own eyes.

Fortunately Echo had enough time to perfect her calculations and set everything into motion. Her plan was based on some crazy ideas but the situation demanded unusual solutions and they were running out of time. As she turned around she saw the crystallized ice forming a cone directly at the Horror's broad back.

With a hissing sound the vent opened completely directing a concentrated blast of hypercoolant on the creatures huge frame. Within seconds the dark, oilyskinned behemoth turned blue and pale and then completely froze in place.

Click to reveal..

Rewarding Echo 1 Heropoint for awesome improvisation and damn luck with the dice. The Horror is Paralyzed - Defense is reduced to 0 except for mental attacks

OOC: Next up is MegaGirl - please make a new Willsave vs. DC 22 to break free of the Affliction effect caused by The eyes of Madness.

The Radiationaffliction ends after Echo's next turn.

-------------------------------------------

Dorian Manor

Serene had barely time to regain her composure when the Celestial Centurion issued his command to the computer.

Originally Posted By: Celestial Centurion

The Centurion turned to the screen once more, "Computer, display mathematically projected probable facts about the third child."

Hudsy acknowledged the command with a series of beeping sounds and the holographic display faded into the background (but remained visible).

Then a swirl of numbers and formulae floated in the room before they started to assume a comprehnsible shape and sensible data.

"Age - approximately 16 years. If Female the Offspring would be entitled to ascend her mother one day, effectively making her a princess and contender for the Dragon Witches throne. If Male... he would be the first Male offspring after - estimated 2000 Years. There are no records so this is an estimate based on the rare lore circling around the Dragon Witches. As a dying race the Queen is the only one to bear offspring but her only children are all female and can't live longer than a few hundred years which is very short by Dragonstandards. A Dragon Male... a bull would change that. He could impregnate several hundred or thousand eggs at once which would incubate to full fledged Dragon Witches. Therefore I conclude that the 3rd offspring must be of extreme importance to the Dragon Witches. Either as direct heir to the Queens Throne or... as their only hope for survival as a race. This evalutaion is approximately 72.76352 percent correct."

[MegaGirl]

The eyes stabbed her, its terrible screeches tore her innocence asunder, forced her to look inward on herself and see what everyone else saw. She wasn't happy and innocent, she was stupid and ignorant, tolerated only because she was weapon they could direct more easily than a guide missile, though with less accuracy.

She had disgusted her father so much, he hadn't even stuck around long enough for her to know him. Her mother hadn't looked at her daughter with fondness but rather, loathing. She was big and dumb and only half a Shytari, and Dawnstar would have loved to have the twins on Shytar as her daughter rather than this half-breed. Even her dearest friend, her best friend, Serene only let her stick around so she didn't feel awkward being a half-breed too. She could look down on the towering girl and at least say, 'I know who my father and mother are, but you can't and I won't tell you.'

Samson didn't see her as a woman, only a girl his size. Everyone who she thought was her friend only say her as a pet to be tolerated, and maybe tossed a treat when she did a trick. All her memories, everything she thought was nice and fun was just a trick, shallow and in truth, of no worth. The sun didn't shine on her and zooming through the glorious Black was empty of every star. Even her strength was a curse, preventing anyone from getting close to here, unless they wanted to be broken, like Ultra-boy was broken...

Standing before a thousand staring eyes and a thousand screaming mouths, the powerful young woman stood with painful rigidity, tears streaming down her face, her vulnerable soul dying inside her nearly invulnerable body...

Click to reveal.. (Mega-Terror Save!)

Will Save: 1d20+6 = 22 Success!

MegaGirl snapped her eyes close, placed her hands over her ears, and shook her head, her feet stamping the ground causing unmistakable tremors. Slowly, slowly, MegaGirl shook off the horrible terror the Icky-Demon had plunged deep into her soul, jawline firming with belligerent resolve.

"NO!!! It's not true!" MegaGirl shouted resoundingly, sounding like a lost, little girl despite her phenomenal size and vigor.

[z-Watchwoman]

Serene’s hands were shaking. She clenched them into fists and pressed them to her legs, trying to regain control of her anger. Her father had always counseled her to avoid sexual entanglements, that they only led to a lack of focus and emotional confusion. He’d told her that, drilled it into her until she’d been sick of it. She’d heeded it, taken it to heart and obeyed him without question. She’d ignored boys she thought were cute; disregarded the girl who’d come onto her once. She’d done all of that only to find out that he was running around father kids with any super-powered woman he could find!

She wondered, for the first time, if he’d lied to her about his dalliance with her mom. No, she couldn’t have these doubts. She had to be strong. She had to keep going, for the team.

She was sick of being strong.

Tears rose in her eyes and Hudsy’s warning came again: “Ma’am, do not cry; it will short out my circuits.” Serene nodded as she turned away from the others, slipping her hood off. Waves of black hair tumbled loose, sliding over her shoulders. Her bright red eyes were dazzling with the crystalline tears intensifying their shine and her spots glowed with soft red light.

Behind her, Centurion was asking his question; as she pressed her hands to her temples and blinked back tears, Hudsy replied. His lengthy response let her wipe away the few tears that escaped her red eyes.

Swallowing, Serene caught her hair in her hands and began to tuck it back under her mask as she tugged her hood into place. Turning, Watchwoman said, “We should just go straight to the source.” She looked across the room where Aina was still working with her arcane energies. Walking to the Dragon-Witch, she said, “It seems you know much more than we do, Aina. Are you going to share, or will you force your allies to operate with only half the equipment they need?”

[Joani]

As Watchwoman approached the Dragon Witch she saw her with different eyes. The tall, exotic woman was alluring and her appearance did a lot to keep someone distracted. Especially since she was practically naked. Her blue and red scales formed a pattern that accentuated her womanly features, her dark hair fell in long waves down her back and her eyes were burning with a reptilian, cunning intelligence. Serene understood how men would fall for her.

But now her mind was filled with anger... and questions. Questions that needed answers. Still she managed to remain calm and... serene when she asked her question.

Aina looked past her at first, still focused on containing the magical energies she was conjuring. It took a moment before she was actually able to talk without losing focus.

„Of course I know much more... I’m a Dragon, childe.“, there was a smirk on Aina’s face that was mocking and for a moment Serene had a good image of how Aina looked like in her true form.

„The question is if I’m willing to share? What is your requ...“, then she obviously noticed the holographic display and her face instantly lost it’s mocking smirk. It was hard to tell but it seemed as if she was going pale, as if she saw a ghost or something extremely surprising.

The threads of light that were weaving around the rift she had created flickered briefly and the room filled with a stormy wind again before she managed to contain it again.

„What...?“, she looked at Watchwoman, than back to the Holograph. „What do you want?“, she asked her directly. Gone was the playful, almost sinister air that accompanied Aina’s every word. The Dragon Witch was obviously not amused...

[Celestial Centurion]

Herak watched as Serene withdrew and then turned away to study the computer's results. In the few short years time since he had taken up the mantle of Celestial Centurion he had gained much and lost much. Phenominal cosmic power, a legion that awaited his command if only he would take it up, and a responsibility to protect and shepherd the galaxy, possibly the entire universe.

All that that had cost him was his mortal perspective. He'd become distant, less prone to the full spectrum of emotion, and inured to the every day little evils that plagued the worlds and civilizations under his stewardship. He still thought of himself as Herak, but there were times when he doubted that fact.

Times like these.

Scowling he set his broad shoulders back and reviewed the new data, oblivious as Watchwoman recovered and returned. She grasped the significance of it all first, "We should just go straight to the source," she said before crossing the room to the reptilian female. "It seems you know much more than we do, Aina. Are you going to share, or will you force your allies to operate with only half the equipment they need?"

"What?", the dragon witch looked from Watchwoman to the screen and back. "What do you want?"

"We desire the truth for a change," the Centurion all but spat, coming up behind Serene. "An explanation of this," he waved a hand at the display, "and of your part in it."

[Joani]

Aina’s answer sounded like a snarl, a savage, ancient snarl that came clearly from a mother defending her child.

„I owe you no explanation...“, veins were trembling underneath her scaly skin as she obviously tried to contain her fury which was majorly focused on the Celestial Centurion.

„The truth has nothing to do with this...“, she paused and looked down for a moment. Seconds passed while she only breathed through flaring nostrils but it seemed to help her calm down.

When she looked up her eyes met Serene’s with unexpected compassion. „I seduced your father – forced him to sire my childe because... because he...“, she sighed struggling to find the right words.

„Your father is a very special man, remarkably so. It is very difficult for me to find... „, she stopped again, this time with tears in her eyes.

„I wanted to save my people but your father was already promised to someone else. He loved your mother and I was... I had to choose between our doom or... or taking a chance. The Magelords are destroying my world, they are slaying my children... I had no choice.“

„That is the truth – if it pleases you, now you know it. I am protecting my kind, I am at war with the Magelords and there’s not a chance I won’t take to ensure our survival. Why you need to know this is beyond me. I asked for your help and offered mine in return. What else do you require? What more do you need to know? Because this is hardly everything I know.“, Aina was struggling between being furious and compassionate. She clearly had compassion for Serene but loathed the Celestial Centurion. Her body was tensed, every muscle straining to contain a power that belied her body. The ancient powers she commanded were almost palpable.

[Djane]

"I just - I have no idea what to say. I'm so sorry, Serene." Djane swallowed. "Look, maybe we could, you know, wish him out of his... state, and ask him directly...?"

[Celestial Centurion]

The Centurion fought down his disgust; reigned in his anger and contempt ineffectively. As he spoke his voice was edged in aggression, and jagged with fury, "You what?! You forced, him to sire your child? You admit to rape, without so much as a trace of remorse?" Herak bristled, his hands clenched into white knuckled fists that bled golden light, and wept hot plasma.

"I am protecting my people, my race, there’s nothing I will not do to ensure our survival," the witch repeated, apparently unfazed by the Centurion's open hostility, returning it in kind as she all but spat the words in his face.

You must find a balance between the needs of the many, and the needs of the few, or the one. Herak heard those words echo in his mind; wisdom from Hælious. If she could be believed, the witch's race was dying, in desperate need of a male heir apparently. Is one man's choice worth more than an entire people? the Centurion asked himself. Even now the justice for one could ensure the doom for many, for all of those on Earth who could not escape the fatal hammer blow that was hurtling closer with every breath.

"For now the sword of justice is held in check. You live to ensure the lives of the billions of innocents on Earth. If your word is true, and your race is at risk, we will act as promised, and sworn, to aid your people. Know this however; the sword of justice cannot be stopped, only delayed. Your crimes will be punished." The Centurion's proclamation was made without spite or rancor, without malice or anger. It bound the Centurion to the actions proclaimed; a promise of justice to be meted out.

[z-Watchwoman]

Serene felt sick, sick and dizzy. “Stop it,” she whispered, “just stop it.” Centurion and Aina were locked in their conflict and didn’t hear, but Djane put a hand on her shoulder in comfort. When Centurion finished his statement about justice, Serene managed to pull herself together enough to say, “I really wish people would stop using my father like their personal studhorse. But to be honest, I’m not talking about the personal details.”

Work, work… focus on the work. She should have shrugged off the hand, but it felt good to have someone touch her in a comforting way. It didn’t happen enough; Serene couldn’t remember the last time anyone but Karra had hugged her. She could never remember Watchman hugging her. Serene had always understood that he was her duty, not anyone he loved. How could he, after her mother had done the same thing that Aina had done? But if he’d taken her from her mother, then why hadn’t he taken Aina’s child from her?

That thought wasn’t important. What was done was done. “Djane, if you can wish him better without doing him more harm, you can do it for all of them. I know he’d want that, even over himself being better. But if we do that, he doesn’t get to see her.” She gestured at Aina. “Not unless he wants to. I don’t want him to stumble into this without warning. And…” She stopped, struggling with her emotions. “If you can make them better, that’d be great.”

Now for the hard part. “We’ll talk about my half-sibling later,” Serene said, crossing her arms and glaring at Aina. “What I want from you are the details of who put you in the pillar. They put DawnStar there too, and I’m starting to think that the thing with the prison was just to capture DawnStar for that purpose. I want to know what you know about the people who are throwing this asteroid in the first place. I want to know who they are so that we have a chance in Hell of getting one step ahead of them! We have to know who they are to fight them, and I want answers. NOW!”

[Tesstarossa]

The wave of Nausea annoyed her, and TK in her current state was tired of feeling like a failure. "It's time to end this. We don't have any more time to waste." Massive power was builiding over her entire body before flowing to her eyes, and then there was nothing, nothing visible at least.

TK unleashed all the hell she'd endured as of late, all the anger and despair at seeing her parents broken and defeated. At seeing her own efforts fail. Everything of her insecurities, how little she could add that others couldn't already do, All the anger and resentment for her own weakness, she took it all and forged it, honed it, into a mental dagger and with the practiced eye of a warrior trained by warriors she sent her weapon forward, her skye blue eyes blazing the only sign something was happening. She held no fear that she'd miss, She couldn't afford to, She couldn't fail her friends, not again.

Click to reveal..

Mind Spike (don't know that I have to roll for it but here it is anyway.)

(10:24:09) ChatBot: (Tesstarossa) rolls 1d20 and gets 12. +10= 22

Damage DC 26

[Joani]

Dorian Manor

The tension was rising and if Serene hadn't spoken up Aina and the Celestial Centurion may as well have started a fight. Fortunately he seemed reasonable enough to postpone his issues with the Dragon Witch to a later point but his words were unmistakably clear as well as his intentions.

Aina was about to answer when she heard Watchwomans voice.

Originally Posted By: Watchwoman

Now for the hard part. “We’ll talk about my half-sibling later,” Serene said, crossing her arms and glaring at Aina. “What I want from you are the details of who put you in the pillar. They put DawnStar there too, and I’m starting to think that the thing with the prison was just to capture DawnStar for that purpose. I want to know what you know about the people who are throwing this asteroid in the first place. I want to know who they are so that we have a chance in Hell of getting one step ahead of them! We have to know who they are to fight them, and I want answers. NOW!”

Her words lingered in the room for a few moments while Aina gave Serene a very sinister look. Her eyes flashed angrily but her voice was calm and well pronounced.

"I will ignore the implications you made that I'm involved in this sinister plot. I'm as much a victim as was Dawnstar. I even tried to help her and managed to delay their attempts to tap her powers. Unfortunately I couldn't stop them all...", the Dragon Witch sighed glancing briefly to the Celestial Centurion before she refocused on Watchwoman.

"I don't know if you can live with the truth, as far as I am involved or concerned. There may be other forces at work here and I'm convinced the MageLords have their say in this matter, too because they are the only ones who know how to... capture me. The Demons follow Nexus' command. Nexus wants to destroy everything that we value - life, creation and spirit.", she paused once again and raised an eyebrow at Watchwoman.

"You know who else was imprisoned there. Someone who gives your father reason to charge headfirst in and stage a rescue mission...", she waited this time for Watchwoman's sign to continue.

------------------------------------------------

Delta Prison Pluto

While MegaGirl was struggling against Horror's terrible mindtainting powers TK saw her chance to finish the frozen Demon once and for all. The powers she commanded focused to one tiny focal point was all she needed to concentrate on and with all pent up frustrationg and anger she unleashed her fury upon the creature that was about to hurt her friend.

The telekinetic blast hit it dead center on its chest. For a short moment there seemed to be no effect but then suddenly cracks along its hulking body formed and with a violent bang the creature burst into a thousand pieces. The power of the blast damaged parts of the Hellgate resulting in a powerflux inside the portal. At the same time the controls signaled that the core was about to overheat and that large amounts of the coolant liquid was depleted.

The young heroines could feel the powersurge that was radiating from the portal just before it collapsed wiping out the remaining Demonhounds and leaving some nasty smears on the walls.

Click to reveal..

Combat is over - you can RP normally from this point on. Echo has the Computersystem under control and can override any of the commands issued by its protocol or execute her own program.

[z-Watchwoman]

Serene stared hard at Aina. At first, she wasn't sure if the woman was telling the truth. Doubts assailed the young half-human girl, until she was almost second-guessing herself.

"Stop. Breathe. Focus." As always, Watchman's voice steadied her. Watchwoman took a deep breath, and studied Aina closer, looking for the signs of deceit - and found none. "I never implied you were responsible," Watchwoman said with a voice of steel. "My only accusation is that you know information which we need, which you are concealing for your own ends."

"Why should I help you when you put me on trial?" Aina asked icily.

"That's between you and the Centurion. I have no room to judge you, as I'm a child of a similar outcome," Watchwoman said, cringing a little inside at admitting this dirty secret. "But this, this moment, is between you and me. And you should help me because we rescued you and because we're going to stop the MageLords and keep your son alive - IF you help us save our people."

It was a risk, guessing that it was a bull dragon. But somehow, Serene thought that she was right. Aina had risked much to have a child with Watchman; Serene suspected that it was because the Dragon Witch was sure it'd be a male child. Even if she was wrong, they'd learn something.

Just like she was going to have to learn to adjust to not being an only child anymore.

Click to reveal..

+13 Awareness + Insight + bonus (1d20=2) = 15

Spending a HP, because this is important:

Spending a Hero point (1d20=18) = 33

[Djane]

"Ah, well... if the wish is draining it might be a good idea to wait 'til after the ritual, if we have to cast it... with modern medicine he should be up in no time, but we're all dead if the asteroid hits." Djane fidgeted. "But - yeah, I think I could do it."

[SalmonMax]

There was a pregnant pause as the Portal snapped shut, and the reactor room flooded with red light. Echo took one look at the readouts and activated her modifications, knowing that the damaged reactor couldn't stop overheating now. The only option was to proceed with the plan. A set of overrides snapped into place, delaying the core ejection by a critical .446 seconds. Enough time to change a clean ejection and airburst of the core into a devastating explosion within the reinforced pipeline, creating a jet of fusion-temperature plasma that should, if everything was according to plan, be pointing in the right direction to jet the hurtling asteroid fragment off its collision course with Earth. Instead of hitting the atmosphere dead on and crashing into the surface, it would hit the top of the atmosphere at an angle and bounce off, its decaying momentum carrying it onwards towards the sun.

There was no time left for simulations now. Not even for Echo.

"The core is overheating," Echo said urgently, cutting off her link to the computer. "We have to be away from here!"

She hurried to the elevator and summoned it, setting up a countdown in her mind. Time was already so slim. Echo wasn't sure they had enough time to get out...but she kept that to herself. This was going to be stressful enough as it was.

[Joani]

Delta Prison Pluto

The Invincible was waiting for their return and took off as soon as they were onboard. Before Echo could say anything the Pilot hit the thrusters and kicked in the afterburners trying to get as much distance as possible to the asteroid. Echo’s internal timer was showing 3 seconds over the expected meltdown and she looked outside to check if her plan was working out or not. Just when she thought she had failed a fusionhot stream was breaking through the exhaustionvent on the side of the Prison Complex. It was a blinding white flash that slowly pushed the Asteroid out of its trajectory and off the direct collision course with earth. A smile was forming on her face - it was working – it worked!

As they gained more distance everyone could see that it was being propulsed out of it’s original trajectory and thus most likely miss earth now by a few hundred miles and in the worst case „bounce“ off the outermost layer of Earths atmosphere. The blast was of such incredible heat and intensity that it hurt looking at it.

Suddenly an alarm was beeping on the scanners and the Pilot looked questiongly back to Echo. „Ahm... I think... it looks like its gonna blow...“, he was pointing out the window and there were cracks showing all over the Asteroids surface, cracks that showed blazing white flashs. The meltdown was increasing exponantially and Echo was absolutely sure her calculations were without fail. Something must’ve changed the parameters, something she overlooked? Before she could find a reasonable explanation the Asteroid burst into a thousand pieces.

The defensive perimeter of military vessels immediately adjusted to the changed situation and some of the large ships instantly fired off their longdistance missiles hoping to destroy as many of the small chunks as possible before they reached Earth. Larger pieces were hit by laserbarrages and massdriver cannons but they were just too many... The threat was averted and the Asteroid wouldn’t crash into Earth but there was still much potential for severe damage...

Click to reveal..

You can post freely again. The Asteroid has burst into several pieces with some larger chunks still floating generally towards earth. Some ships are moving to intercept the larger chunks (about Capitalship sized which is roughly the size of a Corellian Corvette). One square hit of those on earth would suffice to cause another mass extinction of lifeforms (like the last great Iceage). It wouldn’t destroy Earth but it would send Civilisation back to the Stoneage.

Dorian Manor

Aina nodded at Serene showing both affection and compassion for her. She had to acknowledge that she was a clever young human and she deserved to know the truth. At least as far as Aina was claiming knowledge of said truth.

„As you wish..., I have never broken my word and I won’t break it now. I will help you, no matter how to ensure the survival of your kind. I shall shed some light with my knowledge about the involved parties of this sinister plot. The Magelords seek to destroy not only my kind, they want to inherit our power. The power of creation. Arcadia gives birth to ideas until they evolve into full fledged Galaxies. Even this Galaxy, which you call home was once born by an idea on Arcadia. With that power the Magelords can create whatever they want and give their dark greed new life. All consuming life which would surely mean the end of many, many Races created over the Millenia.

There are many items of power that they are searching for. The Magelords are led by two powerful Magi who try to do everything to increase their power and become immortal. Their greed is of such blindness that they are willing to pay any price to achieve their ultimate goal and this is where the Delta Prison came into play. Nexus, the opposite of creation and life, an alldestructive and allconsuming force offered the Magelord knowledge. Knowledge about 2 Artifacts of power. Artifacts that will ensure their success, should they come into possession of both.

One is the Fountain of Eternal Live and the other is the Orb of Arcadia. When they attacked the Prison they were trying to get the Fountain of Eternal Live. They came upon this knowledge after they freed Nexus from his prison who in return demanded 2 Sacrifices to restore his power. One was Dawnstar, the other was me. The Magelords gladly agreed since both Dawnstar and I are major enemies of them. Fortunately you came in time to rescue me and at least prevent Dawnstar’s death. If her power can ever be restored... I cannot tell.“, Aina was about to add something when she suddenly flinched and then looked up.

„Something has changed... the Asteriod...“, she widened her eyes in surprise. „It’s bursting into pieces...“

Click to reveal..

@Watchwoman - As far as you can tell and can trust your intuition/insight Aina is not lying or holding back.

@Rest

You still have contact with The Invincible/Echo so you can coordinate your next actions. I'm trying to find a good balance to pace this scene. If you have questions, just ask them.

[Djane]

"Into pieces? Well, that's good, right?" Djane tapped the comm. "Hey, everybody! Did you make it off safe? Wait, uh, protocol: this is Djane at Central Command calling the Invincible, did you make it off safe?" She paused for a moment. "Over?"