[M&M3e] Mutagenic Breakthrough (IC)

[Drakeburn]

Boogeyman

Your deep slumber gets interrupted when you feel yourself shaking for a moment. You open your eyes to find yourself floating in green liquid, inside some sort of metal cylindrical pod with a glass panel in front of you, allowing you to see two men in hazmat suits pick up your containment pod and place it down. You manage to get a glimpse of a robotic claw attached to a small four wheeled vehicle. Some kind of forklift perhaps?

The Nightmare

The sound of clattering metal wakes you up, looking at two guys in hazmat suits placing some kind of containment pod onto the floor in front of some kind of forklift. Across from you you see four other containment pods on a metal wall, floating in the same green liquid you're floating in. They all appear to be wearing a full face oxygen masks and white skintight one-piece garments just like you.

Prototype-X

Your systems start to turn on. Once you gain visual, you see four humans floating inside containment pods strapped to a metal wall. You can also see two humans in hazmat suits placing down a containment pod in front of a high-tech forklift. You cannot find this in your memory, yet you also find that your memory is static, showing only glimpses of images.

Paladin, The Large Grin, Faceless

You're awoken by a clattering noise, finding yourselves ending up floating in a warm green liquid inside some sort of containment pod. Across from you you see two containment pods, only one of them appears to not have any green liquid in its containment pod, nor any white skintight outfit. You also see two individuals in hazmat suits placing a containment pod in front of a forklift with a robotic claw.

[Quellian-dyrae]

In the darkness of unconsciousness, Arthur saw a light. He felt it like the sun on his face, warm and soothing. It pulsed gently before him, and two words echoed in his mind. Protect them.

The light vanished as a clattering sound brought him to awareness. He opened his eyes and surveyed the scene with neutrality.

In the back of his mind, there were questions. Where was he? Who were these people? What was happening? Why...why couldn't he remember anything?

The questions were deemed unimportant. He had a job to do.

Arthur stepped forward. The laws of physics quite plainly stated that Arthur couldn't do that. There was a barrier of glass between he and the outside. Two physical objects could not occupy the same place at the same time. Ergo, he would have to remain within.

But the code of the Paladin quite plainly stated that nothing would come between him and his duties. There was a barrier of glass between he and the outside. He could not fulfill his duty while within the capsule. Ergo, the glass would have to let him through.

The will of the Paladin met the laws of Physics. A brief staredown ensued.

The Paladin won.

Outside the containment pod, Arthur looked to the people moving the other containers. He did not know them, so by default, he would offer them respect as living beings. That too was the Paladin's way. "Greetings. I find myself in a confusing situation. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the circumstances I now find myself in?"

Using Permeate from Eternal Guardian to exit the pod.

Persuasion: [roll0].

Also, Paladin's got that Acute Detect Auras sense, kind of gives him a broad overview of a person's general nature. Does that provide any insight into these guys? I'll support it with Insight at [roll1].

[Q'telun]

Grin watches the man in the other tank step through it like it isn't there. His face twists into a savage smile. If its that easy to get out, then...

Nope, no such luck for Grin. He rebounds off the glass. This is rather infuriating.

Maybe if he punches it. His hand curls into a fist, and it drives forward into the glass plate between him and freedom. He'll tear down this wall with his own two hands if he really has to.

Unstoppable force, meet movable object.



Close combat roll.

[roll0]

[Rhyvurg]

"Memory banks compromised, activating emergency systems! Combat protocols online!" ProtoX raises his hands, one covered in arcs of electricity, the other a pulsing magnetic field. One of the containment pods on the forklift lifts into the air, out of reach of the people in hazmat suits. It had value to them, which meant it had value to him. "Who are you, and where is this place?"

[Drakeburn]

Paladin

Both people in the hazmat suits look up to you, then look at each other for a while.
Finally, one of the people in the hazmat suit steps forward to you.
"I am Dr. Tracy Mitchell, and I'm one of the assistant scientists......"
"What do you think you're doing?!" The other person in the hazmat suit whispers to her.
"You are one of the many test subjects of......"
Suddenly she is interrupted by the sound of shattering glass....

Grin

Your hit sends the glass flying as you shatter it with your fist, spilling green liquid out of your containment pod.
You can see the one with the two in the hazmat suits, who both look surprised at how you managed to break out of your pod.

"Dr. Mitchell, whats happening?" One of the guys in the hazmat suits whispers over to the other.

[Q'telun]

Grin points at the two scientists, and rips off his oxygen mask dramatically. "What was that about test subjects?"

He kicks shards of glass out of his way, then jumps down to the floor beneath the pod. "Please go on, its very interesting."

[Drakeburn]

Grin, Proto-X, Paladin

"As I was saying," Dr. Mitchell continued, while the other steps back slowly to the forklift, glancing back between the robot lifting up one of the containment pods, and the two individuals who broke loose.

"You all have been test subjects of various experimental procedures. The other test subjects have already been loaded into a cargo ship set for the United States of America. You are the only ones who haven't been taken up to the dock."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur glanced first at the test subject who had burst free of his pod, then at the one who was levitating one of the other pods, briefly concerned that they might scare the scientists off from speaking with them, but fortunately things seemed to calm down. "I see. Test subjects for...what? I am afraid I have no memory of agreeing to such a procedure. Or of much of anything, honestly. Is that expected?" There wasn't any anger or blame in his voice, just sincere curiosity.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman don't like his chains
Or cells of steel and glass
The Boogeyman has strength of arm
To MAKE them let him pass
So when he's woke in liquid green
Sees captors walking 'bout?
The Boogeyman will curl his limbs
And smash his way on out.

[roll0]

And as he gets to smashing glass
A chill sweeps down his frame
There's something gone terribly wrong
He doesn't know his name
Or where he's come from, who he is
No memories assail his mind
No self does he recall
The Boogeyman's just woken up
And knows nothing at all

But still he finds a structured mind
Yet still he finds a role
There's purpose running through his head
And mandates from his soul
Some scars buried in the mind's pits
That give him role and plan
Somehow the amnesiac KNOWS
That he's the Boogeyman

It's not a name he's worn before
It's just a guiding light
He doesn't know anything else
But somehow, this FEELS right
So even as he struggles fierce
And hits as best he can
He finds small comfort 'cause he FEELS
That he's the Boogeyman

[Drakeburn]

Paladin

Dr. Mitchell replies with a simple nod.
"The organization I work for...... They build advanced weaponry. At first they started out inventing gadgets and armor with capabilities of protecting troops in the battlefield, as well as law enforcement. Then from there they went on to inventing weapons for self defense, then weapons of mass destruction......"

From behind the hazmat suit you can hear her choking up with sadness.

"And now they want to make humans into superweapons!!!"

The sound of more shattering glass interrupts Dr. Mitchell, turning her attention towards the containment pod in the air.

Boogeyman

You break through the glass of your containment pod, sending the shattered pieces of glass falling to the floor. You begin to realize that you're containment pod is actually floating in the air somehow!

[Rhyvurg]

ProtX sets the container down. "Your explanation describes an unacceptable situation. You will direct me to the person in charge of this facility, and you will tell me the location of this ship. If you do not leave now, I will make sure you are included in whatever criminal charges are leveled against this organization and the individuals who comprise it."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"A little impolite," Arthur commented, "But on the whole I concur. I, too, would like to speak with the person in charge, as soon as such a meeting might be arranged. I am afraid I cannot, in good conscience, agree to being put into service as a superweapon. I am getting the impression that you have your own reservations about the situation. Will you help us to resolve it, Doctor Mitchell?"

[manwithaplan]

Waking up later than the two beside it, the Faceless watched as a conversation unfolded outside of its pod. It was in the form of an unspecific human male; average height and figure, brown eyes, bald head. He was male, and he knew nothing else of himself.

Well, he knew one other thing. This was not his only form. The man's right arm suddenly bulged and distorted, changing size until it was huge, freakishly disproportionate to his body. He smashed his fist against the glass, breaking through and stepping into the area outside.

"Sorry I'm late. What is this?"

Assigning 14 Variable points to Bludgeoning Fists and smashing out of the pod.

[Q'telun]

Grin scratches his head. "We're superweapons, 'pparently. These two are against it, and I'm just wonderin if I'm classified as an employee or an asset of the company."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman gathers his strength,
And leaps down to the floor
His form, first vague, now vanishes
They won't see him no more
He understands the lady's tone
And what she has to say
She's innocent, she can be spared
The man? He'll have to pay.

An invisible limb darts out
Unseen to grab his prey
It snakes around him, binds him up
A gallows undisplayed
And as he grabs the hazmat man
And lifts him to the sky
The Boogeyman, in strangled tones
Hisses out one word: "whyyyyyyyy?"

Move/Free: Drop down, use Dancing Through Rays of Light to turn invisible. I'm not sure if Concealment from Aural Senses (as well as Visual) means he can't be heard. If so, s'cool. The query was mostly thematic.

Gonna try to grab the hazmat bro.

Standard: Close Combat: [roll0]. On a hit, he has a DC 20 save to hit, and takes a -5 to his Dodge or Strength save throw.

[Drakeburn]

Grin, Protx, Faceless, Paladin

"I never wanted any of this to happen to you." Dr. Mitchell managed to say.
"All I wanted was to bring back my....."

Boogeyman

As you grab the other person in the hazmat suit who is trying to sneak away to the forklift, he screams like a little girl in terror. By the time you lift him into the sky, he has passed out from the scare.

Grin, Protx, Faceless, Paladin, Boogeyman

"Pete, Nicholas, what's going on?" A voice calls out from the forklift.
"Is everything alright down there? Please respond."

[manwithaplan]

Superweapons...the man with a monster's arm pondered this. His modified appendage did not bother him, the asymmetrical form just as comfortable as the one he had woken up in. Neither felt like they were his true appearance, however.

"Wait...what's my name?" he asked.

[Q'telun]

Grin puts a hand on Dr. Mitchell's shoulder. "I don't think they'd want you continuing down this path for their sake. They're dead, and you can't change that. But they'll always live on in your heart."

He nods. "Right now though, we need your help. Help us make this right."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur's gaze darted towards the scream. Seeing the now-insensate man suspended in the air was...well, was no stranger than the previously levitated containment pod, he figured. "Pardon me, whoever that is, but would you mind setting the man back on the ground? Gently, preferably. I am sure that with just a little patience and respect on all of our parts we can solve this matter without recourse to violence." His voice was as calm and polite as if he had been discussing dinner arrangements. "Doctor Mitchell, if you could please reassure your coworkers that everything is alright in here, I'm sure that would also go far towards ensuring things don't get out of hand."

[Rhyvurg]

"I estimate it will take me seven seconds to destabilize this building to the point of collapse. You have ten seconds to divulge the name of your employer, or I shall begin. Ten. Nine."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman, he wants to SQUEEZE
Till this man suffocates
Some rage is burning deep within
Some skill with scorching hate
But he hears gentle words from one
Who also was confined
Urging mercy? Is this guy a
Paladin of some kind?

The Boogeyman's no gentleman
And his rage still burns strong
But he's disoriented, and
His instincts may be wrong
He takes the middle road: he grunts
And lets his victim down
Still, there might be contusions:
He was far from the ground.

[Llyarden]

The last occupant of the containment pods had not seemed to act as yet. Break out! Kill them! Make them fear! He shook his head. They dare trap us! Show them that we cannot be trapped!

I don't want to kill them! They're just doing their jobs!

But we do.

The containment pod's occupant stepped out through the glass and floated down to the ground. "They want to know what's going on. You should tell them."

Using Shadow metamorph and Shadow Form to insubstanial my way out of the pod.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Dr. Mitchell quickly walks over to the forklift and picks up the communicator.
"This is Ashley Eleven. Pete and Nicholas called me in for minor technical difficulties, but I'm almost done here."

"Well, hurry up!" The communicator shouted.
"We need to send this shipment of superweapons on its way really soon."

Dr. Mitchell turns to the group of superhumans who have broken out.

"We need to get moving. The freight elevator is waiting for us, but that'll lead you to the dock. Not only will they have cloned workers like him," She gestures toward the other guy in the hazmat suit who has fallen to the floor, motionless.
"But they will also have guards. And these guards are cloned from DNA samples of marines. We'll have to take the stairway that takes you to the lab. There, you can get out through the emergency escape route. And to answer Prototype X's question...."
She gives an uneasy look at the robot still in its capsule.
"Preston Browning is the man in charge of this facility, but he's one of the few lieutenants who work for the one person in charge of the organization. Evan Masters."

Now only one person remains floating inside a containment capsule on the wall.

[Q'telun]

Grin smiles. "Which way is quicker though? Cuz I don't really feel like sneaking around in here."

[Llyarden]

The man who had been the most recent to leave his containment cell frowns at those names. They seemed somehow...familiar, but just out of reach.

Well-Informed on Preston Browning: [roll0]
Well-Informed on Evan Masters: [roll1]

Guards, she said. You'll have to let us out, won't you? We're looking forwards to that. The man flinched as the nightmares whispered.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur cast the robot a brief, deadpan look as he threatened the woman who was already actively helping them, but then turned his attention back to her as she offered them more information.

He considered the two options carefully. The fact that the personnel were clones was interesting, but in the end, he determined it meant nothing for practical purposes. They were still living beings; their lives had intrinsic worth and it would be best to minimize any harm done to them. On that basis, the Doctor's plan seemed best. However, if they were the last group to be loaded for this shipment, it meant there were other...superweapons about to be shipped. People who no more deserved being held in these tubes and treated as tools of war than they themselves did.

That in mind, he still felt a strong sense of responsibility to the people here. Protect them, the voice had said. Precisely who it meant wasn't clear, but Arthur felt in his heart that it referred to these others who had also broken from their pods. But did protecting them require trying to convince them to take the safer path, or might risks still be taken that the greater Good be done?

"I feel we should also consider the plight of the others like us. If we take the elevator, we might yet be able to free the others who have already been loaded for shipment, which seems a worthy goal. What say you, all?"

[Rhyvurg]

"There is too little data to evaluate our situation and the capabilities of the enemy. At this point is is logical to seek allies." He steps towards Dr Mitchell. "You will tell me where to find Preston Browning."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman hears names be named
And memorizes fast
He has been wronged, he has been harmed
He'll make them breathe their last
He hears of guards, of others bound
Innocents, trapped like him
And decides they should take them on
With purpose fell and grim

He flickers himself on and off
So his words can get through
He hopes to ally himself to
This motley super-crew
Distorted and tricky to see
Amid his awful reek
The Boogeyman draws back his limbs
And slowly tries to speak

"They took us from our homes and lives
From family and friends
They've done ill to us, noxious wrongs
For mercenary ends
Let's all take the elevator
And for the captive's sake
We'll kill the clones, kill the Masters,
Leave chaos in our wake"

[Q'telun]

Grin cracks his neck. "I'll take on the world if I have to, if it means getting the other guys free. Hell, the whole universe!"

[manwithaplan]

"...Yeah, if there are more like us, we should help them," The shapeshifter said, still unsure of exactly what he was doing or who he should side with. The others showed confidence, and he could feign it too.

"I don't want to kill any of these guards, though, even if they're clones."

[Drakeburn]

Nightmare


Concentrating really hard, the only bit of knowledge you can pick up about Preston Browning is that he's a millionaire from California. However, you can't find anything about Evan Masters.

Everyone

Dr. Mitchell stays silent for a moment before saying "I understand."
"I would like to make things right again. I guess I'm somewhat responsible for all this, just because I wanted to bring my son back. Preston Browning is up on the surface supervising the shipment of superhumans. It is about six levels up. We can....."

Before she can finish, the only containment pod that isn't empty starts shaking. You turn to see the superhuman inside, a young adult male with white skintight boxers on, starts shaking uncontrollably, and screaming at the top of his lungs.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur was about to reply when the screaming started. He wasted no time, stepping towards the remaining occupied pod. A sturdy mace simply...appeared in his hand as he went. Which, admittedly, kind of surprised him, but he didn't show it, just accepting the fact of the mace's existence as appropriate and swinging it to smash the glass, reaching for the stricken man with his left hand as he did so, mainly aiming to catch him if he fell from the tube. Although at a touch, his hand began to glow with a fierce white light.

Attacking the pod with Sword of Compassion, using the Healing of it to heal the guy of one Damage condition (or of any cuts and scratches he gets because of the shattered glass...whichever works...)

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

As Paladin catches the young man fall from the containment pod, he suddenly pushes away from him.
"G... get back...." He says weakly.
"I... Don't Know.... What's happening to..... ME!!!"

You all watch in horror as the human being undergoes a monstrous transformation: the skin around his whole body begins bubbling wildly as his size increases, and the color of his skin turns to bright orange. When his skin stops bubbling, he is no longer the young adult who Paladin broke out of the containment pod. Before everybody now stands an ugly, disfigured monster. Standing 15 ft tall, and with one eye bulging out.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?!?" It roars, breaking the silence in the room. It appears as though that question was aimed at Dr. Mitchell.

Roll for initiative!

[Quellian-dyrae]

Init: [roll0].

Arthur drew back in surprise, holding his mace out warily before him.

[Q'telun]

Grin steps between Mitchell and the new monster.

[Llyarden]

The wispy form that had previously been a man starts to laugh, an unnatural hissing sound. "You created monsters, Doctor. Now you get to see the results...first-hand. Are you scared?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Once he had gotten over his momentary surprise, Arthur stood resolute between the hulking man...thing and the others. "Sir, we are not your enemies. I must demand that you calm yourself and stand down. I do not wish to harm you, but I will if you attempt to hurt someone else." He held his mace at the ready, not attacking immediately, but fixing the man with a stare that marked him as clearly ready and willing to. That stare said clearly: I will defend these people with my life, do not test me. The weight of his conviction seemed almost as tangible as the steel mail that girded his form.

Free Action: Swapping to Sword of Conviction. Arthur's Toughness is now Impervious (as unlikely as it may be to matter against a single superpowered opponent :smallamused:).

Standard Action: Ready an action to attack with Sword of Conviction if the Demolisher attempts to attack someone. Arthur will take an attempt to move past him as intent to attack. If he provokes the action, attack at [roll0] . On a hit, Toughness DC 25 CRIT! DC 30 vs. Damage and Athletics or Acrobatics DC [roll1] CRIT! DC 32 vs. a Linked Move Object 10 being used as a Trip attempt.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman sees monster, made
By deed of evil men
He pities it, this ain't his fault,
But now's not the time, THEN
He lashes out with limbs outstretched
To restrain, not to kill
But he'll prepare to throttle it
If fighting is it's will

Gonna smack the poor bugger and use Fast Grab to try and snag him.

Attack: [roll0], DC 25 Damage. On a hit, my opponent is grabbed and takes a -5 to his check to break free.

WOO! P-p-p-PAIN TRAIN!

[Llyarden]

The wispy form laughed again as the shadows that seemed to comprise its form coalesced in on themselves and started to grow. "The pain, and terror. So exquisite." The voice becomes less sibilant and a lot deeper, more resonant and develops something of a snarling undertone. "So much fear and so many dark dreams, and you dare disturb it?" This last is addressed to the shapeshifted young man, as the form of a great dark beast took form where the wisps had been, just as tall as the misshapen creature that it was facing. "This. Place. Is. Ours."

Free action: deactivate Insubstantial
Free action: Switch over to Beast form.
Standard action: Attempt to Demoralise the Ochre Demolisher, on account of not having much else to do. [roll0]

[Q'telun]

Grin stands his ground, defending the Doctor from whatever this Orange menace can throw at them.



Delay action

[Drakeburn]

Boogeyman

As tightly as you can grab the orange brute, your lashes only appear make the monster more angry, hitting harmlessly against his tough skin.

Nightmare

The ugly monstrosity tries its best to give you a mean stare through its disfigured face, but you see it tightening its fists and giving out loud snort through its nostrils. (Now Ochre Demolisher is impaired)

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX moves between the giant and the group. "You must remain calm! We were all taken, like you were. We are going to find those responsible together!"

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"I. Want Cure. Now!" The orange brute roared.
You can see bulging vessels starting to show up on his arms, his fists, and on his face.
"So. Angry!!!"

You also notice that Dr. Mitchell from behind is slowly stepping back to the forklift, stumbling for a moment before regaining her balance.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtX runs at Dr Mitchell, grabbing her and taking her away from the brewing conflict. He sets her down behind whatever cover the area provides. "Remain here."

[Drakeburn]

ProtX
"Who am I to argue?" She whispers with a sigh, taking cover behind the forklift.

[Q'telun]

Grin moves forward cautiously. "This might just be your powers. We don't know how far out a cure is, or if its reversible. If you give Dr. Mitchell time, she can probably figure something out." He stops in melee range of the Ochre Demolisher.



Move Action

[manwithaplan]

The shapeshifter stepped back as he watched the last weapon break free of its containment, but then decided to hold his ground. He was just like anyone else here; he could make a difference. He tensed his back, focusing on the flesh there and trying to replicate what he had instinctively done with his hulking arm. Just as he wished, tendrils of slithering flesh began to burst out of his back, sharpening and forming into tentacles that surrounded his body.

Stepping in, he advanced on the giant man and attempted to restrain him.

Rearranging my Shapeshift. Faceless is still spending 14 points on Enhanced Strength, with his super-large right arm, but now also has 8 points in Extra Limbs (octopus tentacles), giving him three spare points. Using the circumstance bonus to make a Grab check.

Attack [roll0]
Grab [roll1]

Not using Chokehold or Fast Grab, though I do have Improved Grab and Improved hold.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

The raging creature tries to break free with all its might, but it isn't enough to break free.
"YOU CANNOT HOLD ME FOREVER!" The monster screams at a deafening tone.
"I AM BIGGER! I AM TOUGHER! I AM STRONGER! I'LL DESTROY ALL OF YOU!!!"

"What is going on in there?!" The communicator from the forklift speaks up.
"Is everything okay down there?!"

Insight DC 32

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Round Two

Dr. Mitchell rushes over to the communicator.

"One of the test subjects have broken loose, but he's restrained now, so everything is fine down here."

"We're sending a team down there." The communicator said back, sounding serious.

"Negative! The subject has released toxic gases. Do not send anybody down here. I repeat, don't send anybody down here!"

But the communicator doesn't reply back.

"That can't be good." Dr. Mitchell says to herself nervously.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur gave a heavy sigh.

The man seemed incapable of seeing reason. Perhaps this violence was simply in his nature, or perhaps it was a side effect of whatever process he had been subjected to.

Regardless, he could not be allowed to harm others.

It was the Paladin's duty to offer redemption to any who would seek it.

As it was likewise his duty to neutralize the threat represented by those who would not.

Arthur brought his mace down hard on the struggling metahuman, aiming to drop him before he could get free.

Move Action: I'm good.

Standard Action: Attack with Sword of Conviction at [roll0]. On a hit, Toughness DC 25 vs. Damage, Athletics or Acrobatics DC [roll1] vs. Move Object Trip.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman doesn't like threats
They bespeak evil thoughts
And so the Boogeyman responds
As all Boogeymen ought:
He starts to squeeze, to compress on
The beast within is grasp
He'll choke and squeeze until the beast
For breath can scarcely gasp

So, I'm applying a Chokehold (as per my advantage) and inflicting Strength-level damage on the dude. So, DC 25 Toughness.

Also, keep in mind the dude is vulnerable or defenseless, depending on how poorly he rolled.

[Q'telun]

Grin, seeing that this poor bastard is beyond reason, decides to do the one thing in his arsenal that he knows he can do. Deck him in the face.



Move Action: I think I can close the distance at Mach 3, right?


Standard Action:
On hit, DC 25 Toughness

[roll0]

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX does not believe in redundancy. Others are attacking the giant directly, so he would act indirectly. He falls forward, seemingly about to crash onto his face, when he steps into the floor, leaving a ProtoX-sized trench behind him as he runs beneath the giant's feet eight feet deep.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

The monstrous brute grunts in pain as Paladin, Boogeyman, Protx, and Grin deliver blows that managed to harm him. The brute staggers for a moment, looking dazed for a moment before falling to the floor flat on its stomach.

1 Character Point for everybody!

"Thank goodness you took the poor thing down." Dr. Mitchell says.
"But now we've got company coming. We only have a minute to get out of here, more or less." She walks out of the chamber and into what appears to look like an ordinary hallway: fluorescent light fixtures, white floor tiles and white walls.
"Come on!"

[Q'telun]

Grin looks to the Paladin. "We gotta stop that boat, don't we."

[manwithaplan]

The shapeshifter unwrapped himself from the bigger man, his tentacles coiling and then retracting into his back. His arm also reverted to normal size as he continued to play about with his control over his own body.

He silently turned and followed Dr. Mitchell, glancing once over his shoulder at the fallen superweapon. It was a shame that this had to happen - the whole experiment, whatever it was, was awful.

Resetting to normal form, 25 Variable Points unspent, and heading after the doctor.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Hmm...perhaps," Arthur responded, likewise following the doctor (they could discuss matters on the go, after all, and Arthur had no wish to stay when such might require harming whoever was coming down here). He was a little more wary of their previously-determined purpose, though. Although these others seemed like decent sorts (well, mostly, he wasn't quite sure about that shadowy fellow who had turned into a monster), the man they had taken down showed that not everyone who had been experimented on might be in a rational state of mind.

"We may need to consider our intended course in light of what we have just seen. The others who have been subject to this experimentation may likewise lack control of themselves. While their use as weapons is immoral, it would at least ensure that they are under the watchful eye of a military organization. If we free them and they turn out to be just as hostile as the man we just encountered, it would I feel be a graver wrong still to release them upon an unsuspecting world. At the very least, we should establish some sort of plan of action for such a contingency. Doctor Mitchell, in your experience and opinion, are the other subjects of this process likely to be dangerous to themselves or others, if freed?"

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman lets the beast go
And turns away to leave
This Doc Mitchell seems one to trust
But in case she deceives
He keeps his limbs a-creepin' round
So if she pulls a trick
The Boogeyman will grab her neck
And snap it like a stick

Actions: turn and follow Mitchell. Keep the invisible limbs swirling around her, just in case.

[Drakeburn]

"Some of the test subjects might be dangerous." Doctor Mitchell answered as she turned right at the end of the hallway, leading to another hallway with a door at opposite walls: red double doors with push handles, and a metal door with a card lock.
"I've been an assistant scientist for research of genetic engineering. I used to work with cloning before working with..... How can I put it..... Test-tube babies. I lost my husband and my son in a car crash, and all I wanted was a baby boy that I can call my son...." Through her hazmat helmet you can hear stifled crying.
"We can get out of here through here. The stairs will take us to the surface, and the dock where the other test subjects are won't be too far from where we come out. But we have to hurry."
With that said, she goes through the double doors.

Following her, you find a tall flight of stairs.

[Llyarden]

The dark creature gives something of an amused snarl at the fallen creature before swirling around to return to the shape of a human, which flits into the shadows, the occasional slight shapeless mass of darkness darting from shadow to shadow the only sign of its presence.

Back to Shadow Form and using Quickness to move between shadows, activating concealment whenever I am in a shadow. This is probably going to be the Shadow's standard method of movement, incidentally.

[Q'telun]

Grin scoops Dr Mitchell up and starts taking the stairs at a blistering pace.



Speed 10, FTW.

[Rhyvurg]

"They must be freed, so they can choose for themselves what they might do. They are innocent until they cause harm."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman's guts turn to ice
As he hears Mitchell's tale
She'd lost a child? She'd lost a CHILD?
Her own son she had failed?
He's stunned to silence as his friend
Grin zoomed her up the stairs
And so the others he addressed
With hissing, hateful airs

"If they have children so confined
In tanks of liquid green
Then we must RAZE this evil place
With violence scourge it clean
We'll save the children, yes we shall,
And if guards 'gainst us stand
I'll make their graves testament to
Wrath of the Boogeyman!"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur gave ProtX a weighing look, a greater measure of respect in his gaze. "Innocent does not necessarily mean safe," he said softly, sounding more like he was speaking to himself, weighing the words, than arguing the point. "But your words speak to the heart of the matter," he added more directly, his own conviction once more resolved on the matter.

As Grin took off with Mitchell, he followed after quickly. If danger waited ahead, it was for the Paladin to stand against it beside his fellows, not to remain behind. And so he did not, swooping up the stairs with equal speed.

Swapping to Sword of Valor to follow Grin at Flight 10.

[Drakeburn]

Grin and Paladin

Within seconds you and Dr. Mitchell run past two other floors before reaching to a set of stairs that lead into a narrow hallway.
"Woah." Dr. Mitchell says as she gets onto her feet.
"That was.... Amazing. Ahem, anyways, I need to take this off, or I might seem conspicuous out there."
Removing her hazmat helmet, you see the face of a woman in her late twenties, with black hair tied back into a pony tail.
"The others really need to hurry. From the information I managed to gather, they have a system of handling scenarios of escaping superhumans. They have response teams. Well trained or enhanced. The response team for this facility is called the Death Squad, and that is a name that they've earned."
After she slips out of the rest of the hazmat suit, she quickly goes where the railing begin to throw over the outfit.
"GUYS! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW! AND HURRY!" She hollers, cupping her hands around her mouth.

Boogeyman, Protx, Faceless, Nightmare

[Perception DC 25 to hear what Dr. Mitchell is trying to yell over to you]

[Llyarden]

The man left the shadows and followed after the others - considerably faster than a normal human could, but still not nearly fast enough to keep up with the other two. He vaguely heard the woman shouting but couldn't even begin to make out what she was saying. That one has the right idea. Make them fear.

I can't make the Perception check even with a natural 20, so I'm not going to try.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Worry not. We will not allow you to come to harm," Arthur told the scientist calmly, a reassuring smile on his face. It wasn't that he didn't take her warning seriously; he kept it firmly in mind for its tactical value. But it didn't worry him. He would prefer to accomplish their task with a minimum of bloodshed. If that proved impossible, such was fate.

[Drakeburn]

Nightmare

You manage to catch up with Grin, Paladin, and Dr. Mitchell, only Dr. Mitchell is dressed in a white collared blouse and black dress pants instead of a hazmat suit.

Nightmare, Grin, Paladin

"Much appreciated." Dr. Mitchell replied with a warm smile.
"All right, once we get out of here there we will find ourselves right by the Containment Center. The Containment center is connected to a corridor that should lead you to the loading dock where the others are."
Then she proceeded to open the door, letting sunlight into the stairs where you are.

[Q'telun]

Grin moves to the front of the party. "Just lemme know where we're going Doc. Like the man said, we aren't gonna let a thing happen to you."

He didn't have the same qualms about bloodshed as the Paladin, but damn if he was gonna let this woman get hurt.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX doesn't say anything, he just keeps an eye out for these response teams. Until they were out of here, nothing could be trusted.

[Drakeburn]

Grin

Outside, you can see a concrete wall to your right. To the left and ahead, past the concrete platform and dirt road you see tall grass, shrubbery, and palm trees.

[Make a perception check and a stealth check]

[Q'telun]

Grin scans the surroundings carefully, watchful for any sign of enemies.



Stealth: [roll0]

Perception: [roll1]

[Rhyvurg]

ProtX climbs the stairs after the others.

[manwithaplan]

The Faceless flew up the stairs, supported by wings that sprouted out of his back. He was at the top in a few seconds and landed, standing with anyone else who was up there.

Spending 5 points on Wings and flying up.

[Drakeburn]

Grin

You don't see anything, but from around the corner you can hear voices.

"Listen up!" A woman's voice barks.
"We have our orders from Mr. Browning to eliminate all escaping test subjects. Now these test subjects are very dangerous, so engage with caution! Captain Skull will lead the main group to the third level, I'll lead Razor Sharpe and Wild Lash will search the other two levels, while the rest of you guard the entrance. Now move!"
You hear the door of the freight elevator open, and then what sounds like the footsteps of probably a dozen people step inside, maybe even more than that. Then you hear the elevator door starting to close.

Protx

After a moment of climbing up, you finally catch up to Paladin, Dr. Mitchell, Nightmare, and Grin, with an open door that leads outside.

Faceless

With your ability to fly you catch up with the others quite swiftly.

[Q'telun]

Grin smiles like the Cheshire cat. "Doc, fall back. We got hostiles incoming. At least three squads. One lead by a Skull, one called Razor Sharpe, and another called Wild Lash. What do you think Knight? Take em on?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur considered as Grin made his report, and shrugged. "It seems unlikely we will be able to circumvent them, and given Doctor Mitchell's description, I do not expect they will be interested in reasoned discourse," he said simply, raising his mace to the ready.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman goes creeping up
To catch up with his friends
He can't be seen, he can't be heard
And both facts suit his ends
So as he climbs upon the stairs,
He's content in the fact
That soon he'll face child-harmers
And deal some harm right back

The Boogeyman moves upstairs. Does he need to make another perception/stealth for this?

[manwithaplan]

The Faceless sighed, his arms suddenly shifting and forming into vicious blades from the elbows down. The power felt almost too natural; after only a few shifts, he felt like he knew exactly how to move his body in any imaginable way.

"Alright then. If we have to fight, then let's fight."

Activating Slashing Blades in addition to maintaining Wings. This leaves 3 Points in the pool unspent.

[Llyarden]

The man turned aside as the others talked, looking for a place to conceal himself amongst the shadows. Once again the names seemed somehow familiar, and once again he could not manage to place them. The nightmares in his head laughed at his failings.

Well-Informed on 'A Skull' (because that's what Grim said): [roll0]
Well-Informed on 'Razor Sharpe': [roll1]
Well-Informed on 'Wild Lash': [roll2]

If there's anywhere dark nearby, going to go there and use my concealment.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Dr. Mitchell shakes her head.
"They're heading down to where you guys broke out of, and it is only a matter of time before they find out that we're out of there." She whispers.
"Besides, if Mr. Browning wants you eliminated, that probably means he's losing patience and getting ready to ship off the superhumans."

"I have an idea here. They are looking for superhuman escapees, not rogue scientists. So I can try to divert away the guards to give us a clear way to the loading dock." She waits for your input on the plan.

Nightmare

Commander Skull: The commander of a mercenary group who often take jobs from supervillains. He is well known for wearing a helmet that is designed to look like a skull, and even rumored to have a hobby of collecting the skulls of his victims.

Razor Sharpe: Growing up in a rough neighborhood, Zach R. Sharpe mastered the art of sword-fighting. He went from defending for himself against gangs to a professional assassin-for-hire. He is unusually fast and prefers a Katana as his weapon of choice.

Wild Lash: A cowgirl themed supervillain, who has a whip for her weapon of choice. She is a mercenary who specializes in kidnapping and robbery.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"It would allow us to bypass them without harm," Arthur said, although he had some inkling, no idea where it could be coming from, probably just his imagination, that he might have been the only one here with that priority. "That said, the risk to you would be greater. I have no qualms about facing them to better ensure your safety." Not only was Doctor Mitchell, well, not a superweapon, but she was the only one of them who had a clue what was actually going on. Her safety, Arthur deemed, was paramount.

[Q'telun]

"I'm with the Knight on this one. I feel like I can take a few hits, but you look like you'd fold under small arms fire." He cracks his knuckles. "I vote we go straight through em."

[herodofcows]

Having made his way up the stairs
The Boogeyman chuckles
And hearing these troops, he cracks his
Proverbial knuckles
"Let me go first, they'll see me not
Nor hear my footsteps tread:
I'll take 'em by surprise, and then
We'll beat them 'till they're dead."

[Llyarden]

The man's voice hissed out of the shadows. "It seems we see eye to eye with you," he remarked - exactly who that was directed at wasn't clear - before continuing. "Two of them are known to us, to be or work for villains, and the last an assassin. A most curious security force, Doctor."

[Drakeburn]

Nightmare

"Villains and an assassin?!" Dr. Mitchell whispered with shock.
"I recently knew that the Society of Advanced Minds were getting into questionable scientific practices, but I didn't think they would actually employ villains and assassins! And to think I joined them thinking they were a partnership of the company I worked for."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Then I suppose that is one more reason to engage them," Arthur said solemnly.

He did not offer comment on the Boogeyman's plan. Stealth and subterfuge were not his way, but he did not expect others to cleave to his own code. He was not unwilling to delay his attack while those equipped for such sought to earn the advantage of surprise.

[Rhyvurg]

"I am quite fast, and no barricade can restrain me. They are expecting something trying to escape, so I can give them one. I can attempt to lead them away while you head for the ship."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman hears his allies
Plan and deliberate
While there are children being harmed
And sent to unknown fates
So while they talk and flap their gums
The Boogeyman, on a whim
Strides forth to see his foes-to-be
Though they cannot see him

The Boogeyman moves forward and rounds the corner so he can get an eyeful of the opposition. He has concealment to auditory and visual senses, so they presumably can't see or hear him. Of course, they WILL be able to smell him, so there's that.

[Drakeburn]

Boogeyman

At the entrance of the containment center, you see four guards, dressed in body armor and armed with assault rifles.
Behind them they guard a double sliding metal door, with a card lock next to the right metal door.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman smiles like a knife
If they could but see it
If they could see his grasping form
They might try to flee it
But see they don't, and flee they can't
For Boogeyman's un-sensed
With unheard cry, he grabs a guard
And chokes with rage incensed

So, close attack to one of the Marines, with an additional attempt to grab.

[roll0], DC 25 Damage (hopefully they are vulnerable due to surprise . . .)
[roll1] to grab at the same time, opponent takes a -5 to any attempts to resist (Strength or Dodge check).

EDIT: . . . DAMN YOU FORUM!!!!

[Drakeburn]

Boogeyman

Before the guard can realize what his happening, he suddenly feels your grip on his neck. The other guards turn to him with shock and confusion as he helplessly struggles for oxygen before collapsing to the floor.

What do you have to complain about? That poor guard you took down rolled a 2 and a 3!!!

Everyone

[ Roll for initiative, and surprise round ]

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur considered this battle. The guards were outnumbered, not expecting attack, and facing "living superweapons". He had no doubt that the others could easily neutralize them. He took up a position between them and Doctor Mitchell, casing about warily for any other potential threats, such as those supervillains and assassin that were mentioned.

Standard Action: Ready an action to attack with Sword of Sanctuary if a hostile approaches him or Doctor Mitchell. In such a circumstance, all allies in 30' will also receive the benefits of a Defend action (with a +10 bonus, capped by their Toughness tradeoff if any, and an additional +2 for Improved Defense).

Move Action: Make an active Perception check at [roll0].

Also declaring intent to Interpose for Doctor Mitchell if she is attacked and hit.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman cackles aloud
Unheard by the guards three
He takes another marine's throat
And constricts it with glee
He may not know his own name, but
He doesn't give a damn
'cause in this panicked, choked second
He is the Boogeyman!

Next attack, same as the last:

[roll0] DC 25 Damage
[roll1] vs. Strength or Dodge, -5 to whichever

Incidentally, we had one character point to spend, right? For upgrading our guys?

[Q'telun]

Grin charges in and hits a guard with what can only be described as a .5 mach clothesline.



Movement

Standard Action: [roll0]

[manwithaplan]

Well, screw it, this was happening now.

The shapeshifter leapt forward with some hesitant attempt at a war-cry, great wings carrying him through the sky after his jump and landing him next to one of the shocked guards. He raised one of his blade arms and then slashed across with it, attempting to leave a long cut along their chest before moving on to the next foe.

Gonna fly to one of the guards and attack him with Slashing Blades.

Attack [roll0]
DC 25 Slashing Damage - Multiattack

If these guards are Minions then I'll use Takedown 2 to fly about cutting several down.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX doesn't hesitate, walking out the door and blasting the nearest human with a gun with an electric arc from his fingertips. "Surrender and you will not be harmed!"

[roll0] Lightning Attack, Damage DC 25

[Llyarden]

A dark mass flitted from one shadow to another at the edge of the vision of the guards. From the shadows, a voice hissed unheard to all except one. "Fear us."

Initiative: [roll0]
Move somewhere where I can target one of the guards.
Nightmares cannot miss; DC24 Will save vs damage.
If I have managed to find a shadow, I'll use Concealment, otherwise I'll just go with Insubstantial.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

The guards quickly get taken down by the superhuman fury unleashed upon them. In less than one minute, they're all down.
Dr. Mitchell peeks over the corner to look at the aftermath of the battle.
"Wow. You really got em." She manages to say.
She gets to one of the fallen soldiers and searches his pockets. Then searching the pockets of the body armor, she pulls out a card.
"They won't be needing this anymore." She said as she swipes the card through the card lock, which dings and the metal doors open. Inside you see two different doors. One door happens to be freight elevator doors, and the other is a double glass sliding door with metal frames.
"That way." Dr. Mitchell says, pointing briefly at the double sliding doors before running in that direction, the doors automatically opening for her when she gets close and lets her pass through.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur follows Doctor Mitchell, only slowing for a moment to look over the group's handiwork. My, but they were efficient...

[Rhyvurg]

"Theory. This is not an escape, we are unwittingly participating in a field test of their efforts to create superweapons." He walks through the doors.

[Q'telun]

Grin scratches his head as he looks at the freight elevator. "Wouldn't it make more sense to use this one anyway? It goes up, right?"

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Dr. Mitchell runs past a few regular doors with card locks along the concrete corridor, and after a minute of running she stops at where the corridor turns to the left, taking a moment to rest.
"The loading dock.... is right..... through there..." She heavily pants, pointing to two doors.
A gentle slope that leads down to a garage door, apparently made for forklifts or other small vehicles.
Next to the slope are a set of stairs that lead down to a door with another card lock on it.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur nodded, considering the doors. They could just unlock the smaller one, but if there was a threat outside prepared for them, that would be a chokepoint. Less than ideal. "Any of you feel up to lifting the large door?" he asked the group, figuring one of them likely had that sort of strength.

[Q'telun]

Grin steps forward and starts trying to get a grip on the door. "Have it open in just a sec here. I'd get to cover if I were you." He'll wait until the others are fairly well protected before he tries to lift the door out of the way.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Oh? I was thinking we'd all just stand side-by-side behind the door ready to swiftly dispatch anyone foolish enough to dare stand against us," Arthur said with a slender smile, his voice still calm, but with an undertone of amused confidence. He took up stance right beside Grin, his mace vanishing to be replaced with a gleaming sword from which shined a soft golden light. Anyone who stood within the light would be filled with a sense of safety, as if they were being watched and protected by some higher power.

Using Passive Sword of Sanctuary. All allies in 30' receive a Reflective Deflect.

[Q'telun]

Grin finds his grip and gives the others a nod. "Going through in 3, 2, 1." His muscles bulge as he forces the garage door up and against its locks. "SURPRISE!"

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman sneaks up with Grin,
Waits 'till the door's ajar
And as Grin's voice goes bellowing
And tells where they all are
The Boogeyman will enter, quick
And sneak off to the side
So when his limbs need throttle foes
He'll catch 'em by surprise

Boogeyman will creep in through the door immediately and try to get a better vantage point for sneaky limb fun.

"Sneaky limb fun" is also the name of my Boogeyman-inspired porno, as I attempt to tap into this 50 Shades of Grey market:

"The Boogeyman will see you now"
Said his secretary
The journalist went in, perplexed
The office seemed empty
But Boogeyman cannot be seen
Or heard, unless he pleases
She wants her inner goddess' screams?
Surprise! He's broke her kneeses.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX follows them out, unconcerned.

[Llyarden]

The dark figure seemed to become even more wispy than it already was as it flits through the newly-opened door and immediately looks for somewhere to take cover on the other side of the door.

Becoming Insubstantial before I go through the door.

[Drakeburn]

The Loading Dock

Once Grin raises the garage door, forcing against the mechanisms that operate it, everybody finally sees the loading dock:

It looks like the inside of a large warehouse, with an opening on the other side that shows the robotic claw on a cord putting a shipping container on a cargo ship outside. There is a sliding metal door on the wall to the left, while there is a shipping container and three forklifts parked on the other side of the loading dock.

Then you hear somebody clapping. Looking up to the source of the sound, you find a man in a black business suit on a platform in the near right corner of the room, clapping his hands. He has brown hair styled in a comb over, and carrying a laptop under one of his armpits. And he is with a teenage girl in long green coat and a dark green sun hat.

"Well, well, well." The man says, taking a couple steps towards the stairs that lead down to your direction along with the teen girl.
"What do we have here?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur did not expect that this would end peacefully.

But flame-blast it, that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

Because that's what it meant to be a Paladin.

"Greetings, Sir, Miss. My name is-" his voice stuttered a moment as the answer to what should have been a simple question didn't come to mind, but he forged on regardless, and the words that came out more by muscle memory and instinct than anything rang true "Arthur Lance. I and these others with me are former subjects of your superweapon program. We are here to protest its continuation. Strenuously. Are you the people we should be speaking to on this matter?"

[Drakeburn]

Everyone


"I guess you can say I'm one of them." The man answered with an amused look.
"I happen to be in charge of this whole island. The name's Preston Browning, multimillionaire extraordinaire. And just let me say that I am IMPRESSED. You managed to somehow overwhelm that orange monster and slip past security. But then again, you had a helping hand who sabotaged the containment center's security systems." He raises an eyebrow toward Dr. Mitchell.

[Rhyvurg]

"Target acquired." ProtoX raises a hand and begins walking forwards. "Preston Browning, you have confessed to human rights violations and kidnapping. I am prepared to make a citizen's arrest and restrain you until law enforcement can arrive. If you resist, I will be forced to use violence to subdue you, and anyone who assists you."

[Q'telun]

Grin sighs. "Don't think law enforcement would take our side here. They might try to take his actually." He steps forward once the others are through, letting the door fall back into place.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman has no patience
For parley or for peace
He's used children, HE'S USED CHILDREN,
They need to be released!
So while the rest in circles speak
He'll head to the container
'Cause if THEY'D been imprisoned thus
So too must the remainder

Invisibly he strides on up
With strength in creeping limb
He tries to wrench the thing open
To see what is within
To hell with parley or fair words
To hell with wasted time
The Boogeyman's ACTIONS will sum
His thesis up just fine

Head over to the container, do a Strength check to bust it open:

[roll0]

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"How right you are!" Mr. Browning says with a hearty laugh.
"You are on my island, so you are at my mercy now."
"Ahem." The teen girl says, jabbing Mr. Browning with her elbow.
"And at my niece's mercy as well."

"But how did you know, and why?!" Dr. Mitchell asked, stepping up.
The teen girl in green sighs and leans against the wall, looking really bored.
"Well, Dr. Mitchell, firstly I was well aware that something was wrong when the alarms and security systems were sabotaged at the containment center. I knew that the only person capable of pulling this off would be an S.A.M. employee. Secondly, I've had Commander Skull report his findings: one large orange monster unconscious, and seven empty containment pods. And third, I have implanted tiny devices in all my clones that send a signal to my little laptop here when they've died. To be fair though, I didn't know it was you until you arrived...."

Mr. Browning is interrupted at the sound of tearing metal. You all turn to see one of the shipping containers on the fully loaded cargo ship being opened.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Mr. Browning called over to whatever it was that opened one of the shipping containers.
"You can never know what you might stir up in there."

You can see dock workers in leather jackets rushing over to the cargo ship to see what the problem is.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"At your mercy? I think not." Arthur said, steel in his voice. "Legal tricks and political games will not deter justice from being done. You have made us into these...superweapons. Unless you would like to see firsthand just how well you have succeeded, you will surrender yourselves first to us and then to a legitimate legal authority."

Intimidation: [roll0]

[Drakeburn]

Everybody

"You honestly think this is about politics and laws?!" Mr. Browning laughed, although not as hearty as his first.
"Let me tell you, that this is all about science! The Society wants to achieve the best in scientific advancements. You have proven yourselves to be more capable than the others, so I have an offer for you. You can either join the organization and become our agents, or you can just walk away from all this, and let us be.
What's your answer, Chivalry?"

Boogeyman

As you manage to tear open one of the many shipping containers of the cargo ship, you see about a dozen dock workers rushing towards your spot.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"It seems we are both mistaken," Arthur said, his voice stern, unyielding and impassive as a mountain. "This may not be a matter of law, but neither can it claim the neutrality of science. It is a matter of Right and Wrong. People may desire progress, but I do not believe they would wish it at such a cost to innocent lives. Your actions do harm to people, Mister Browning, and I can neither aid you nor stand aside and allow it to continue."

He raised his sword ready before him, leveled squarely at the man, and a soft light shone steadily from the Paladin, gathered around his blade. "So I choose option three. On your guard!"

Initiative: [roll0].

[Q'telun]

Grin shifts, lowering his center of gravity. "Lets get it on." His fists come up and he prepares to charge.


[roll0]

[Drakeburn]

"Finally,"The teen girl says with relief, throwing off her hat and long coat to reveal herself. The teen has long black hair with light green highlights that reach below her shoulders, and is wearing a full body green spandex suit, with a slightly jagged green streak that runs down the center of her outfit.
"Target practice." She gives out a sinister smile as she said that.

Initiative Roll for [Insert appropriate name for teenage super villain]: [roll0]

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman's got no time for
These piddling little men
They would against his anger stand?
They'll FEEL his anger, then!
His arms go whipping out like flails
His blows land thick and fast
Against the Boogeyman, these fools
Cannot hope long to last

I'm presuming these dockworkers are minions. If so, I have Takedown 2 and a reach of 500 feet, so I'm just gonna attack them routine-style. DC 25 Damage.

[Rhyvurg]

"Warning, targets exhibit cliches of monolouging and spandex, be on alert for hidden escape hatches and shark tanks. Mr. Browning, you have chosen to resist. You will discover that it is my mercy that matters here, not yours." With a wave of his hand, ProtoX rips the staircase out from under Browning and his niece.

[roll0] Move Object strength check to pull the stairs

[Drakeburn]

Boogeyman

You effortlessly defeat all the dockworkers rushing over to stop your intentions with the shipping container. As these cloned thugs fall, you see inside the loading dock something going on between your fellow escapees and Mr.Browning with his niece.

Everyone

You watch as the stairs and platform tear off from the wall, Mr. Browning's niece takes a great leap, doing a few somersaults in the air before landing right behind the group. Mr. Browning however falls over the railing and lands on the floor with his back. "I'm okay." He manages to say mockingly.

You suddenly start to heart running footsteps from the concrete corridor you came through. Turning around you see a young adult with black, shaggy hair and black eyeliner appear at the stairs to the loading dock. Aside from his black jeans and jacket, he has a katana in his hand. In his eyes you can see him glaring at you with determination.

[Llyarden]

Eyes glint in the darkness as the man who keeps the nightmares lets them fly at the katana-wielder. Zach Sharpe...fear us.

Initiative: [roll0]
Nightmares cannot miss; DC24 Will Save vs damage.
Well-informed on teenage supervillain girl: [roll1] (I presume her appearance is sufficient to trigger this, given that it's rather...distinctive? Failing that I can always use it on 'Preston Browning's niece'.)

[Q'telun]

Grin runs backwards, and turns into a wild haymaker at Razor Sharpe. He roars as he charges, "Kids like you should be looking at girls, not fighting mutants like us!"



Move Action

Standard Attack

[roll0] DC 25 to resist if it hits.

[Drakeburn]

Nightmare and Grin

Razor's killer look of determination starts to have fear and and doubt in his eyes. As he tries to brave Nightmare, he is caught off-guard by Grin's haymaker, giving him a black eye. As he quickly regains balance, gives all the escapees a look that clearly says "I'll be back."
Then he runs off into the concrete corridor.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur didn't pay the coward a second thought, whirling to engage the young woman. Let's see here...Justice, Valor, Conviction, Sanctuary, Compassion, Truth...yep, I'm noticing a distinct lack of Chivalry on that list. Arthur is quite happy to treat both genders with equal respect, which in this particular case means not hesitating for a second before coming at her with a hard slash of his blade, calling upon the power of Truth to reveal knowledge of his foe.

Move Action: If necessary to close.

Standard Action: Attack with Sword of Truth at [roll0]. On a hit, Toughness DC 25 vs. Damage and Will DC [roll1] vs. Mind Reading. If she fails by one degree, Arthur learns her current surface thoughts (possibly her intended next move?) If she fails to two or more degrees, Arthur learns the answer to the question: What powers does she possess? More degrees are probably irrelevant to the question.

EDIT: Well, the great rolls couldn't last forever :smallannoyed:.

[manwithaplan]

The Faceless turned, ready to take on the oncoming sword-wielder, but stopped after a moment after his allies chased him off. His face fell as his wings folded in and his blades retracting, turning him back to normal form for a moment before he looked back to the girl. The smile was back on; fighting was pretty cool. Dashing along the ground, he sprinted full-force towards the teenager as his arms grew, this time becoming too big for his body together rather than one of them being oversized. He jumped into the fray, striking at the girl with one of his enhanced fists.

Retracting everything and going back to Bludgeoning Fists, with 11 points spare that I'll probably spend on a bit of Healing or something.

Move: Run to the Teenager (if she's too far away, feel free to assume that I'm buying the necessary Speed and then removing it when I shift next turn).
Standard: Attack and use Fast Grab

Attack Check [roll0]
DC 25 Toughness Check on a Hit
Grab [roll1]

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman returns to his
Allies and enemies
Two of his foes are young; one's gone,
The other? Too young? Please
She's lost the smell of innocence
Has known bloodshed, caused pain
And she stands to hurt MORE children?
They'll scarce find her remains!

Same old tune, this time against the niece.

[roll0], DC 25 Toughness, plus Fast Grab: [roll1] vs. Strength or Dodge, -5 to resistance roll.

[Drakeburn]

Paladin

Mr. Browning's niece grunts in pain as your sword cuts through the spandex on her right shoulder. However, she seems to doing her best to resist your attempt to read her mind. [2nd degree damage]

Faceless

Not only has she managed to break away from your grip, but she also manages to block your blow with ease.

Boogeyman

While you manage to land a hit at her stomach, she surprisingly manages to slip away from your grip.

Everyone

"Is that the best you misfits got?" She teases, trying her best to ignore the pain you dealt to her.

[2nd Degree Failures x 2]

[manwithaplan]

"No."

The Faceless' body grew and hardened, changing in texture as he was suddenly surrounded in armour made from himself. His 'outer' skin was grey and hard, an extra-tough layer of protection. The sword-arms were back, now, though the wings and tentacles remained sealed away. He definitely had the hang of this. Running in, the Faceless attacked once again.

This is the first time that I'm going to use all 25 points. In fact, I'm going a little bit over, and will have to take an extra Dexterity hit. Here's the final list:

Bludgeoning Fists: 14 Variable Points
Enhanced Trait 14 (Strength 7)

Slashing Blades: 8 Variable Points
+Multiattack 10 on Strength 10
-Reduced Dexterity 1 (no fingers)

Impenetrable Hide: 3 Variable Points
Protection 4
+Impervious 13
Reduced Agility 2
Reduced Dexterity 2
Reduced Dodge 2
Reduced Parry 4

So, the new combat scores are:

Unarmed:
+10 To-Hit, DC 25 Damage

Slashing Blades:
+10 To-Hit, DC 25 Multiattack Damage

Defences:
Dodge: 6
Fortitude: 10
Parry: 6
Toughness: 14 (Impervious 13; immune to damage DC 22 or lower)
Will: 10


And with that, I'll make a Slashing Blades attack on Shadow-Wing.

Attack [roll0]

Awesome, that should do some Multiattack damage.

[Llyarden]

A laugh came from the shadows, seeming to emanate from every point of darkness at once. All we have? No. We have a lot more. And nightmares made their invisible way towards the girl, laughing whispers only audible to the man who spoke with their voice.

Nightmares cannot miss; DC24 Will Save vs damage.

[Drakeburn]

Everybody

After Faceless and Nightmare deliver their blows to Browning's niece, she appears to be really weak, with cuts and bruises on her face and outfit, and her legs are shaking.
"That'll....... Do it...." She moaned before collapsing to the floor unconscious.

"Start the ship!" Mr. Browning yelled.
You turn to see Mr. Browning running to the ship, just about to reach the stern.
"And where is that backup!?" He yells angrily at his ear.

Then you see Dr. Mitchell dashing off from the group, chasing after Mr. Browning.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX gives chase, speeding after Mr Browning, his steel feet tearing up the asphalt. "Stop, I placed you under citizen's arrest!"

Speed 5, not sure if that'll catch up to him.

[Drakeburn]

Protox

You run over to the ship, and reached the ship right as Mr. Browning reaches it.
"Do you honestly think stopping me is going to end all this?" He gestures towards the cargo ship and the loading dock.
"There are more members of The Society, more laboratories, and way more people being put through experimental procedures than what you've seen here. They will come after you, and you can believe they'll send more than what I gave you. You're putting more "innocent" people in danger than what you know."

Everyone

"You have no idea how correct you are, Mr. Browning." A mysterious voice booms from the speakers hidden in the top corners of the loading dock.

[Llyarden]

A dark mass left the shadows, warping and growing as it did so until it became a great beast that pounded towards the ship, sliding to a halt when the voice from the loudspeaker spoke. "Who are you?? Hiding behind your computer. Are you afraid to come and speak face to face?" This coming from a 12-foot-tall monster, it would be quite reasonable if the answer were 'yes.'

Into Beast form, Intimidate: [roll0]

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur looks up to the speaker, giving it a stern frown, and then turns his attention to Browning. "They can try," he says simply, before heading over to the nearest containment pod. He would rap on the glass, firmly but gently, attempting to awaken the person inside but not break them right out.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"I would speak to you face to face, if I still had my face." The voice answered.
"Anyways, Mr. Browning has proven himself as a disappointment to...."
"But it isn't my fault!" Mr. Browning protested, starting to look afraid.
"I'm sorry Mr. Browning, but while your contributions to The Society has been most beneficial for our cause, we now see you as a weakness. A weakness that has to be removed."

Paladin

The teenage boy, who appears to be seventeen years of age, simply stirs a bit.
"Just five more minutes...." He whines.

[Q'telun]

Grin looks to where Razor left from and sighs before rallying and pointing in the general direction of the voice. Which is the sky. "Bring it on faceless! I'll take on armies, I'll take on nations, hell, I'LL TAKE ON THE UNIVERSE ITSELF! And when I'm done with all them, I'll come for you. Thats a promise."

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman hears words bespoke
But does not give a damn
There's revenge to be meted out
As his foes try and scram
He grabs at Browning, stopped by Grin,
And chokes with joy sublime
He COULD just snap his neck, but no,
He'd rather take . . . his . . . time . . .

Gonna grab at Browning and use the Chokehold advantage to start to suffocate him. This will easily be a process of a minute. Figure the Boogeyman has a bit of a sadistic streak.

[roll0] vs. Strength or Dodge, Browning gets -5 to saves.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX grabs Browning's arm, keeping him in custody. "Entity, reveal yourself and/or nature."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur considered releasing the youth, but considering what he was hearing from the voice from the speakers, it sounded like more trouble was likely on its way. Deeming it best to ensure that was dealt with before they started releasing potentially dangerous superweapons, he returned to the group.

He glanced over to where the Boogeyman was strangling Browning with a slight frown. "It may be wisest to release him, friend," he said, keeping any judgement out of his tone, speaking in neutral terms of strategic practicality. "It would seem he is but one member of this Society. If we can keep him of sound health, we may yet be able to convince him to provide information regarding them."

He fixed his gaze on Browning's and added, voice firm and grim, "Especially since it should be quite obvious at this point that we are the only people who can protect him from them."

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"Oh, so you were going to kill Mr. Browning?" The voice asked, sounding amused.
"I'd wish you told me that you were going to kill him sooner, otherwise I wouldn't have launched a missile to blow up the island facility, and every living thing on it. Well, good luck, goodbye, and good riddance!" The voice said.
"119 seconds to impact, and counting."

[Q'telun]

"I got nothin." He looks to the other mutants around him. "Any of you got funky powers to tackle this thing?"

[manwithaplan]

"I could just grab it from a few hundred feet away and direct it into the ocean," the shapeshifter suggested, the armour around his head peeling back so his face was exposed.

[Rhyvurg]

"If I knew the direction of the missile, I could trap it in a magnetic field and hold it as we made our escape on the ship, but without more data, my personal escape choice would be to walk across the sea floor. But it is possible for me to aid the speed of a metal escape vehicle with another such field."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Hmm...in general, with missiles, the explosive is located more towards the front, and the engine more towards the back, yes?" Arthur asked calmly.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"96 seconds till impact and counting,"

Meanwhile, Mr. Browning continues to choke within Boogeyman's grip.

[Q'telun]

Grin looks at Proto X. "Think you could hit the missile with something?"

[Rhyvurg]

"If the missile is intended to destroy this entire complex, we will still be within the blast radius long before it is in my effective range. I believe escape is the most viable option, and there is a ship available. Perhaps many, as I doubt that is the only vessel they would have need of. But we need to get the others out of here, so it must be the transport. Possible solution. I tow the ship."

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"84 seconds till impact and counting." The speakers announced.
"Guys," Dr. Mitchell hollered over from near the front of the cargo ship.
"We really need to get going. I'll try get the ship going." Then she heads off to get to the ship's helm.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur nodded grimly, and rose into the air. While he was a stalwart warrior, he didn't have any particular overabundance of sheer physical strength. There would be little that he could do to assist the others in evacuation.

What he could do, though, was try to find the missile and do something to stop it before it reached the island.

Arthur's gonna kinda do some perimeter flying and try and spot the missile coming in. Perception: [roll0].

[Q'telun]

Grin starts loosing the ship's moorings. "Get on board, I guess. I'll catch up in a second."

[Rhyvurg]

"Drop the anchor, I will do what I can." He jumps into the water.

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman half-mindedly
Follows onto the ship
He doesn't care, he'd missiles dare
To choke this f***ing s***
He keeps his hold on Browning's throat
One purpose in his brain:
If these are their final moments
Let Browning's be of pain

Continuing the choke. If I have to drag him anywhere, Strength check: [roll0]

[Drakeburn]

Everybody

"60 seconds and counting," The speakers announced.

"Dropping the anchor!" Dr. Mitchell announces as the anchor starts lowering into the water.

Paladin

Up in the sky, you notice a tiny speck in the sky.

Boogeyman

Mr. Browning's struggles grow weaker and weaker, till he's breathing no longer.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur marked the speck in his mind, flying quickly back down to the boat. "How are we looking?" he asked. "I believe I caught sight of the missile coming in from that direction." he added, gesturing with his sword.

All the people who were in the pods, were they already on the boat? I realize that the fact that we were on a loading dock had completely slipped my mind. :smallredface:

[Llyarden]

The beast steps off the dock and sinks underwater, following ProtoX as the synthetic sinks to the bottom of the lake floor.

I forgot I had life-support immunity. *facepalm*

[Q'telun]

Grin finishes his work and shoves the ship away from the dock, then takes a running jump onto the deck. "We're away! Light it up Doc!"

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman snaps Browning's neck
Then throws him in the water
The man's done, now the woman's turn:
Is she is niece? His daughter?
The Boogeyman does not care much
But she has sins to answer
And so he grabs her in his arms
Before the ship hoists anchor

Gonna grab Browning's niece before we push off. Figuring there;s not a whole bunch the Boogeyman can do at this precise moment in time. Unless there are pods on the docks, in which case he'll try to snag as many as possible, beginning with the youngest first.

[manwithaplan]

Dashing towards the ship's rear, the Faceless' form changed again. His armour thinned, changing from combat protection to a biological breathing filter all around his body. He didn't know exactly how this worked, just that it would. He had the wings again, and his swords had disappeared in favour of huge arms. He jumped from the island, taking flight around to the back of the ship, where he placed his hands on it and began to push. Time to roll.

Another 25-Point Set! Yay!

Aquaman

Bludgeoning Fists: 14 Points
Enhanced Strength 7

Fin-Tipped Wings: 6 Points
Flight 5
+Aquatic
-Wings

Bulky Arms: 4 Points
Power-Lifting 6
Reduced Dexterity 1

Underwater Protection Filter: 1 Point
Immunity 3 (Cold, Pressure, Suffocation (Water))
Reduced Dexterity 1

All Defences are back to 10. Carrying Capacity of Strength 16; 1,600 tons. That's enough for a ship, right?

[Drakeburn]

Everybody

"30 seconds till impact and counting."

At first the cargo ship starts moving slowly, and then it starts going a bit faster, and faster, away from the island laboratory.

[Rhyvurg]

Underwater, ProtoX's feet churn in the sea floor, one arm holding the anchor chain, the other directing a magnetic field at the ship pulling it along as hard as he could.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"24 seconds till impact and counting." The building announced from a distance.

With the extra push, the cargo ship is now a fair distance away from the island by a thousand feet.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Since it was looking like they were making good their escape, Arthur headed back over towards Boogeyman. "Sir. Is further death at this stage truly necessary? She is defeated and of no further threat to us, and might possess useful information, to say nothing of the moral implications. I would take it as a personal favor if you could find it in yourself to spare her."

[herodofcows]

"She is no THREAT" (quoth Boogeyman)
"Since we did defeat her
So to assure she stays no threat
We must FULLY beat her!
Beat her to death, to harmlessness
So she'll hurt us no more!
Who knows what harm she'd visit us
Like her uncle before?"

"She'll want revenge, that's plain and true
And she could achieve it!
She's got some power, can't deny
That she'd harm us with it!
Harm us, harm those down below us
In metal containers!
Harm children spent to buy power
Unless death restrains her!"

The Boogeyman draws himself up
To full height (though unseen)
He curls his lips invisible
To show just what he means:
He knows this man's a good one
He'll listen if he can
But this one's some saint, Paladin,
And he's the Boogeyman

"I am the Boogeyman, my friend,
I punish with my force
I'll protect those weak innocents
With more than vain discourse
This one? She won't harm them again
For it's rest that I gave:
The peace of resting, rest-in-peace,
Pacifism in grave!"

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1......"

In the distance, you see a rocket briefly flying into the island for a second, and the next thing you know there is a large fiery explosion at where the island used to be, giving off a deafening boom in the air. After the explosion dies out, there is complete silence in the air.......

[Q'telun]

Grin hums a tune that comes to his mind unbidden. It sounds suspiciously like the 1812 overture.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Suddenly, some of the shipping containers start rumbling, along with some muffled voices inside the containers. Then you see a streak of fire burst out of one of the shipping containers, leaving a big burnt hole in that container. You can hear muffled terrified screams within the shipping containers as the fiery streak flies away from the cargo ship.

Then one of the other shipping containers vanishes and reappears several feet away from the ship, immediately sinking into the ocean.

[Q'telun]

"Paladin, you wanna take care of the people on the boat? I'm gonna grab the sinkers." With that, Grin dives off the ship and into the ocean, swimming swiftly over to the sinking container and starts pushing it to the surface.



Swimming! Do you want a roll, or just make it routine?

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur looked like he was considering a response to the Boogeyman, but before he could come up with it, there was a new crisis to avert.

"My thoughts exactly," he agreed with a grin to, uh, Grin, heading over towards the containment pods.

"Please be calm!" he demanded in a voice of steely authority. "You are under no threat! We are going to help you!" He spoke loudly enough that hopefully anyone who was awake but still within the pods might hear him through the glass.

If people acted reasonably calmly, he'd go about and start assisting those who were still trapped but awake. If they weren't...well, we'll see what there is to react to.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX climbs back up to the deck via the anchor chain. "One hundred seconds have elapsed and we are not dead. Escape successful. Standing down from combat protocols, social subroutines active. Wow, that was terrible. If I had a digestive system, I'd say I need a drink."

[Drakeburn]

Grin


A roll for that swim please.



Everyone


"Whoa! What's happening?!" Somebody yelled from the shipping container the Boogeyman opened. As the teenaged boy from the shipping container yelled, all the glass from the containment pods in that container shattered. You see something whiz out of that shipping container at blurring speed, making its way inside the ship.

But the chaos still continues: a different teenaged boy with light blue skin dives out of the hot hole and into the water, where he darts away like a torpedo. A bigger and stronger looking individual with scaly skin steps out of the same shipping container, then jumps into the water.

Then another hole gets blasted through another shipping container, and a streak of colorful lights dart straight into the sky.

"What's going on?!" Some of the people in the shipping containers are saying.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Everyone please be calm!" Arthur called out to the newly-awakened, panicky supers. "We can explain the situation, but we need your attention and patience, please!"

Persuasion: [roll0]

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman hears the chaos
And steps to correct it
The ship they're on's precarious
Better they don't wreck it
And so he fills his ghastly lungs
And lets himself be heard
As he bellows to cow them all
With angry righteous words

"ALL YOU BELOW! BE STILL, BE CALM!
OR ELSE YOU'LL FEEL MY IRE!
You've all been delivered from pain,
From torture and from fire!
You've new gifts now, abilities,
And learn of them you will
But for now we're precarious
So stay SILENT! Stay STILL!"

Intimidate to calm all these fools down.

[roll0]

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

The panicking superhuman subjects have stopped, immediately becoming silent.

"So you're saying we have superpowers?" Somebody speaks up, breaking the eerie silence.

You turn to see a teenager come out from the shipping container the Boogeyman opened.

[Rhyvurg]

"Yes, and if you're not careful you're going to hurt someone, or yourselves. Just remain calm and we can sort this out."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur looked to Doctor Mitchell. "Perhaps now would be a good time for you to explain the situation, whatever it is you know. The more answers we have, the better," he requested.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"Okay......" The teen said, looking pretty confused.
"So there's a robot assuring me that I have superpowers. How do I know this isn't some weird dream?"

Grin

You successfully manage to grab the shipping container and bring it back to the surface.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

"Um, guys?" Dr. Mitchell said over the intercom.
"I would really like to help, but I'm afraid we have bigger problems. I'm picking something up on the sonar, and it looks really big..."

"What kinda problem are we talking about here?" The teen asked.
"And who are all of you anyways?"

[Rhyvurg]

"Why does a cargo ship have sonar?" ProtoX heads to the bridge. "What direction?"

[Q'telun]

Grin hauls himself and the cargo container onto the boat, and sets it down in its place with a clang. "They sent a missile after us, of course their cargo ships are gonna have SONAR." The big man peels off the door of the container, and starts herding the supers inside out.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Hard to tell at the moment," Arthur told the teen. "Perhaps a submarine? And we are people like you, who awoke with these...abilities, and no recollection of who we are or how we got here. Doctor Mitchell has some insights, though, so as soon as we are relatively free of danger, I'm sure we'll be able to get some answers."

[Drakeburn]

Paladin

The teen looks at you funny, thinking in what you just said.
"Okay.... I get the part that we have superpowers, but I can remember who I am just fine..."
The teen then immediately breaks out of his moment of thought to realize something.
"Oh by the way, the name's Scott. Scott Sanders." He offers his hand for a handshake.

Everyone

"Uh oh," Dr. Mitchell said over the intercom.
"Now we have three, and they appear to be surrounding us. Whatever they are, I don think they're submarines...."

[Quellian-dyrae]

Well, it finally happened. Arthur's calm, polite demeanor finally broke. "You...you remember who you are?" he asked in surprise. Well, now that was interesting! "Ah...Arthur. Arthur Lance," he replied a bit dazedly, shaking the boy's hand.

He wanted to question Scott further, but now, apparently, was not the time. "It may be best for anyone who does not feel comfortable in the use of their abilities to get below decks!" he called, before taking to the air to fly a quick sweep around the ship, to see if he could identify what was coming up upon them.

Perception: [roll0]. Arthur has Darkvision, so as long as the water is otherwise clear I...think he should be able to see through it further than most? I know it's dark deep beneath the water but I'm not sure how much that factors into making it hard to see deeper in comparison with just the water itself bending light too much or whatever, which would presumably be a different form of concealment. Maybe.

Also, if whatever is approaching is living and Arthur can see it, does he get any information from its aura?

[Drakeburn]

Paladin

Everybody who have broken free from their containment pods start rushing to get below deck. From the shipping container Scott came out of, a blond haired teenage boy walks out, stumbling about a bit as if he hasn't used his legs in a while. Then a little boy, who looks about eight years old, comes running to get to below deck, carrying a live baby penguin in his arms.

"My eyes!" A young woman screams from inside the shipping container.
"I can't see! They hurt so much...."

In the ocean, you can make out what looks like a squid in the ocean. A small squid.

[Q'telun]

Grin walks slowly into the container with all the screaming. He kneels down in front of the woman and asks gently, "What's hurting your eyes? The light?"

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur frowned, not sighting anything. He'd keep up a quick flyby to check the sky as well, just in case, but if he didn't spot anything he'd fly back to the ship.

I...think sonar is for underwater detection, but the double specification of "in the ocean" plus knowing that no one ever looks up makes me think I might be wrong about that, so yeah, let's make very clear that I'm checking the sky too before Arthur looks really stupid :smallbiggrin:.

[Drakeburn]

Grin

"I don't know....." The young woman answered, sounding like she's sad and in pain.
"When I try to open them.... They hurt.... so much."

Paladin

Aside from the small dark shape deep within the ocean, you do not see anything else in the sky or the ocean.
Then the tiny shape in the water starts getting bigger.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Oh dear, Arthur thought.

He flew at speed back for the ship. "I have good news and bad news," he said to everyone who was still on deck, his voice deadpan. "The good news is, I believe I have located one of the approaching potential threats. The bad news is, it appears that something is causing nearby sea creatures to grow to presumably monstrous sizes. We should prepare to defend the ship in case they are hostile."

Or hungry, he thought with a grim smile.

So saying, he went to the side of the boat nearest to where he had seen the squid, his blade at the ready.

[Drakeburn]

Everyone

Suddenly tentacles emerge from the ocean, surrounding the cargo ship.

Roll for initiative!

[manwithaplan]

Before it can strike anyone on the ship, the squad is attacked from below; having left the ship to swim under it after the explosion went off, the Faceless was ready to take the creature on. He attempted to slam into its side, fists extended.

Still with his previous kit on, Faceless can breathe underwater and swim at Rank 5, so he'll be fighting this thing from below.

Attack [roll0] for DC 25 Bludgeoning Damage.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur took back to the air, flying straight for one of the tentacles and slashing it with his sword.

Move Action: Fly at a tentacle.

Standard Action: Attack with Sword of Valor at [roll0]. Toughness DC 25 vs. Damage on a hit.

[Q'telun]

Grin lifts the girl gently. "Gonna get a little bumpy, but I'm taking you someplace safe, alright?"


Taking the woman below decks and away from the fighting.

[Rhyvurg]

ProtoX throws his hand forward, sending a bolt of electricity at one of the tentacles.


[roll0] Blast attack, damage DC 25

[herodofcows]

The Boogeyman (who's stayed quiet
For no unnoticed span)
Paces calmly to the deck's edge
And takes what breath he can
Before roaring inaudibly
And striking in a bid
Not merely to harm this new foe
No, he'll GRAB at the squid!

As ever, attack plus grab attempt.

[roll0] vs. Parry, DC 25 Damage, plus [roll1] to grab, opponent takes -5 to escape.

[Drakeburn]

Everybody

As Grin takes the blind girl down to the deck, the trio of giant squids are struck down.

At first, there is silence. Then suddenly you feel something hit against the ship. At that side of the cargo ship, you see three whales emerge from the water. From the opposite side of the ship, you can see three sharks swimming around. Then two more sets of tentacles shoot out of the water and grab the opposite ends of the ship, making the ship moan as the tentacles pull the ship.

"What's going on?!" Scott asks, looking really scared and baffled.
"Why are all these sea creatures attacking us?!"
Both Scott and the blonde haired teen hold on to the nearest thing they can grab onto.
"I don't know what's worst: That I don't know what my superpowers are, or that I'm helpless in my underwear?"


>PCs
Sea Creatures
NPCs

[Quellian-dyrae]

Arthur went at the tentacles again, flying about to hack through them as fast as he could. He kinda doubted they were the greatest threat to the ship, but they appeared to be the most immediate one and, well, he was going to be somewhat less efficient at attacking the creatures who remained more fully immersed.

Move Action: Fly at the next set of tentacles.

Standard Action: Attack with Sword of Valor. Given how easily the squids were dispatched last round, I'm feeling like they might be Minions; if so, I'll attack as a Routine Check (for 20), for Toughness DC 25 Damage on a hit. If I drop one, I'll use Takedown 2 to fly about and attack the next, and so on, until I run out of targets or fail to drop a target.

If they aren't minions, then attack at [roll0], Toughness DC 25 vs. Damage.

[Rhyvurg]

"We're being attacked by Aquaman!" ProtoX fires again, trying to drive the tentacles away.

[roll0] Attack, electricity damage, DC 25.

[manwithaplan]

Still underwater, the Faceless continues to fighting, attacking the closest creature he can reach.

Attack!

[roll0] for the same old DC 25 Bludgeoning Damage. Like Quellian, if these are minions then I'll go on a Take 10-Takedown 2 killfest.

[Q'telun]

Grin will search the entire ship for the little boy with the penguin.