[IC] Garuda, the Ringed City: Team Two

[Malexia]

Garuda, the Ringed City

Garuda, the Ringed City. Garuda, City of Magic. The place you call home, and the place where you hope to become legends.

Garuda, where emerald seas and a rich coral reef brim with magical potential. Garuda, where the Dragon Lines pulse to the tune of an unseen heartbeat and arcane lanterns light the night.

Garuda, where heroes and villains exist in a strange harmony. There is an order to Garuda, a certain way that everything is done. The Cycle is without end here in this city of timeless time. This city that has known life and death, rise and fall, strife and peace.

Respect the past. Protect the future. And live always in the present. Those are the laws of Garuda, etched into the stone beneath the stone and into every earnest heart.

But not all within Garuda respect our laws. Not all within Garuda belong here. An outsider has come to our city. A foreigner from distant lands who seeks to disrupt our status quo of mutual benefit. This Stranger would have all we have built fall apart. He is our enemy. He is your enemy.

And when the Three Houses failed to stop him, when the Stranger made his entrance and dazzled all of Garuda with his charisma and unnatural luck, when the established heroes and villains alike let fear breed hesitation, you struck.

Chimera. Hex. Facet. Tumble. Mercury. You five are fledgling heroes, some heir to proud legacies, some standing upon your own merits alone. But all of you were, until a few nights ago, largely dismissed by the establishment of Garuda for being too young, too untested, too new.

So while that same establishment watched with caution and paranoia at the rising tide of the Stranger's movement, you hit the books, identified a threat, and acted.

Your target was Pitch, a small-time thug for the Ruby Market Authority who was one of the first to defect to the Stranger. Armed with stolen artifacts that gave her access to shadow magic - but not fine control - she was able to put on enough of a spectacle to keep the RMA from going after her, but you saw what they didn't; you saw that Pitch was still just as brutish and lack-witted as ever. And when the time came to challenge her, she went down so fast it almost seemed effortless. And appearances can matter deeply in Garuda.

The first faction to recognize your victory was the Court of Raptors, a villainous organization desiring to reform villainy for the modern age. They offered you private funding and secret sponsorships in your efforts to take down the Stranger, with only the thinnest and lightest of strings attached. Of course, the Court knows the value of patience; they gave you no strict time table to consider the offer, and you don't expect them to push until this war really starts heating up.

The first hero to take interest, on the other hand, was the Islander: one of the indigenous peoples of Garuda, predating the current civilization by centuries (possibly millenia). He's one of a small number of immortals from long ago - perhaps the first empire, perhaps not. He made you no offer, and he asked for nothing, but his interest was expressed in his classic subdued manner.

And so that brings us to the current issue at hand. To the Stranger, and those in Garuda who would see his little disruption put to rest. And to your role in all of it... for that role is far, far from over.

[Malexia]

Issue One: It's All Politics

A still night has fallen over Garuda. The arcane lanterns have clicked on to light the sleeping city, and even the sea breeze winds have gone quiet.

But you know that will change soon enough.

This morning, your team received an invitation from an altogether unexpected source: the House of Justice. After proving your worth in the public sphere, the Powers That Be have decided to test your mettle in a more private setting: a villainous lair belonging to one of the Stranger's recruits. Your team will be allowed to decide the approach, and your team will also take point when chaos breaks out. If you impress the hero assigned to watch you, there might be further opportunities waiting.

The hero in question: All-Seer, an establishment hero known for taking a support role and providing overwatch and team coordination through a combination of his telepathy and far-seeing. All-Seer will be in his usual role for this operation, coordinating between your team and the team you'll be working with.

You weren't the only heroes reached out to, after all. A squad of Lighthouse Agency heroes, only a few years older than you and relatively new to the organization, sits across from you in the cramped meeting room you're all huddled in. The squad, consisting of Lightfire, Overstorm, and Helping Hand, recently distinguished themselves in much the same way you did by exposing corruption in a mercantile organization and revealing that some of its higher ups had been cutting deals with the Stranger.

The Lighthouse heroes were expecting to be the only ones picked for this mission, just like you were expecting of yourselves, and their demeanor went cold - though still professional - when All-Seer informed them that your team would be taking point and giving the orders.

With initial introductions out of the way, All-Seer establishes why you're all here.

"We've brought your teams here because the House of Justice has been given a chance to strike at one of the Stranger's lieutenants. Your groups acted when those with more experience and power were hesitating, and that kind of initiative and courage is what all of Garuda needs right now. Together you'll be infiltrating the lair of Jackal James, a villain of moderate status who until just a few short days ago was a member of the Court of Raptors. Jackal took a few minions with him when he left, some run-of-the-mill criminals with strength-enhancing tattoos, and he holed up in an old Court lair beneath the sewers in Highgarden District, the entrance to which is just a short walk from this building."

All-Seer reveals a blueprint of the lair in question, which looks to be of standard make and model from the 80s, if you know your Garuda lair design. A central entrance with the usual contingent of mana sensors, spidercams, and poison dart traps, plus a hidden side entrance through the ventilation array that has arcanocrystal security lasers and an anti-specter ward. Inside the lair you identify the scheming room, the barracks, a few storerooms, and the grand hall (complete with antechamber).

"We don't know the exact minion layout, but you can exact the majority to be clustered around the central entrance and the rooms closest to it: the barracks and grand hall. Jackal himself is likely to be in the scheming room, and even if he's not he'll go running there once a breach is detected. The side entrance comes out near the scheming room, so my recommendation is to send one team to make a commotion up front while the other team gets in through the side entrance and ambushes Jackal without his guards."

He pauses, letting all the information soak in, and then a certain reluctance comes over him. All-Seer makes a respectable figure; he's Bronze Gen, but on the older side of it, and his costume is a fairly simple mystic's outfit with an emphasis on eye motifs. He's dark-skinned and sharp-featured, and he wears a mask that only covers the top half of his face, and appears as if it should block his vision entirely, but that's never been a problem for someone with his powers. What you can see of his face is contorted in hesitation, but he lets out a sigh and says what's been eating him.

"Unfortunately, this information came with strings. The Court of Raptors passed along data on Jackal James, and the blueprint you see before you. Jackal James was once one of them, and apparently respected by a great deal of their number. His betrayal is concerning to them, as it raises doubts about where the loyalties of other key members lie. As a result, they have requested that you attempt to negotiate with Jackal before going straight to fisticuffs. Even if you can't get him to defect back to the Court, they want to know what the Stranger offered that made him betray them."

One of the Lighthouse heroes, Overstorm, snarls and leans forward. "You really expecting us to go along with that? I thought you wanted us here to stop villains, not help them." Overstorm is a pale girl with stringy red hair and an aggressive red-and-silver costume that takes clear punk influences. She's the hothead of the group, that's for sure.

Her teammate, Lightfire, lays a hand on her shoulder and shakes his head. "Don't, Overstorm. It's not a fight worth picking." She glowers but relents.

All-Seer clears his throat and continues. "I understand that it can be difficult to work with those from across the aisle, but it is sometimes a necessity in our line of work. Without the Court's information we wouldn't have any real leads on Jackal James, so we owe it to them to comply with their request." He pauses, then with a sharper tone he adds, "But that doesn't mean you should endanger yourselves or the mission for the sake of that request. Make no mistake, our duty is to Garuda first and our alliance second."

He returns everyone's attention to the blueprint. "Now, the most important question of this mission: which team will be taking the central entrance, and which will confront Jackal James at the side entrance? I leave this decision to you. You are both welcome to discuss it, but the team taking point will have final say."

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 0/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Saki, helmet still off and dangling from a shoulder/neck strap because it wasn't "go time" quite yet, ignored the dramatics coming from the other team. She was still listening, in a passive sort of way, but as soon as the blueprint was revealed she began to look over it. If anyone here (among the younger members that was) was likely to glean any extra information about a villain's lair from the blueprint it was probably her. And she was eager to prove her worth to the team for a number of reasons.

She hadn't been part of the planning that led to their takedown of Pitch, just a lucky accident that she had spotted Hex in a fight and recognizing them and really feeling the need to make up to them the treatment he'd received at the hands of her mother she'd jumped in. And now here she was, part of a team nobody had actually intended to invite her to join, as far as she was aware.
One (unevenly matched in terms of numbers) fight certainly wasn't enough to make things right with Hex and she was sure it wasn't proof enough in anyone else's eyes of her value to the team. But here an opportunity presented itself, right at the start.

Assess the Situation: [roll0]
• what here is the biggest threat?
• how could we best end this quickly?

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.



Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you

https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Sam was doing his best to maintain a professional facade. He really was. It was hard, though, when he found himself rubbing shoulders not only with his own team (who were several kinds of cool in their own right), not only a whole new team of up and coming heroes who he was eager to meet and greet properly when the chance arose, but he was also getting to work with a hero working for the House of Justice! Any one of those things would make for a good day, this was looking to be a great one.

He nods along through the briefing, trying not to pull a face at the mention of the information coming from the Court of Raptors. Overstorm's outburst matches some of his own misgivings, albeit louder, but he also finds that All-Seer's subsequent explanation allays those concerns.

"So... Uh..." As Sam speaks up, he feels his cheeks heat a touch as the attention turns to him, "It sounds like whoever is going to take the side entrance will have the easier time of it." He glances around, as though for confirmation of his thought processes, "If it's just one guy they have to fight, that's easier than stirring up enough noise and trouble to make him run in the first place, right..?"

He pauses, contemplatively, "... Do, uh, do we want to send the flashiest team to the central entrance..? People that can make a big light and sound show..?"

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
(can't post links atm, sorry)
Potential: 0/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

Alistair had been observing the other heroes in the room, trying to size them up. Working with people he knew nothing about, who definitely had to know who he was, wasn't something he was looking forward to. He would (hopefully) not have too much contact with them because of the split up, but he could already hear the insults they might throw at him, the remarks about the shadier aspects of his family, and they were grating on his nerves. He already had enough trouble with how Hex liked to act, he didn't need a team of heroes spitting venom at him, as well.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Sam speak. Sam did have a point. Drawing the attention of everyone in the hideout would need something big and flashy, and a sneak attack would be easier to pull off with more commotion. He glanced over to Sam, to All-Seer, and then the rest of the group, contemplating what to say. He then stands up, trying to get the attention of the group.

"I'd prefer if we could split into teams based off of how flashy or noisy our abilities are, but if we have to stay in our teams, we'll need to figure which team is more suited for the task. If it's alright with everyone, I'd like for everyone to disclose what they can do, so we can make sure the decision is fair and unbiased." He takes a moment to make sure his message has come across, and continues. "I'll go first. You can call me Chimera, and I can transform into the monster of which I'm named. I can also breath and control fire in both my forms, though I prefer to use it when I'm not a large monster. It makes less of a mess. Who'd like to go next?"

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
Conditions:

Labels

Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Pepin's head swivels from person to person. She only had the bare minimum of context expected for who everyone in the other group was. She didn't exactly know why the one punk girl seemed so angry, but it was a bit offputting. Everything had moved a bit too fast ever since the fight against Pitch. She felt like it was all so much to take in. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and listened to some of her teammates speak.

These were supers expecting someone with far more experience and expertise than Pep could offer, but she was not about to back down from this chance to do good. When she finally opened her eyes she felt a little calmer and rose up from her seat and waved to the other team awkwardly. "Uh...hey everyone, you can call me Tumble. I.. um throw myself around reallt hard and fast and am a pretty tough customer when I need to be. Also well, I am going to have to agree with Chimera, that some of our powers and skillsets would be best for use split up. If I had to choose though, I'd want the front entrance. Smashing in quickly with a distracting surprise, seems like something I could succeed well at." She sat back down gingerly and listened closely to see where everyone stood on the plan.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Power: 5
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


There were a lot of people in the room that he didn’t recognize. And some that unfortunately, he did. Saki was there, and he still hadn’t processed how he felt about her assistance in the last fight. It had been unexpected but, well... undeniably useful. He spotted Alistair as well, whom he also didn’t feel great about. He could probably be more sympathetic towards the guy, Alistair didn’t seem to revel in his status and his parents sort of seemed like douchebags, at least when it came to his musical talents. But also, Milo needed to conserve his mental and emotional energy for his own problems. That guy could probably afford a therapist anyway. And friends.

Milo immediately migrated towards Sam, once he’d realized it was him. It wasn’t a look he was super familiar with on his friend, but he’d known them long enough to pick up on the body language.
“Like the hair by the way...” He murmured quietly. Milo had always been a fan of the more wild hair colours, providing easy encouragement any time Sam might try rocking a more ‘out there’ look in any respect.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth when Overstorm immediately blustered and raged in response to the request from the Court of Raptors. He liked her fire, or maybe it was just the red hair that had him biased. For once he wasn’t the first person in the room to snarl!

“Woah, take it down a notch... You do realize you could always just... not do it, and say you did...? Have some discretion...” He uttered though fairly quietly, almost under his breath, unable to fully scrub the amusement from his tone. Maybe it was just because the Lighthouse heroes had been so clearly displeased to see the arrival of him and his ‘team’ that he relished any semblance of unprofessionalism on their part. He didn’t have to pretend to be professional!

The barest hint of a smile tugged the corners of his mouth when it was Sam who stepped up to speak first, and Milo adjusted his footing discreetly to stand more directly at his friend's side, intending to provide unspoken support and/or reassurance. Alistair spoke next, and he sort of hated that he agreed with him. It was possible at least that mixing and matching would provide the flashiest team possible, although it might affect the synergy. Not that he was terribly familiar with his own ‘people’ just yet, but he at least assumed the Lighthouse crew would prefer to stick together. But if Alistair’s suggestion caused them to bristle, Milo wouldn't mind at all.

He listened quietly as Pep stood up to introduce herself. She was the one he knew the least of the group, though thus far had been polite and helpful. He got the sense that these were both genuine traits, and so he'd forgiven any near-misses thus far. A small nod was offered her way in greeting.

“I’m Hex.” He piped up quickly to be next. “I can control most of the elements, and conjure up some pretty flashy illusions. I can also be in two places at once...” The golem that had been behind him, stepped out to the side. It happened to be currently disguised as, well, Hex. With its hood pulled up quite far however and head tilted down, shadow masked its eyes. Also unlike Hex, it stood much more rigidly, perfectly still and silent.

Rolled for Form Change for Milo to be in his form, and got 10. Holding 5 power. (4 for hit, +1 for Crest of Mana)

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Sam acknowledges Milo's compliment with a brief smile and a quiet "Thanks."

With the others introducing themselves one by one, he takes the opportunity to speak up again, "I'm S-, uh, Mercury. I can shapeshift into other people! And, well, some animals too. But mostly people."

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 0/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Saki didn't even look up as the others did their introductions as she figured this was mainly for the benefit of the other team. Still looking over the blueprints she says in a kind of off-hand way, "Facet." and with a wave of her left arm makes a square of transparent multi-color magical energy/force a few feet above her head at an angle. Then with some more hand waving she shifts its position a few feet (though still in the air so it doesn't hit anyone) and shape (circle, hexagon, triangle) a few times. The last one, she has rotate a few times before waving it away, at which point it vanishes.

[Malexia]

All-Seer's Meeting Huddle, The Dark of Night

You recognize the blueprint, or at least you think you do; your mother once showed you blueprints like this for all sorts of villainous lairs around Garuda, though most of them have faded beyond the patterns and broad strokes. But this one, this one in particular stands out. Nonpareil once ranted for nearly an hour straight about how she detested the way all Court lairs designed between '81 and '87 were by the same architect: Rodryck Zerrin, a foreign mad scientist who came to Garuda after being exiled from his homeland. He was a brilliant engineer and a passable architect, but he was also predictable. Nearly every Zerrin lair has the same few design elements, and one of them in particular seems relevant: his scheming rooms always have between 3-4 traps not included in the blueprint. If that's true of this lair, then fighting Jackal James in the scheming room would be a very risky proposition. As for how you can end this whole mess quickly... well, there's an obvious answer: skip the negotiating, skip the Court's whole request, and jump straight to punching this villain as hard as you can.

All-Seer watches from a respectful distance as you discuss the mission and introduce yourselves. He seems more than happy to let all of you sort out your own way of doing things.

When Mercury talks about a show of light and sound, Overstorm is already grinning and punching her palm. Electricity crackles across her fists and you can see her fingers twitch with frantic energy begging to be let loose. "Now we're talking. You want the storm, I bring the storm. I want that front entrance so I can beat the daylights out of every last goon and minion that sorry Raptor reject dragged with him. Strength tattoos or no strength tattoos, I can take them on." The confidence practically overflows from her.

The rest of you go through introductions, and as you do so you notice Helping Hand jotting down notes in a little journal. He mutters under his breath, "Chimera... fire... large monster..."

When it comes Hex's turn, no one seems to have noticed his quiet rejoinder, but Lightfire perks up at Hex's display of power. "Impressive. That's a handy set of abilities."

At the end of Mercury's (proper) introduction, Helping Hand muses, "Shapeshifting would be a good stealth power. Reason for them to take the vent?"

Overstorm frowns and shoots All-Seer a glance. "Hey, why aren't we splitting up? Flashies and sneakies, y'know?"

All-Seer steps forward and calmly explains, "The House wants to see you perform as teams, and from a tactical perspective I agree; I believe the benefits of working with teammates you know will outweigh any possible negatives of team composition. Consider it a challenge to overcome your limitations." A line like that would sound condescending from most people, but something about the way he says it makes you think All-Seer is being genuine.

Facet is last, and then the Lighthouse kids take their turns.

"I'm Lightfire, and I'm a sunlight mage." His gold-and-silver costume is incredibly functional, a clean mix of pouches, padding, and the bright logo of the Lighthouse Agency. Overstorm and Helping Hand have the logo too, but much more subtly placed. "I can manipulate sunlight to blind, distract, and burn. For missions at night, like this one, I keep a handful of magically-absorbent crystals that soak in sunlight most mornings." He gestures to one of those crystals, tied to the crisp white belt of his costume.

Overstorm jerks a thumb at him and adds, "He's team leader. He says he's not, but he is. I'm team muscle, name's Overstorm. I blast, I zap, I wreck and rend. I'm part-elemental, storm-blooded." She stretches electricity between open palms to demonstrate.

Lastly, and most nervously, "My hero name is Helping Hand. I'm an amplifier; when I touch someone with powers I can boost their abilities for between ten seconds to ten minutes, depending on how much of a boost I give them. My amplification also enhances the body's natural abilities including strength, speed, and healing factor." His description is crisp and professional, and the second it's done he's back to his journal. In contrast to Lightfire's functional style and Overstorm's aggro vibe, Helping Hand has a plain grey hood, cloak, and what looks almost like a school uniform. The only dash of color in his whole ensemble is a blue-and-yellow Lighthouse Agency pin.

When they've made their introductions, Lightfire has more to say. "I think it's clear that our teams represent different approaches. From a tactical perspective I'd say Helping Hand's amplification ability gives my team the necessary edge against Jackal James if negotiations break down. From a personal perspective... I dislike the idea of negotiating with a villain, but I also feel we must honor the bargain made with the Court. As such, I'd like to volunteer my team for the task of speaking with Jackal James."

Overstorm huffs and crosses her arms. "Bah. I want to brawl the goons."

Helping Hand adds, almost absentmindedly, "This way you can fight Jackal. I hear he's pretty dangerous for a mid-ranker; he's a really skilled tattoo mage. His body is covered in tattoos that he can activate for different effects, depending on the needs of the circumstance. Definitely a harder fight than whoever's out front."

Overstorm settles at that. "Okay, I guess I can go for that."

Lightfire nods at her, then looks to your team. "Any objections?"

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 0/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






"Yes." Facet says as she finally looks up from the blueprint. "I believe your team is better suited to the role you are naturally more comfortable with. Persuasion is less likely to work from people less inclined to be doing. Unless your team has persuasive powers you failed to mention."

After a pause, but not a pause actually long enough for someone to get a word in, Facet looks to Lightfire and asks, "Do these crystals of yours work in the hands of others or only yourself? Because I believe I could make good use of them if you can spare any." There's this unspoken vibe she puts out where someone perceptive might notice it seems like she wants to say "It's a shame you and I aren't on the same team, that power combination would be useful." And while she certainly is thinking it, she's intentionally not saying it to try and be perceived less like her mother. Though she's probably not being subtle enough here to really help in that regard.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 0/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

"I have to agree with Facet. Lightfire and Overstorm, you're not suited for stealth. Even if we were to distract his goo-minions, if you cause too much noise or light, they'll know that something is up and go running back to their leader. And with him," he gestures to Helping Hand, "you'll have enough to keep up with his minions and still distract them. Most of our team has less flashy abilities than yours does, and the added numbers and infamy some of us have might just get him to defect back to the court, or, at the very least, get him to give us something about why he left."

Alistair then looks around the room, and notices all eyes on him. "But if you still want to do the covert mission, I won't go against the decision."

Was everyone staring at him still? Alistair hoped they weren't, he wanted to keep a low profile in this meeting. Oh, who was he kidding, with what he just said, and his previous words, he had drawn the attention of everyone in the room. He had too much of a habit of doing that. He really didn't want to think about what would happen if he was assigned to be the leader of the team, or something like that because of this. He would be horrible at it. Not to mention that Camilla was expecting that to happen because of his status, and he didn't want her to think that she had anything to do with this team. With his team. Getting her involved would be dangerous.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
Conditions:


Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Pep had been weighing both plan options in her mind and though she felt the goons were the right choice for her, the meeting as a whole didn't seemed to be heading toward a real compromise. Chimera seemed asokay with following the general consensus as she did. Facet on the other hand saw things in a more calculated way. Pepin made a decision. She stood and placed a hand on Facet's shoulder and against her initial hesitancy spoke up, beginning with a bit of folksy commentary.
"When the farmers are arguing over who should milk the cow, the sheep are jumping the fence." Pepin could almost feel the confused looks she got, and really could feel her face getting a bit flushed.
"That is... we are both capable of either of these jobs. Rather than going back and forth, let's just take one and do it the best we can. This hero thing is just about doing good right, not 'better' than the other guy?" She looks at Facet's face expectedly, hoping she could get the hint to just let the other team do the mission they wanted. It wasn't worth a debate

Rolled to Provoke Facet to just let the other team take the job they want. Got an 8, I'll choose if she does it, we add a Team to the pool.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 0/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Saki jumps at the unexpected touch and reflexively takes a step away. She's not at all used to people touching her and her training involved very specific warnings about it always being better to defend yourself against even the hint of a surprise attack and be wrong than to risk letting an enemy seize upon your hesitation. The alarmed/"are you a threat?" look she gives Tumble blinks out of existence as fast as it arrived.

But then Tumble, this person who is more of an outsider than even she is, begins lecturing her on what being heroic is about. In response to her, valid!, concerns the other team cared less about what was good or better than just thoughtlessly administering violence upon someone they were supposed to be talking around back to the collective shared good of the city. But of course, even this outsider knew who she was and who her mother was and leaped to judge her and assume she couldn't tell right from wrong.

Under those assumptions, which she was sure now everyone else would jump to too now that someone had put the thought in their heads, anything further she said to argue the case she had previously made would be portrayed as her being the villain in this situation. So she simply said nothing and gave an exaggerated shrug, letting Tumble visibly 'win' the argument (since she really had no choice at this point), and put her helmet on to hide her expressions. Though she couldn't do so quite fast enough that there wasn't time for Tumble or the others on their team (she had thought to turn away from the other team at this) to prevent them from seeing the annoyance on her face.


Facet mechanically speaking agrees to let the other team choose, so we get +1 Team.
But she's clearly annoyed/feels like she needs to be on the defensive with Tumble.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 0/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2


Alistair was taken aback by what Pep just said. This talking about who would be better for which mission was about trying to do good. Facet wanted to make sure this mission was pulled off successfully, and if they got this mission over as quickly as they could, there would be less of a chance of of getting anyone hurt. This wasn't about being better than the other team, but it seemed that she was thinking that's what it was. He wanted for the other team to see reason, not just force them into a decision. But with the way it was going, he'd have to put his foot down.

He frowns, and turns to Pep. "But this isn't about being better than the other team. This is about ensuring that the mission goes as smoothly as possible. If we're able to convince him to go back, that means there's less of a chance someone could get hurt. There's more of a chance he won't do that if we're acting hostile the moment we start talking to him. Facet wanted to make sure we were picking the best team for the mission, and you pressuring her into silence isn't going to do that. Our team is the best for making that happen, so it's only reasonable for us to be the ones to do it, don't you think?" Alistair is staring at Pep, the look in his eyes asking her to back off of Saki.

Rolled to provoke Tumble into agreeing to let our team talk to Jackal. Got a twelve, if she does it, add a Team to the pool, and if she doesn't do it, she marks a condition.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

And just like that, it felt like the team was starting to implode a little. Giving a harried glance to Milo, Sam hurriedly speaks up before tensions could escalate further, "We'll take on Jackal." He glances to All-Seer, hoping that his teammates hadn't ruined their standing, "I don't think we're as suited to making a, uh, a big scene," He coughs with a self-conscious grin, "And if it comes to a fight, then we'll have numbers."

He rubs behind his neck, his attention shifting to the other members of his team. With luck, they'd catch his hint on saving face. "So... When do we get started..?"

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
Insecure (-2 to Defend or Reject Influence)


Danger: +1ef
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Tumble pulls back quickly at the flinch and nearly throws her own hands up in defense at the quick movement. Tumble sinks into herself and frowns worriedly. She whispers "I'm sorry." and takes a couple more steps back before turning to Chimera. She has to take another breath to calm her anxiety, she wasn't used to being the center of attention especially when it came to superhero business. She typically was a woman of few words when it came to what little media attention she had received thus far. None the less, she had already put herself in this position and there wasn't much, but to speak her mind, politely of course. "With complete respect, I.. I think we just have to believe that THEY" She gestures to the other team "will do the right thing and be Their best. Any voice can be the right voice, a persuasive voice" She lowers her head in a look of shame "...or a hurtful voice. I should have realized how my words might make others feel." Her mood already thoroughly deflated, she is further shot down when the person she was closest to showed her she was in the wrong as well. Pepin's mind swirled with the idea that maybe she wasn't ready to be in a team with anyone. The group wouldn't want someone who was argumentative and came off as bully, who would?

Pepin sort of doubled down and the 'we just need to let them' position. I will mark the condition Insecure. She is definitely not secure in who she is on this team or if she should even be on it.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 1/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Hearing Tumble apologize, both for startling her and for upsetting her, Saki realizes that maybe... probably in fact... this fellow outsider didn't mean to imply the things she took their words for. While she wasn't the one who gave the verbal reproach, it was still on behalf and at least partially the result of her actions. So she felt compelled to try and do... something. Some kind of comforting gesture or words. Some...thing?

She walked over to Tumble, hoping the words would come to her as she went, and reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder like she'd tried to do to her. Then she opened her mouth and..... couldn't think of what to say here. So she just tried to give a friendly reassuring smile.

Unfortunately.... Saki at this moment completely forgot she had her helmet on and what Tumble could see was just her own dark reflection in a gemstone/artifact/helmet thing looking back at her.


Comfort/Support failure! Hurray!

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

Alistair turns his head away, and starts speaking, quietly. "I... sorry for the outburst. I just... I don't want this to go badly. There's something going on and I want to get to the bottom of this..." He scowls, and adds, "...and you're getting in the way of that...", not realizing he said that last part out loud.

Why was Pep being so hard about this? If she just went along with everyone else, they would've been out of here already, stopping Jackal before he hurt any more people. Was he being too harsh when he said that? Did she misunderstand him? Or... was he in the wrong here?

Rolled Comfort/Support and failed. Marking potential.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Power: 5
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


From the previous somewhat chilled reception of their presence, Hex did notice when Lightfire complimented his powerset with seemingly genuine interest. Though to be fair, Milo was rather quick to take notice of any boy taking interest in him- well, Lightfire wasn’t exactly a ‘boy’, probably a few years older than him -but still. Not really used to positive attention, Hex only managed a small and possibly awkward smile in response to Lightfire, listening in silence as the others introduced themselves. Lightfire looked a bit too goody-goody with all the angelic colours of his costume for Milo to warrant spending too much focus on him, but he was certainly intrigued by the idea of a sunlight mage. And just like Facet, he was equally curious about the idea of magically-absorbent crystals. He kept it to himself, however. For now...

As introductions came to an end and discussions resumed on which team would be best for what, things began to take a strange, awkward turn. Milo glanced between his ‘team mates’ in mild bemusement, violet eyes returning Sam’s glance last as he offered an uncertain shrug. He was somewhat grateful when his friend cut in to try and end the spiral with a solid decision, but also a little proud; once the guitar was out of his hands, Sam’s stage presence sometimes suffered from self-consciousness. It was always nice to see him confident, in his skin, or otherwise.

“I agree. Do we have any good pictures of Jackal and his friends? Maybe Mercury could look like him, or a goon. I could make my bud here look like one too maybe, if we want to try and work a little deception...” He suggested, gesturing betwee

Unfortunately, things were still getting... weird. He felt bad for Pep, though he could understand some people having an aversion to touch, Chimera had come off a little strong in his opinion, unnecessarily so. Not like Milo ever did that. But Saki could defend herself anyway, she needed to be able to at least. Though he hadn’t felt Pep had said anything particularly aggressive either.

Glancing over, he saw Saki place a hand on Pep’s shoulder, and... stare her down? He had no idea what she was doing, with the helmet hiding her face and any expression cues. “The f*ck...?” Milo made a questioning face. Ugh, they were going to look like a bunch of kids next to the other team. “Can everyone just keep their hands to themselves for the rest of the meeting? Sit on them if you have to. We’ll go get Jackal. Lighthouse pals will make some noise. Good? Done. Let’s get this show on the road.” He tried to reiterate Sam's message, not shy about being even more assertive in his language and tone.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
Insecure (-2 to Defend or Reject Influence)


Danger: +1ef
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2
Pepin was brought suddenly out of her own thoughts to see the featureless face of Facet. What followed was a blur, she heard others speaking, Hex for instance, who hadn't said much in the meeting so far. Pep went into flight mode and tried scrambling backwards only to trip over something or someone. Much to her namesake she tumbled backwards and knocked her head on a wall. Staring up at everyone, Pep's face was bright red in deep embarrassment and confusion. If she had been less baffled, she might have even started to tear up.

[Malexia]

All-Seer's Meeting Huddle, The Dark of Night

Facet's question seems to rankle the otherwise unconcerned Lightfire, who sweeps a hand briefly across his belt, as if protecting them, before returning to an easy smile behind that plain domino mask. "Sorry, but these are too rare and valuable, and I might need every one for the coming fight."

For a moment, that look on his face almost seems to be... recognition? Maybe you're just paranoid but... you can't shake the feeling that Lightfire knows just a bit more about Nonpareil than the other teens here.

The Lighthouse trio takes Chimera's initial statement without comment, and for once not even Overstorm seems too perturbed by it, actually nodding her head at one point. Then brief confusion on the faces of Overstorm and Lightfire at Tumble's aphorism, though Helping Hand takes it in stride as if he's heard it before.

As the confrontation starts heating up, Overstorm kicks back and gives a quiet snort, seemingly enjoying the show. Lightfire chides her, and Helping Hand interjects a quick, "I agree with Chimera." Overstorm shoots him a glare - and a questioning eyebrow raise - but he doesn't clarify what he agrees with Chimera on, leaving it vague.

When Mercury makes his nervous entrance to the argument, he's not the only one to glance at All-Seer; Lightfire shoots a quick glance as well. Both of you see the same thing: a man like a statue, benevolent in expression but completely unreadable and unchanging. Perhaps this whole argument is just another part of the test, a hidden parameter set by those who organized this mission.

With Tumble's anxious addition, the Lighthouse trio has another brief inter-team spat. Helping Hand leans to Overstorm and murmurs, "You should really take a page out of her book. For someone your senior she certainly seems more mature than you."

Overstorm glowers at him and starts to hiss something, but Lightfire cuts her off. "Please, don't bicker in front of the other heroes. Save the non-immediate concerns for debriefing at the Lighthouse."

Of course, their team is saved from any embarrassment by the continuing conflict in your team. There is one benefit, however: after Hex takes the stage, All-Seer finally speaks.

"None of the minions he took with him were important enough to be profiled, but Jackal James himself had a sizable enough presence to be photographed, yes." All-Seer produces a small sheaf of photographs from seemingly thin air and places them on the central table.

Jackal James is displayed from three angles, and you get a pretty good look at him. James is tan, tall, and strong in a wiry, lean way. His costume screams Court of Raptors from the elegant three-piece suit to the ornate jackal mask (contrary to what an outsider might assume, the Court does not require bird-theming for its members but rather focuses on a general theme of predatory animals, many of which just happen to be birds of prey). His costume hides most of his tattoos, but you see a glimpse here and there of runic designs and soft light.

Everyone's attention is drawn to the image of Jackal James just as Tumble's anxiety fully gets the better of her and sends her stumbling back. While everyone else is too distracted or surprised to do anything, Helping Hand is already on his feet, calmly walking over. He approaches cautiously, then extends a hand. "If you let me, I can make that go away.

If you let HH touch you, he'll amplify your abilities for ten seconds, which will give you a rush of power and as a side effect completely heal whatever minor damage/pain was caused by your clumsiness. You may also clear Insecure as a result of the burst of confidence.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
.


Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Pepin rubs the back of her aching head and considers if allowing Helping Hand to assist her will make her seem even weaker than she already feels. In the end she does reach for HH's hand. The moment they touch, a jolt of energy runs through her erasing any pain she had in her body or doubt in her mind. She belonged here, whether they thought it or not. This whole meeting was just a pretense, who were these people to decide if she could be any sort of hero she decided to be? Pep was the one who decided who she was, and she felt all at once confidence in her body and mind. With a wink, a slight glow shimmered across her form and she tumbled nigh instantly from her spot on the floor, to a position right in front of Facet. Giving her a look up and down she moved past her to stand next to Mercury. The way Tumble moved was now completely different, she strutted with sway to her hips, yet her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. She flashed Mercury an alluring smile, gave them a playful look and let out a small chuckle "You couldn't catch a girl?" She turns to listen intently to Allseer's briefing letting Mercury do with that what they will. Perhaps she was still standing in a bit too friendly of a distance to Mercury?

I might have played up the burst of confidence a bit much. I just thought that having that feeling of true confidence in herself (if even for a brief time) would be something that would be a wish come true for her. It's just so alien to her to have to her to have that, so she comes off a bit.. over the top, I guess?

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

Alistair stares at Pep, hiding any anger or jealousy he was feeling about her behind a face of calm stoicism. They way she suddenly came back from whatever state she was in, moving past what just happened between the three of them. He had let his fears and insecurities get the best of him, and she walked it off, just like that. He couldn't do that. All he could do was pretend to do that, because what else was he supposed to do? Drag this argument on? That would be silly and childish of him, and he would be able to talk to her about any issues he had with her after the mission, in a calm and rational manner. If he could, that is. He wouldn't be surprised if she refused to have that talk. She definitely thought of him differently after that. And why wouldn't she? He was supposed to be experienced, thoughtful, and understanding, and here he was, acting like a spoiled brat. No wonder people thought of him as just another member of his family. He was acting just like them.

With a quiet, shaky breath, he moved his attention back to the matter at hand. He could worry about that later. Or not at all, if he was able. He turned his attention to Sam. "The plan might be able to work, but Facet and I would most certainly get noticed immediately, and blow our cover. Our faces are too recognizable, and a disguise can only do so much. What are your thoughts on this, Mercury?" Hopefully, that deference to another person for a plan would give himself time to breath and collect his thoughts. Or draw enough attention away from himself so that they wouldn't notice whatever breakdown he was about to have if he couldn't get himself together. His thoughts were too jumbled, and he knew he needed some way to let out all of his emotions, something that he definitely wouldn't get until after the mission was over. What a horrible day this was turning out to be.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

"... Right... Umm..." No pressure then. Time to come up with the plan, process Pepin's flirty(?) comment, and do his best to save what face he could with the other team present and the adult hero. Easy.

He clears his throat, ignoring the uncertainty in his chest as he tries to focus his mind. He drums his fingers on the table once or twice, then glances up at Milo. "... He'll be looking to get out, right..?" He looks to the rest of the team, "Can any of you drive? What if we make him think we've got an escape vehicle for him? He thinks he's getting somewhere safe, we get him into custody instead." He glances to Alistair and Saki, "You two can take the front seats, you won't get recognised if all he can see is the back of your heads. Tumble takes the seat beside him, he won't recognise you."

He glances over to Milo, "Hex and I can stay behind. If any stragglers get out after we get Jackal away and try and figure out where he is, radio him or something similar, then I could take his place and Hex can be my 'bodyguards'. Once we get the all-clear that you have Jackal safe, we slip away, and job's done." He glances to the other team, "If we need to, we can also be back-up for you guys, or vice-versa if we're having trouble getting out."

He rubs at his arm, aware that he'd been holding the floor for a while now, "... Thoughts..?"

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Power: 5
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo could feel himself growing tense as Pep stumbled and seemed to be fully panicking even before she fell. This was not going well; they hadn’t even actually started the mission and already they were fighting each other and some were obviously losing heart. Even without an audience of peers and strangers, it was embarrassing. Of course, his expression only betrayed a vague hint of annoyance, though that was omnipresent. He couldn’t let anyone think he cared too much.

That said, the puppet-Milo had turned back around to face Tumble as she tripped, though too late to save her from the fall. It revealed the intent however, and that Milo wasn’t entirely ignoring as much as he pretended. It froze after taking one step, when Helping Hand began to move quickly towards Pep. An unexpected olive branch, and one that had even further unforeseen side effects. Watching as Pepin recovered with ease and flair and then swayed to the front to stand on the other side of Mercury, Milo couldn’t help feeling... odd. He’d have to unpack that later. Confidence was good right now, and their team needed as much as they could get. He did feel a little more at ease when it seemed Alistair had calmed as well, and though Hex was a little surprised to see the other young man defer to someone else, he’d take it. Returning his attention to Mercury, Milo started to nod as Sam laid out a plan.

“It could work. All-Seer said Jackal is likely to head to the scheming room once there’s a breach up front, if he’s not already there, but it’s near the side entrance. So we might have to get in and find him first if he’s not already decided running is the best option. But if we can take out anyone guarding the side entrance quickly and quietly enough... Then you, me, and me can steal their look, go find him as ‘friends’, and convince him we’ll cover his exit." He gestured between Sam, himself, and the puppet now still facing the wall. "Even better if we reach him before he gets to the scheming room or gets much time there to access any new intel. Meanwhile Facet, Tumble, and Chimera stash his real goons out of sight and then get in position with a vehicle if we got one. Do we have time to get a hat or bandana or something, some sunglasses for Saki and Alistair?" He glanced at the pair thoughtfully with a vague gesture their way; he would rather like seeing Alistair looking like rabble. Turning back to Sam he nodded. "Well hopefully Jackal's flustered enough not to recognize our more popular friends right away if they're up front like you said. And yeah, at least we’re not too far apart if something goes south... I mean, sounds good enough to me to give it a go.”

Glancing around at the others, he waited to see if anyone had any further commentary or complaints.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 1/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Saki would maybe have been off-put by Tumble's abrupt change in behavior, but wild mood swings weren't out of the norm for some of the villains her mother had used for her schemes before.

She considered what the others said and nodded and replied, "I know how to drive. I agree it seems a sound plan and that disguises of some kind would be ideal." She wondered if she should have said more. Hex had used a lot more words to respond. Something to think about.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

Alistair was surprised with how quick the planning went. Guess he could hold himself together for a bit longer. "The plan looks sound. I have a pair of old glasses on hand that I could take the lenses out of for Facet. We might even be able to get some keys off of one of the people guarding that entrance and take their vehicle."

His breathing had gotten even, but his hands were still shaking a bit. Nobody else seemed to notice, which he was glad for. Maybe he could have a talk with Saki and Pep while they waited for the others to bring Jackal to them. That, or break down around people who wouldn't judge. He could only hope.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
.


Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Pep glides forward and cracks her knuckles She spoke what came to her without fear of being shortsighted. "It'll be a piece of cake. Get in, get the guy. I'm sure I can convince him that who he's working for is clearly the wrong person to be backing. We have the power of what is right and good on our side after all, yeah?" Her eyes darted to each of her teammates, waiting for them to agree. Was her confidence flagging or was she being a good teammate to care what they thought, she wasn't sure.

With the hope it was the former Pepin grasped Mercury's hand leaned in close and whispered in their ear "You'll do great on this, Sam. Wonderful plan by the way" She then giggled slightly nervously and sauntered off to take a closer look at all the information and maps they had on the mission's location. The longer she stared at the data, she couldn't help but feel that with each passing moment she wasn't the beautiful outgoing woman she hoped to be. A slight frown appeared on her face, but in response she just threw herself more into memorizing everything.

[Malexia]

All-Seer's Meeting Huddle, The Dark of Night

Among the Lighthouse heroes, Lightfire seems vaguely annoyed to see the tide turning against him, but Overstorm and Helping Hand are unbothered. When your team reaches a consensus, they offer no opposition.

All-Seer takes the documents left on the table and nods. "If that's settled, let's get moving."

He leads the eight of you out onto the street, into that too-still night air and that too-quiet calm. Once you're all assembled around the sewer entrance he opens it for you. "I won't be following you inside; I'll return to our previous location and remain there to oversee operations. If you need to relay a message to the other team, simply address me by name and I'll hear it. And remember: get the intel if you can, but prioritize eliminating threats. Good luck down there, to all of you."

You file into the sewer and split up, Lighthouse going north to the main entrance while your team heads south. It doesn't take much walking to find the spot, and a cursory examination reveals the right stone brick to tap three times. The wall grinds open, and you get your first view of the villain's lair: more stone brick (detailed in the over-the-top artsy style favored at the time), the faintly-glittering gems on the walls indicating invisible arcanocrystal lasers, and a wall of grey mist that is clearly the specter ward.

The hallway before you is long, and a sharp turn at the end blocks vision of what's beyond. If there are guards (which there absolutely will be, knowing how Court villains operate), they'll be just around that turn, a pair of bored goons with strength tattoos and bad attitudes. As you get your first glimpse of the hallway, the voice of All-Seer drifts into your minds, delivered by fine-tuned telepathy.

"Point team, your counterparts have engaged the enemy. The mission is go."

And just like that, it begins.

Arcanocrystal lasers are a common sight in villainous lairs, especially by the Court, who are so fond of playing by the rules. Conventional lasers that trip alarms just aren't much good against superheroes, and lasers that deal lasting physical harm could face higher oversight and restrictions, so many have turned to arcanocrystal lasers, which don't harm the body but instead attack your mana directly. You could pass through the hallway without altering your path to deal with the lasers, but it might leave you at a disadvantage in the fight to come. If you want to try disabling the lasers instead, you could try searching for a hidden control panel.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://insidepulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Amazing-Spider-Man-The-Clone-Conspiracy-1-Dead-No-More-Marvel-Now-Spoilers-preview-E-e1482403608241.jpg

Sam nods as Milo expands on his plan, then offers Saki a smile as she confirms she can drive. He then finds his cheeks colouring at Pepin's continued flirtatious behaviour, rubbing behind his neck and glancing after her, then over to Milo as she walks away. And then, they were on their way! Their first joint mission! And it started with a glamorous trudge through a sewer.

Fortunately, it starts getting a lot cooler as the team progresses through. The tapping on a brick for entry was very fantasy novel, and then the crystals embedded in the walls? The lasers coming out of them probably weren't a great sign, but still! It was like a fantasy spy novel! For now, though, plan. "... Ok... Ok, ok, ok..." Sam turns to Facet, "Can you, uh, can you bend the beams around us..? If we don't break the beams, there's no alarm, right?" He rubs behind his neck, glancing back at the beams again, "If it's anything like the movies, anyway..."

As he talks, Sam's form starts to shift, growing to match the photos of Jackal, his own inventiveness filling in the gaps left by the un-photographed parts of the villain. "Then we need to figure out a way past the ward..." He glances to Hex, "Hex? You got that..?"

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 1/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






"I could attempt that, but I think it would be better if I just removed them and kept them for later use." Facet replies. In truth she's a little bit concerned there could be a negative interaction with her powers and the mana draining lasers, but mainly she could just use more magictech things to mess around with as she doesn't really have a whole lot back at her new lair at the moment.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
.


Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

Tumble stood amidst the group, not feeling nearly as confident nor empowered as when they left. Whatever Helping Hand had bestowed upon her, had left her. Mostly she tried not to look too much at Sam, because when she did a blushing anxiety that could even be seen in these low-light conditions would overtake her. None the less, she still had a job to do and it would be best to focus on that. Pepin took stock of the area they found themselves in and first turned to Facet and said in a voice much like when she first spoke in the meeting, "Um... are we sure that removing them won't set off any alarms? We don't want to have taking them out serve only to alert everyone, right?" As the words left her mouth, she was already worried Facet would take this as a personal attack. She frowned and her eyes sort of looked to the area 'around' Mercury rather than right at them, in response to them Pep said "Can we make the lasers easier to.. um see, so we know what not to touch?" In Tumble's mind the image of doing the traditional super-spy dodging red glowing lasers filled her with a smidgen of excitement if nothing else.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2

Chimera looks at Facet and Tumble and sighs. 'They really weren't trained for this, were they? Maybe pushing for the team to take on Jackal wasn't the brightest of moves.......... What's done is done, no use worrying about it now, I can do that later.' He scans the wall, looking for the hidden control panel, wishing he could tell them exactly why the ideas they came up with were.... flawed, but is too concerned with what they think of him to say the exact words. Maybe he could try and say it as gently as he could?

"Facet, while I appreciate the thought, stealing arcanocrystals from a hideout that's sure to get searched afterward is only going to get you in trouble with the Court. And I doubt All-Seer would let you keep something like that, especially because of..." He trails off, hoping Facet will get what he's implying. "And Tumble, while being able to see the lasers would be advantageous, getting through them would be more difficult for those of us not trained in that kind of skill. And if it is the standard array of crystals, Jackal would have made sure to keep them as tight as possible to make sure no hero got through without touching them."

Chimera spots the panel on the wall."I think the simpler solution is to use that...." He motions over towards the panel, looking to the group to make sure they see it. "....to turn them off. We'll be able to get through the area without too much hassle, and we would be able to turn it back on, so Jackal won't be alerted to our presence when he comes through here to get out."

Rolled Assess the Situation and got an 8. Asking:

What here can I use to turn off the lasers?

To spot the hidden panel on the wall, wherever it is. Is it too presumptuous of me to do that specifically, or say what might happen without consulting you, Malexia?

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry
Potential: 0/5
Power: 5
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Hex remained on edge as they entered the sewer, lacking a sense of cohesion and trust with much of the team, not that the latter was something he really gave easily to anyone. They’d managed so well the first time because of their preparation; they hadn’t had as much time to plan and no time to do their own research this go around, and it was a much larger operation they were meant to tackle. That was probably all part of the test, it wasn’t realistic that they would always (or even often) get a chance to scope out the competition or threat ahead of time.

“I’d love to yoink their stuff too, but-...” Alistair had made the very valid points first. Did Milo have to agree with him again? Ugh. “...Chimera’s... right. That, and we need to think speed here over anything else. The other team is already fighting, we don’t want to keep them in danger’s way longer than necessary...”

And just like that, his own feet were put to the fire. Well, not like Sam meant it that way, but Milo knew he couldn’t just snark, he had to pull his weight too.

“Yeah, I got that.” He answered, sounding entirely unphased. In reality, he wasn’t completely sure if he had it, the ward unfamiliar to him. But he was possibly the most equipped to try, and he’d just said it was best to act quickly, so no point in hesitation...

Rolling his shoulders, Milo quickly paced to the wall nearest him, keeping his head down as the whites of his eyes began to darken to black while his violet irises began to glow in contrast. The ‘puppet’ Hex marched more stiffly to the opposite wall at the same time, both of them lifting a hand in synchronized movements, placing palms flat against the brick. Lines of violet energy began to shoot out, splintering out and tracing along the mortar joints, weaving between bricks to avoid any arcanocrystals as they made their way towards the ward. The various points of energy each pierced the wall of mist in rapid succession, flashing bright purple at first before crackling like ember and fizzling with dark smoke as it seemed to burn the other magic away. The violet web spread slowly but steadily at first, increasing in speed each time one branch joined with another, creating almost a fractal pattern.

When all the reaching ends joined together in rapid succession and the web finally engulfed the wall entirely, it flashed out abruptly with a brief eruption of sparks, the web disintegrating in reverse almost faster than the eye could track, tracking all the way back to Hex and the puppet and causing Milo to reel back and almost fall over entirely.

“F*ck!! He spat, shaking his hand quickly and pulling it in close to his body as he regained his balance. Regaining his composure took an extra moment, but he did his best to recover swiftly, glowering around at anyone that dared look concerned, while his eyes faded slowly to normal. The puppet remained unbothered, its own arm falling slack against its side while it remained standing silently.

“Right. Someone else’s turn now.” Hex grunted sharply, gesturing forward and hoping everyone would divert their attention elsewhere.

Rolled a 7 to Unleash Powers to get rid of the specter ward. Marking Angry as a condition as Hex suffers a bit of magical feedback for his success!

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Sam's facsimile of the Jackal leaves a little to be desired in fine detail work, but luckily the Jackal's costume doesn't have any moving parts or too many intricate patterns. It wouldn't survive sustained inspection, but it'll hold up any passing glance or short conversation.

With Chimera indicating its location, now all of you can see the general outline of a hidden control panel. The panel pops right off with the slightest bit of pressure, revealing a standard arcane control matrix. There isn't even any encryption, so it's almost laughably easy to decipher. There's a sequence required to deactivate the lasers, but it seems this matrix hasn't been changed from the factory settings, and any of you with a passing knowledge of security systems will know the standard sequence these come installed with. Facet definitely recognizes the code.

Hex's sorcery tears the ward apart, leaving not even scraps of residue to those with an eye for mana. His work is certainly brutal, but just as efficient. No alarms sound as the ward disintegrates, and with the crystals deactivated the way forward is clear. On the other side of that hallway, just past the turn, you know there will be tattooed minions of the Jackal ready for violence.

What's the plan to get past them?

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://insidepulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Amazing-Spider-Man-The-Clone-Conspiracy-1-Dead-No-More-Marvel-Now-Spoilers-preview-E-e1482403608241.jpg

Mercury bounces on his heels, a broad grin hidden by his new mask. The defences were down, his time to shine. "Nice work Chimera, Hex. We're in!" He nods, as much to himself as anything, "Ok, follow my lead. If they don't buy what I'm selling, we'll take them down quick." He glances between the others as he speaks, "If they do buy it, we'll be through without needing to fight. Either way, we should be able to get close enough to solve things quickly."

With questionable confidence, Mercury strides down the now unprotected hallway, ready to face the waiting guards and try to bluff his way past.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

As you round the corner, you are immediately met with two crooks and a locked door. The hallway ends just a few meters after the turn with a solid wall and a sleek door-frame built in such a way that you suspect it is hidden from the other side. The door doesn't seem locked, and the mechanism to open it is a simple mechanism that looks to twist when pulled, but you can't rule out magic cast on it.

The minions look about as you would expect of ex-Court goons: suits like casino toughs, but with the sleeves tailored short to show off pulsating tattoos and with relatively plain masks. The guy on the right has an unadorned off-white bird mask too vague to be any particular avian, while the woman on the left has a blue-and-brown mask that is fairly reminiscent of Jackal James'. Of course, being only minions, both their masks are of the slighter masquerade variety that really only cover the eyes and nose.

As you round the corner they both adopt combat stances, but then a wave of confusion washes over them and they pause, between stances. The woman tilts her head and asks, "Boss?"

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://insidepulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Amazing-Spider-Man-The-Clone-Conspiracy-1-Dead-No-More-Marvel-Now-Spoilers-preview-E-e1482403608241.jpg

Mercury doesn't break his stride. He tilts his head toward the woman as he walks, snapping, "Who else would I be? There's trouble at the main entrance, I've got some supplies to grab, then I'm out of here." He nods toward the entrance as he draws closer, "You two go reinforce the front, I'll send you more help as soon as I can spare it."

Per my roll in the discord, got a 7 on an unleash. Letting it be unstable/temporary based on DM discretion

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

The force of your personality compels them to act and the guards stumble over themselves to open the door and get away from the berating. The hidden entrance grinds open and the minions quickly file through, but they stop only a few meters into the room beyond.

You take in the scene before you: the stone brick hallways stretches on just a little bit further before opening up to a moderately-sized room with dim ceiling lights, a few crates stacked against a wall, two more hallways leading elsewhere (according to the map you saw, one to the storage area and one to the grand hall, with the barracks on the way there), and a locked door that you know to lead to the scheming room.

And also, having just dashed into the room: Jackal James.

Jackal is just as the photograph showed: lean, mean, and equally dressed for a noble's ball or a back alley brawl. Up close you can see those little imperfections in your shapeshifted form that don't quite match the real deal..

Jackal takes one glance at the minions and shouts, "Heroes! Fire up your augments and get ready for a fight." He continues moving, power-walking straight for the locked door. The minions look at him with confusion, then glance back at Mercury with dawning comprehension and alarm.

You've got a split second to act. Back in the side entrance, the rest of you hear that shout crystal clear... and hear the distinct difference between that voice and the voice that Mercury put on.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +1
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2


'That was a bit too easy...' Chimera thought after Mercury was let in without much of a fight. As soon as he heard the commotion, he started running over, frown on his face. Of course Jackal came out at the exact moment Mercury went in, why wouldn't he? He should have made a back-up plan, or something like that. Now it was down to convincing him or a fight, and he didn't like the odds of being able to take Jackal in without a fight. Might as well get Jackal's remaining goons to just come here now, cause it was definitely going to turn out like that if he had to transform.

Chimera rushes in, and glances around the room. Two guards and Jackal. Would be hard to convince Jackal to stand down, but it was better than getting into a fight right away. "I suggest you stand down, now." Fire starts flaring at his lips, as he continues to say, "Before you get hurt."

That should be good enough to convince Jackal ... hopefully. Chimera couldn't be sure how Jackal would react, especially with the threat coming from him of all people, not to mention he wasn't the most imposing of figures out of his monster form. Wait, if Jackal starts to attack, he'd be the first one targeted, wouldn't he? Well, better him than one of the others, but it was still going to hurt. Even more so if he couldn't transform in time.

Rolled to provoke Jackal to stand down, rolled a 9. If a team is used to turn it into a 10, Jackal rises to the bait and does what I want. If it stays a 9, Jackal could instead choose to stumble, err, or overreact.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 1/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Facet steps out as well so that she's flanking Mercury from the other side than Chimera is. Though her pace is steady, where Chimera's was rushed.

"Yes. As Chimera says, it would be better for you to stand down. You know the forces at play here. The Court won't let you get away with betraying them. If the Stranger has convinced you they can or will choose to protect you from them, they were lying. At this moment you have a rare opportunity. The fact that the heroes and the Court are cooperating means that if you surrender peacefully and come willingly, your safety will be guaranteed. If you play your hand right, the information you have to share about the Stranger might even be rewarded. But this path, the Stranger's path leads nowhere. Not for them, and certainly not for you." she says and gives what might be a sad shake of her head.


Spending a Team to improve Chimera's result.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Jackal James pauses, any expression on his face hidden by the ornate mask. He turns to face the intruders and tilts his head, examining them as if sizing up prey. The two guards look between them, then warily raise their fists, steely gazes directed at the heroes.

Jackal waves a hand at the guards. "No. Go help the others. Lighthouse brats are raising a bit of a storm, and I'd hate for anyone to get hurt. I can deal with these interlopers."

With practiced nods the minions acknowledge Jackal's order and sprint out of the room to go join the fray. Then it is just your team and Jackal James, standing across from each other inside his lair.

Jackal slips his hands into his pockets once the minions are gone, his stance relaxed and the tone of his voice radiating arrogant confidence. "In the Court, we made it a policy not to harm children. Sent a bad message to the other villains, you dig? We weren't like those thugs and wretches, we were a higher class of criminal." He laughs coldly. "Of course, that civility only went so far. To our enemies, and to each other. Do you know what the Court does to traitors, kiddos? It's not something for young ears to hear."

He's mocking you. Trying to rile you up. Trying to get you to throw the first punch. And the insulting part is, he's not even hiding it; he thinks you're too immature and impulsive to hold back.

"I wonder, do you think of yourselves as children? As trainees and newcomers, as students and initiates? Or do you think you're hot stuff? Do you think you're the next big thing?"

For a moment, his body glows with light, the lines of his tattoos burning bright and shining with color even through his crisp suit. And then they settle, and he is once more cast in shadow.

"Do you think you have what it takes to bring me in? Cause I gotta tell you... we made it a policy not to harm children. But if you ain't children, then I ain't gonna hold back."

You don't have Influence over Jackal, nor is he particularly susceptible to your words, but he'll acknowledge your high roll by giving you the first move. If you don't attack him, he won't attack you. For the moment, he'll listen to what you have to say. But he isn't just going to let you bring him back to the Court, not unless you give a hell of a good reason.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://insidepulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Amazing-Spider-Man-The-Clone-Conspiracy-1-Dead-No-More-Marvel-Now-Spoilers-preview-E-e1482403608241.jpg

Sam's heart sank a bit as Jackal rounds the corner just as they'd gotten in. That... Really wasn't fair. He knew the old saying, 'no plan survives contact with the enemy', but it seemed a bit unfair that it'd fall apart this fast. Still, Facet and Chimera admirably manage to convince him to send his goons away. Five on one were good odds, right? If they could just subdue him, they could get the answers they needed. And then he starts to taunt the team, calling them children, trying to provoke them to rash action.

Sam lets his disguise melt away. Not like it was super helpful now, after all. "... You know we got into your base, right..?" He starts edging closer, "Not even tricky, y'know. If a kid can do that to your base, then what does that say about you?"

Abruptly, Mercury rushes forward. He knew Jackal was trying to get that reaction. Hopefully he wasn't actually expecting anyone to fall for that. As he made a wild swing at the imposing villain, a darker thought poked its head in.

... Hopefully I'll at least give one of the others the chance to get a hit in.

Rolled a 7 for a direct engage! Will be looking to create an opportunity for my allies.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry
Potential: 1/5
Power: 5
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Sliding out from around the corner, he was quick to take up a position on one side of Mercury, the puppet flanking Sam’s other side. While he didn’t expect Jackal to just surrender because they asked, he was a little surprised when the man sent his minions away and gave them a chance to actually talk rather than simply aiming to smear them across the floor. Because the man must think he could easily do so, to send away his backup. In the back of his mind, Hex wondered if the Lighthouse lads and lass would manage reinforcements alright...

Apparently even traitors still held to some kind of code, however. Milo certainly didn’t consider himself a ‘child’, but he saw the position Jackal was trying to put them in, a lose-lose from James’ perspective. Surely he wanted them to either back down and accept the humiliation of being ‘children’, or to ‘foolishly’ deny the title in their pride, and allow him the permission not to feel bad for hurting them. He wasn't really buying in either way.

“What, are you scared to fight us? You’re not with the Court anymore, why do you care about their policies?”

He was both surprised and impressed when Sam made the first move, not waiting for further discussion to jump in himself. The puppet immediately charged forward to flank James, lurching at him with its disguised sickle hand, while Hex slid in from the other side. With one hand completely wreathed in violet flame, he reached out to touch and blast Jackal.

Rolled a 6 to Directly Engage Jackal. But getting a +1 from Mercury's opportunity as directed by Malexia so that's a 7! Taking Resist Blows as an option.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Jackal is overflowing with callous ego, his every word a thorn digging into your skin. It's obvious he's just trying to get a reaction out of you... and one of you decides to give him what he wants.

Mercury dashes forward and swings, a move so sudden and focused that he shouldn't be ready to counter it - you know your aim is true and your action was unpredictable - and yet Jackal James is already moving one of his hands, bringing up an open palm to catch your fist neatly, elegantly, and effortlessly. Your entire momentum is thrown off and you stumble to a stop, looking more like a rowdy child than the hero you know yourself to be.

Mercury's successful attack triggers Jackal's faction-specific Villain Move: Grace of the Court. All gilded members of the Court of Raptors (even those no longer with the organization) completely negate the first Condition that would be inflicted on them in combat. Note: this move does not negate any other effects of a roll, such as creating an opportunity.

Jackal's stance is unchanged and his other hand remains in his pocket. He is relaxed, calm, and utterly in control. His tone is sneering as he chides you, "I'm sorry, were you trying to *accomplish* something with that ill-conceived little stunt? Pardon if I don't give you the respect you so clearly and *desperately* crave. Fear and politics ain't all there is to the real world, kiddo. A gentleman has to carry himself with class if he wants the respect of his peers. There isn't an ounce of pride in swatting a fly like you."

Mercury, Take a Powerful Blow. The word of Jackal James bite into you like tiny knives and cast doubt on your abilities.

And then he takes a blast of violet fire to the face.

Jackal's keen enough to notice the puppet charging him, but he's so busy gloating to Mercury that he doesn't react fast enough, and he's only just sidestepped the puppet's attack when Hex's blast comes in and hits the ex-Court villain with full force. Flame roars across his mask and you see a few lines of gold crack. He stumbles away from both Mercury and Hex, letting Mercury's fist drop away. He claws at the flames, his arms erupting in blue light that flows into the fire and extinguishes it. He is hunched, doubled over, but with a sharp turn he rises back to his full height and stares you down from behind his damaged jackal mask.

"You... you..."

Hex chose to resist blows, so receives no harm from the spar with Jackal. Jackal James marks Angry and will immediately act to Shut down the conversation.

Jackal growls, and he throws his hands to either side of him. "Fine then. You worms don't know your place. I will teach it to you."

At once, every tattoo on his body lights up and glows through his fine-tailored suit and ornate-but-scarred mask. The light, golden and glorious now, surges through his body and pools in his hands like twin suns locked in synchronous orbit. He slams his hands together and the light of twin suns coaleses into a single point of blinding brilliance, and then he separates his hands and shapes the crackling golden energy into the shape of a bo staff. He grasps the staff with both hands and finally deigns to respect your team with a combat stance.

Jackal moves fast now, throwing aside all pretense of unconcerned relaxation; you've chosen to fight, and he will oblige as best he can. The bo staff lashes out at Hex, moving in patterns too complex to follow. A tap to one side, a full-forced slam to the other, a constantly-shifting array of light and heavy attacks that occur in a matter of seconds. His masterful display is concluded with a vicious lunge, the tip of the staff slamming straight into Hex's chest and sending him stumbling back.

Jackal James turns to the rest of you with cold fury and snarls, "Who's next?"

As a reaction to being made Angry, Jackal James uses his personal Villain Move: A Gentleman's Weapon. Once per encounter, on identifying the greatest threat, Jackal James summons his bo staff and attacks his target with a masterful strike that cannot be defended against. Hex must Take a Powerful Blow, and no one can use the Defend move to try and help or protect him.

As those words fill the room, those of you most attuned to the specific magical atmosphere of Garuda sense a prickling in the air. There are no lanterns to check it against, but then the voice of All-Seer fills your minds and confirms it to all of you: "Dragon Pulse on its way. Be ready."

I'm using a modified version of Razade's rules for Entering Battle Against a Dangerous Foe. Mercury took point in the fight so he's the designated 'leader' for the purposes of the move. So, answer these questions:

1. Does Mercury have influence on everyone? (Pretty sure the answer is no)
2. Is everyone's goal the same in this fight?

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Mercury's arm judders uncomfortably as it abruptly stops in Jackal's grasp. It feels like his shoulder wrenches somewhat, forcing a grimace onto his face. When trying to pull his arm free met with a similar lack of movement, he finds himself forced to look up at the imposing man and listen to his words. The gulf in strength between them was humbling, worrying, and above all, almost paralysing in its starkness. It's something of a relief when Hex forces their adversary to release him, but he still finds his legs have turned to jelly, and he only manages to back away a couple of steps.

Per rolling a 10 on take a powerful blow on the discord, Mercury will be marking Insecure and Afraid, and will also be giving Jackal an opportunity due to giving ground. Nothing else doing!

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure, Afraid
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


It’s not the first time Hex has had to eat his words before, though it was certainly quick and decisive this time. He was allowed momentary relief to push James back from Mercury, and watching the man stumble and swat at the flames was definitely enjoyable. Whatever brief satisfaction he felt for lighting Jackal up was abruptly cut short as the golden energy began to surge through the man, Hex blinded for a moment when Jackal slammed his hands together. Hex blinked rapidly to clear his vision, only regaining sight of Jackal only in time to see the newly formed staff jutting straight at him.

“Ah!!” Hex cried out in obvious alarm and pain as he was jabbed and smashed around far too quickly to defend against, the puppet too far to intervene. The last strike sent Milo reeling backwards, staggering into the wall, but it also earned a back-draft of violet energy crackling along Jackal’s staff racing towards the villain at the same time the weapon parted from Hex the final time.

Hex was vaguely aware of his butt hitting the ground shortly after his back hit the bricks. The energy that seemed to ripple up his spine next and left the hair on the back of his neck standing on edge was an anxious addition to the situation, All-Seer’s voice confirming his fears. If Jackal could tap into the Dragon Lines and knew how to ride the wave... this would go from bad to awful real fast. His own potential success of taking advantage of the pulse was... debatable, and just as likely meant his sorcery was about to become a lot less viable.

Rolled a 7 for Taking a Powerful Blow so I’m going to mark Insecure and Afraid. Spending 1 Power to use Reflect and inflict a condition on Jackal James in return.

[Anaglyph]

B]Tumble[/B]
Potential: 0/5
.


Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2
Tumble had originally waited in the back of the group to see how things went. Ofcourse when things went to crap discussion-wise she found herself at a lack of words. It wouldn't have mattered much anyway. When she tried to interject her point of view, she found herself cut off each time by a snide remark of Jackal or a thrown attack from or against her teammates. She and her team could just smash into the man until he fell or they did...

Wouldn't they have been just as ill-equipped and as juvenile as Jackal made them out to be . Instead Pep tried to play it smart, she watched from the edges of the fray, trusting her friends to protect one another. It hurt her to see them to risk getting wounded, but they were the experienced ones here not her. She took in the man who would call himself Jackal, thought about the way he moved and spoke. What did she know? First, no one was evil to the core, he had to have motivations and reasons for doing what he did. Second, there was always someone like him, and even in the ho hum life back homeand there were ways to turn them to your side. Lastly, she knew that she would do whatever she needed to to bring him in peacefully. Her superiors had good reasons to want that and she respected it.

She moved toward Jackal and prepared herself for the worse. She motioned for her friends to stand down as best they could and shouted not with anger but earnest hunger to know "Why are you doing this? What brought you to this? What do we accomplish but beating each other to a pulp? Tell us what we can do to end this?"

11 on Pierce the Veil. The questions I choose are 'What do you want me to do?' 'How could I get you to leave with us peacefully?' 'What are you really planning?'

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

What began as a pair of reckless acts is now a battle in full. Jackal James is the most dangerous foe you've ever faced, but you stand ready to face him all the same.

For being united in purpose, 1 Team is added to the Pool, bringing it to a total of 2.

As the Jackal completes his flurry of blows and steps away to give his speech, crackling gold is joined with crackling violet, and Hex's magic surges up the length of the bo staff just as Jackal snarls, "Who's next?"

His own question is answered by the shock of magic that claws through him, and he takes a few steps back, head jerking wildly before his masked gaze settles once more on the puppet mage. "That hurt." There is disbelief in his words, and a chord of something... unexpected:

Fear.

Thanks to Hex's use of Reflect, Jackal James takes a second Condition. He chooses to mark Afraid, and will immediately Lash out without thought at a threat.

Though he had been about to turn his attention to the rest of the group, Jackal's focus is now completely single-minded. He dashes back toward Hex with staff swinging wildly, this attack more savage than the one before. The staff's golden glow blazes dark, and the very air around the bo staff sizzles with raw magic.

Hex, Take a Powerful Blow.

Tumble, your words fall on deaf ears. Jackal James has now fully thrown aside his dashing persona in favor of the rawest possible expressions of his rage and terror at getting fried by a teenager. And yet, that raw expression is a form of communication in and of itself. The heavy breathing, the tightening of his grip on the staff, the shift of his stance. And, in microexpressions that only your careful analysis reveals, a level of restraint.

Q&A #1: Jackal wants you to admit your inferiority and run from this fight. He would rather scare you off than seriously hurt any of you - his instincts from Court days are still strong. His blows land with power, of course they do, but they aren't *vital* blows. He's not trying to break bone, he's trying to instill fear.

Q&A #2: Jackal isn't going to back down and surrender peacefully, not anymore. Not after Mercury and Hex threw down. There was a civility before, a willingness to have the conversation being offered, but now rage burns in his every motion. Beating you is a matter of pride.

Q&A #3: Despite the two good hits that he's taken, Jackal still seems in control of the situation. He's not panicking, even if his emotions are starting to fray. His immediate goal is to take Hex out, then whoever becomes the next biggest threat. But you can tell that he has a joker card waiting to be played. Something that will shift the tide in his favor.

The subtle prickling in the air becomes stronger as the Dragon Pulse nears. Now all of you can feel it in the goosebumps on your skin and a pressure in each chest. The Pulse is almost upon you. If any of you are to seize it, you'll have to try and Ride the Wave.

Every so often, the Dragon Lines of Garuda pulse with power. It is the heartbeat of something unknowable, the steady breath of an unseen leviathan, or perhaps it is a law of the world like gravity. The origin is unimportant; what matters to you is that when the Dragon Pulse hits, it will supercharge the magic of anyone who can harness it. Of course, that vast influx of power carries risk.

To Ride the Wave, roll + Freak. On a hit, gain Volatile Power until end of scene. On a 10+, you can immediately roll to Unleash Your Powers. On a miss, sacrifice one of your powers until end of scene.

Volatile Power: Whenever you use your powers to make a move (any move, so long as your use of powers is relevant), Volatile Power triggers. If you rolled a 7-9, you can choose to upgrade it to a 10+. If you rolled a miss, take a Condition.

If any player that chooses to Ride the Wave misses, or if no players choose to Ride the Wave before it reaches the villain's turn, the villain will grasp the Pulse and claim unique benefits.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: 0
Superior: +2
Mundane: -2
(Sorry Freak and Danger changed, didn't notice the things were switched on my sheet and haven't been checking my sheet too much. Haven't shifted my labels, so these are the correct numbers)

Chimera didn't think talking to Jackal would work, but it somehow did do something. A plan was starting to form in his head. Maybe they could distract him with talking, and have someone sneak up behind him. Maybe they could find a way into talking him down. And then Mercury and Hex attacked. Because they were baited. Because that's what Jackal wanted them to do, and they wanted to... what? Prove they were capable fighters? Show him they weren't children? This was a big time villain, not some schoolyard bully who couldn't back up their claims. They could get seriously hurt! And they were. Great.

It was no surprise when Mercury and Hex had gotten beaten back, when they got hurt so badly. They attacked a foe who was ready for them, and who expected them to do it. Watching what happened to them was a different matter. The way Jackal was attacking them, in how methodical and and precise his strikes were. This was to do something. This was to teach them a lesson. That kids shouldn't mess with plans that don't involve them. That they're too young to understand what they're involving themselves in. That they should stay out of the way and let the adults handle things. He's heard it all before. The way Jackal acted above it all, being calm and precise, but loosing his cool when things started to not go his way. He was just like Camilla (Chimera's mother). But unlike her, he could do something about it. And he had a lot of pent up anger he wanted to let loose.

Then the Dragon Pulse started happening, and Chimera knew exactly what he had to do. If Jackal wanted to fight someone with power and skill, then he'd get it. Chimera started running towards Jackal, not aiming to attack him, but to catch the wave of energy. He jumps right into it, power staring to travel through him, and he transforms. In a second, he's a hulking beast, his form rising a foot or two above Jackal's height, a few feet away from the man. He stares at Jackal, teeth barred, and growls.

Rolled a 9 on Riding the Wave. Gained Volatile Power until the end of the scene.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 2/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked



Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]




Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]




Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]




Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]






Facet, seeing Jackal swinging viciously at Hex tries to interpose a barrier between the two, but Jackal just slides right past it. So instead she tries to rush up, but then suddenly a massive Chimera is in her path and she barely avoids colliding with him. She summons her own staff (a narrow cylinder) of magical energy to try and parry Jackal's but her swing is off balance and she just winds up pushed away, barely able to regain her balance. The best she can say for how that turned out is that some pretty colors briefly splayed across one side of the room as the two staff's connected.


Rolled a 5 on Defend.

[Anaglyph]

Tumble
Potential: 0/5
.

Danger: +1
Freak: -1
Savior: +1
Superior: -1
Mundane: +2

An annoyed Tumble briefly considers her options. She continued to be ignored, but atleast she had gained some insight into the man, regardless of if it was intentional. She could just keep punching away at Jackal, but there seemed to be something he was hiding. Even he wouldn't have been the type to continue a fight without some way of ending it quickly up his sleeve. that made the team continuing down this path all the more dangerous.

Pep didn't know how much time they had before something more powerful reared it's head. She shouted to her team "He's got something up his sleeve, leave it to me!" Then after letting a bit of nerves and the strange tingle of a dragonpulse wash over her, she set her feet and used her power to build of a large amount of momentum and then release it in a huge amount if speed. Feeling wind pass her face, she first flung herself around the room, looking to see if there was some arcane sigil or technological gizmo they were missing. She felt herself slow down as the burst of speed faded, but adrenaline moved her to push harder than she usually did, to not stop for even a moment if she could. Funny thing about pushing hard, it doesn't always assure success or safety this was one of those times...

Rolled a 2 on Assess the Situation. I was trying to push my powers without considering it's quirk that it can only be used in short bursts so that included the -1 from Going Native.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Power.

It is the blood of Garuda. It is the basis upon which every decision is made. It breeds life and death, war and peace, splendor and atrophy. It is your inheritance.

And now, it flows through you, Chimera.

As the Dragon Lines surge with mana, you dive into that surge and Ride the Wave, harnessing the Dragon Pulse and letting it flow through you. Your body is alive with power, the magical energy of the Pulse raising the hair on your new monstrous form. You feel alive. You feel electric. You feel unstoppable.

Your enemy is before you, and he blazes with fury and fear. The Dragon Pulse was to be his, and you stole it from him. He backs away from Hex, both hands gripping the staff so tight it would shatter if it were not made of golden energy. There is darkness beneath that light, a shadow stirring amidst the golden glow. Or perhaps all you see is a trick of the light.

Though Chimera's act was a grand success, the same cannot be said of his companions. Facet tried in vain to hold off Jackal, and could not save Hex from the sting of that crackling staff. Tumble tried to see through Jackal's secrets, and only opened herself up to his scrutiny.

Jackal rolls his shoulders, relaxes his stance, and chuckles. "Well, more of you have teeth than I thought. Okay."

And then the rage and terror returns in the blink of an eye, and he is moving, dashing past Chimera and lunging for a new target: Facet. His staff lashes out, crackling energy carving through the air in a beautiful and terrible arc of light.

Facet, Take a Powerful Blow.

As Jackal lunges and the Pulse surges within Chimera, all of you hear a voice inside your heads: it's All-Seer, and he sounds tense.

"Heroes, finish the fight as quickly as you can. The Lighthouse heroes are gone. I repeat, they are gone. When the Dragon Lines flared, they vanished along with all the minions they were fighting."

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

The chaos of the fighting passes Mercury by for the most part. Dismissed as a non-issue for the fight, irrelevant in the clash of meta-humans. He takes the opportunity to try and recenter himself. Then All-Seer's warning rings through his mind and his heart sinks in his chest. No more time, no more waiting, he had to get back in the fight. Now.

Mercury manages to rally himself just in time to see Facet and Hex falling under the unkind mercies of Jackal James. He was on his feet and moving as soon as he saw Jackal's staff being brought to bear on his teammate. Lunging forward with his shoulder to not so gently shove Facet down and out of the path of the ensuing lightning bolt. "Look out!"

Glancing at their foe, he grimaced, catching just the briefest flash of lightning as it traced its way through the air toward him. Ruefully, he realised it was too late for him to dodge himself. Hopefully his momentum would let him avoid the worst of it.

Rolled a 9 on Defend for Facet, with Chimera promising a team spending to bump it to a 10. So! Will take influence over Facet. Will also be shifting Chimera's Saviour up and Superior down (per 'Nakama Means Family'). Chimera's coming in big with the save!

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 1/5
Conditions:

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Chimera was already a bit angry when Jackal started attacking his teammates, so when Jackal ran past him to get to Facet, he started seeing red. He had enough of this man doing what he liked to his team, and so, when Mercury tried to protect Facet, he ran right in front of the blow, grabbing the staff in one of his mouths. He yanks it from Jackal and throws it behind himself, right next to Mercury. He swipes at the man while he has the opportunity, pushing Jackal back more and more, getting him away from the rest of the group.

While he can't actually speak, Chimera's words ring through everyone's minds with All-Seer's connection. 'How dare you! I've had enough of you attacking my team, enough of you looking down at us like we're just kids. I'm going to have you locked away for so long that no one will even remember your name. Maybe then you'll realize the mistake you made for hurting my friends!' He finishes attacking Jackal, breathing heavily, an enraged look in his eyes.

He remembers too late that Jackal has an ace up his sleeve, not even able to brace for whatever blow Jackal will be throwing his way. Hopefully, the rest of the team could take advantage of Jackal's distracted state and finish the fight.

Activated the move Nakama means Family while using team to raise Mercury's 9 to a 10, shifting superior down and savior up, and giving +1 forward to my next roll. I then rolled to directly engage Jackal and rolled a 13, and have chosen to take Jackal's staff from him and create an opportunity for my allies

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 3/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]



Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]




Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X





Facet sees Jackal coming for her while she's off-balance. While very unexpected, she has a clever idea to throw him off balance at a critical moment while preventing harm to herself. She reaches out a hand and reaches out magically to try and form a cylinder around his staff so she can wrest control of it from him.... and then is suddenly thrown to the ground, breaking her concentration.
"Ah!" she lets out in surprise at Mercury knocking her down. "Why Mercury of all people? If someone is to take a hit, better the one of us wearing something protective than the one who isn't." she thinks.

From the ground, she tries again to do the same thing as she was about to, to try and prevent Mercury from taking the blow now.... and then Chimera steps in and both manages to protect Mercury instead and ruins her attempt to contain the staff by smashing through the magic she was just forming and the staff itself. Somewhat irritated, and sore, she gets up with a sigh.


Got a 3 on Unleash your Powers to try and take control over Jackal's staff.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure, Afraid
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Had it not been being used to beat him, Hex might have also been quite fascinated and curious about Jackal’s staff and how he used his magic. The crackle of raw magic was as enticing as it was a menacing. In that moment, Milo was mostly concerned with the pain it was causing as Jackal James singled him out for a continued walloping, though maybe when the bruises had faded he might be flattered to have been the clear threat in the room. Right now he was mostly just experiencing a burning shame that he was essentially just being beaten with an audience to witness.

He was partially aware of Facet diving in and seeming to connect with Jackal’s staff- was she trying to protect him? But the hits didn’t stop coming... He wanted to shout about the Dragon Pulse, to warn the others, but the golden rod jabbed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him sputtering on the ground, vulnerable. The weight of the approaching Pulse left him further breathless and tingled along his spine with a new rush of panic. He wasn’t going to be able to catch it, when he needed it most!!

But then, someone else did... Hex could see the monstrous form of Chimera looming over them, multiple mouths with sharp teeth bared at James. Of course it was him.

“You couldn’t have done that any sooner *sshole?! Thanks a lot for letting him make a piñata out of me first!!” Hex snarled at Alistair, his voice a little hoarse from being winded yet still full of a remarkable amount of fury. It really wasn’t all meant for Alistair, but in his pain he was prone to lashing out even towards friendly faces.

Insult was added to injury as Sam and Alistair worked together to quickly and successfully protect Facet when Jackal finally decided to target someone else. Hex used the opportunity to drag himself to his feet, staggering along the wall to give him some space from the fight. Hearing that the Lighthouse friends had disappeared, and that Jackal had some kind of wildcard up his sleeve filled him with a renewed sensation of nausea.

Rolled a 7 for Taking a Powerful Blow once again, so going to take advantage of his influence on Chimera to Inflict a Condition.

[Malexia]

Jacka's Lair, The Dark of Night

You get the distinct feeling that none of this was how Jackal James wanted to spend his evening. His precious bo staff ripped asunder, his mask cracked, and his mocking speech revealed as the empty air it was. His arrogance has betrayed him, and he feels that truth with a keen edge upon his wounded ego.

The staff itself is still disintegrating, motes of light scattering in chaotic patterns. The volatile construct, stripped of its power source and not contained in time, returns its mana to the flow of the Dragon Lines.

Facet, mark Insecure for failure to contain the staff, emotional state exacerbated by previous failure to defend a teammate.

With the team fully engaged and his primary weapon taken, Jackal James is looking cornered. His masked gaze darts about the room, subtle movements betraying his intent. The fear you saw before, it is growing stronger by the second. The rogue supervillain is running out of options.

Jackal James sweeps his hands across his legs and a dozen tattoos light up, each shining through his crisp attire with a smooth teal light. Before you can try to predict what this new power does, he is already moving - and he moves like lightning. He is a blur as he dashes across the room on boosted legs, dodging past each hero with almost careless ease. In seconds he is past you and at the locked door you noticed on entering the room.

His fingers dance across the keypad - not boosted like his legs, but still quick and nimble - and the light goes green. The scheming room is open to him now, and you only have a few seconds before he dashes inside and grabs whatever's inside.

What do you do, heroes?

Chimera's rousing success buys you a chance to stop Jackal James before he gets into the scheming room. Jackal James marks Insecure and doubts his plan to fight you all on even footing, choosing to retreat to metaphorical higher ground.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Mercury gets to his feet feeling a measure of confidence returning, Jackal had lost his weapon. He had failed to take Facet out of the fight, and now the team was all rallying in one place. When he starts to run, Mercury finds that he isn't worried about losing their target. Instead, he spots the opening door, whips his head round to Facet and yells, "Cut him off! Get a wall over that door!"

His gaze shifts over to Hex, seeing his friend in pain and fighting to keep his footing. Leaving the direct fighting to those who could match Jackal blow for blow, Sam runs over to the wall Milo is braced against. Laying a hand on his shoulder, he hurriedly asked, "Hey, you good?"

Rolled a 7 to provoke Facet! Will choose 'add a team to the pool if you put a wall up between Jackal and his panic room'

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 3/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]
X



Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




"I was going to!" Facet snaps back at Mercury. A response she immediately regretted because her anger wasn't with them at all. She was just frustrated at repeatedly failing and being attacked when she hadn't even proven herself a credible threat (which just made her more annoyed) and having been thrown to the ground when she was perfectly capable of defending herself.

With an angry two slam of both her palms to the ground as she was getting up, a wall black and lustrous as onyx (including little white lines) slams down in front of Jackal, completely sealing the passage as she just firmly and coldly states, "No." at him in a tone of voice, which also sounds similar but of course younger, much like her mother's. Enough so that if he recognizes the similarity might send a shiver down his spine, even if he doesn't realize why.


Got a 7 on Unleash. Marking Angry.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Things are looking bad for the Jackal.

The onyx wall comes up just as James is rushing forward, and he slams into it in what looks very, very painful. He screams guttural rage at the wall, driving a glowing golden fist right into it, but the arcane construct holds. There's no way in to the scheming room... and as he turns around and sees the heroes staring him down, he realizes there is no way out, either.

Jackal James hesitated, the bravado all dripping away. His posture changes. "Perhaps... we should negotiate further. No sense in letting this violence continue. We're all civil here, yes?" He slowly raises his hands as if in surrender, or at least to show he has no intention of further attacking. You can see the desire to fight vanishing, and leaving him tired and weary.

His last hope blocked, Jackal James will mark Insecure. It is his final condition, and he cedes the fight... or he would.

And then he shrieks in pain for a second time.

James stumbles back against the onyx wall and clutches at one of his wrists, gritting his teeth and muttering, "No, no, no!" All of his tattoos have dimmed, but now something new is glowing: a rune on the back of his left hand, pulsating a sickly green and cast in linework that does not match any of his other tattoos. The green light quickly burns out... and in its place, a serpent of glittering jade emerges.

The serpent moves fast, faster than Jackal James can stop it, and it slithers up his arm and lunges at his neck, sinking jade fangs into cloth and skin and flesh. Venomous light pumps from those fangs into Jackal's bloodstream, and then the serpent withers away, leaving behind only a shedded snakeskin of powdery jade.

Jackal straightens up to his full height, rolls his shoulders, and adopts a new stance. His movements are languid, serpentine, and seem... unnatural. Like he's not in control. He twirls his hands and that venomous light coalesces into new weapons: twin daggers of dark jade. And there's a magic flowing around him, something new, something... lucky.

Jackal James triggers his third and final move on reaching max conditions: The Stranger's Gift. Jackal James clears two conditions (choosing Hopeless and Afraid) and gains a -1 to all attacks directed at him thanks to being imbued with supernatural good fortune.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 2/5
Conditions: Guilty

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Chimera winced a bit at Hex's statement, and turned to face the way Jackal had went. He was hesitating to act, hoping Jackal would give up the fight before it had begun. He wanted this to succeed without any fighting, but that time had not come, and yet he still held back when the fighting had begun. He was a coward and a bad friend for not trying to intercede in the fight before the pulse, and they were all paying for his bad decisions.

Those thoughts almost made Chimera miss the surrender and the actions that happened afterwards. What was going on? Was that snake thing part of what the Stranger could do? Never mind, these questions are for after the fight is finished, not during it when people were in danger of being attacked. He walks forward, trying to get out of the way of his allies, and starts breathing fire at Jackal. And it missed. Whether it was his emotions at the time or his worry about everyone's safety, the flames fell short, and all Chimera could do was blame himself for everything that happened.

Rolled to directly engage Jackal via fire breath and failed, rolled a 4. Marking potential.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 4/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +1
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]
X



Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: 0
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Knowing villains the way she did, Facet wasn't the least bit surprised the Stranger had involved some kind of loyalty failsafe. Mostly she was surprised the Court hadn't. She was a bit surprised the result seemed to be something foreign to Jackal's own powers though.

Seeing Chimera's flames fall short, she tries to deal decrease the impending threat by conjuring wires to whip out and yank Jackal's new knives away. And then immediately felt like an idiot for not listening to that feeling that they were magically lucky in some way as the blades just sliced through the wires without any effort.

Whoever is nearby her can hear what seems to be muffled cursing that Facet intentionally isn't transmitting through the speakers or comms.


Got a 4 on Directly Engage. Yay potential.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Mercury glances up at the deteriorating situation, as well as his teammates failed assaults. He winces as both Chimera and Facet fail to make headway, hopefully they'd be able to rally soon, but they were going to need as many people as possible up and fighting. Turning his attention back to Milo, he looks his friend in the eyes. "Milo, come on man. They need your help out there." He offers a hand out to help Hex get his footing back properly, "You've got some good hits in already, you can get some more!"

Sam's gonna be clearing Afraid as a result of their 15(!) on Comfort/Support.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

Jackal James - or whatever is puppeting his shell - cuts through flame and wire like they're nothing. Each slash is smooth, fluid, and clean; he parts cinders like water and carves metal like bread. Those daggers, made of an energy so much more vicious than his shattered staff, seem forged from poison itself, or maybe acid.

Jackal tilts his head, glancing between the two heroes bold enough to attack him in his enhanced state. He flips a knife in the air casually, then throws the other with supernatural speed. It races straight for Facet - too fast to dodge, too fast to avoid - and grazes her shoulder. Immediately, pain rushes in, blinding pain like poison injected straight into her veins - and maybe that's what it is.

Facet, Take a Powerful Blow.

As the dagger flies, Jackal is already moving toward his second target. The knife in his primary hand cuts through the air with vicious grace, but it's just a feint to disguise the roundhouse kick coming straight for Chimera's center of mass. He's outmaneuvering you, outplaying you, outmatching you in every way. He was dangerous before, but now he's in a class apart.

Chimera, mark Insecure.

With the damage done, he slinks back to his starting place and resumes that serpentine stance, ready for the next victim. He has the edge now, and he knows it; it's just a matter of running out the clock.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Jackal's flurry of movement draw Mercury's attention from his friend to the rest of his team. His face falls at what he sees, and he's up and moving before he's had a chance to properly think. Jackal himself was winding up to throw a knife at a transfixed Facet. The world felt like it moved in slow motion as he raced the projectile. It was moving far faster than he was, but he was way closer to his teammate.

There's a moment, the briefest moment, where it looks like he was going to be too late. But a final lunge and leap let him knock the handle of the knife just before it impacts Saki, causing the projectile to spin and glance off of her shoulder instead. With the speed it was moving at, that probably left a bruise, but better that than a deep cut.

Rolling and coming up to his feet, Sam turned to yell at Facet, "Don't let him spook you, you've got this! You're strong, you've just gotta prove it!"

Rolled a 12 to Defend on Discord, so going to use the opportunity to shift Facet's labels. Shifting Danger up, and Mundane down as Sam is basically saying 'You're stronger than I am, go get 'em'. Facet can roll to reject, or accept the shift :smallsmile:

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 4/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2

Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]
X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1

Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




As the back end of the knife smacks into her proto-power armor suit Facet is momentarily surprised she didn't just get stabbed with a very nasty looking weapon, and also proud of her own work on the suit as the blow is largely absorbed.

She nods in reply to Mercury telling her things she already knows are true. Indeed she is strong, should spend less time focusing on hit she might take when she could be avoiding or blocking them, and has been trained to handle at least this much of an opponent. And most of all that she needs to prove herself. Both to the city at large and the members of her new team. She needs the heroes of the city to believe she's one of them, the villains to know she's not an easy target to try and hurt her mother with, and her team to accept her because she desperately wants something at least approaching friends for once in her life.

And so she strides towards Jackal Jack... or whatever he's possessed by now, letting her other need to take her anger out on this opponent out on them drive her forwards, and once she's right in front of him (as she wasn't quite running so he certainly had time to turn and face her)... she places her hands out forwards at the daggers in his hands and extending out from her palms she bisects the daggers with glowing triangles of red that expand into small pyramidal shapes that rip the daggers apart and then finishes the job by the pyramids unfolding outwards spinning planes that fractal outwards sending bits of the daggers scattering all over, before vanishing. And as Jack is in the middle of processing this she slams her head into his, knowing that hers is surrounded by an unbreakable diamond hard shell in which it has proper support and his is.... not any of those things.


Got a 13 on Directly Engage.
Picking Take something from them & impress, surprise, or frighten the opposition (aiming for frighten).

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 2/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

The moments in between the blows thrown Chimera's way and the dagger flying at Facet were... tense. When Mercury got in the way, a heavy breath escaped his lips, and the tension relieved somewhat. Then there was a moment where nobody was staring at the hulking beast he was currently, an opportunity to be taken. He started changing back, and when the time came, he sprung at Jackal, who was still reeling from Facet's attack. He tackled the guy, the bulk of his halfway transformed form running into the man. Enough force to cause damage, but not enough to throw Jackal away from him.

As Jackal was tackled to the floor, Chimera held him down, fire flaring from his lips. His eyes were serpentine, the last vestiges of his transformation, staring directly into the eyes of the thing controlling Jackal. He spoke loudly and forcefully, enough for the entire room to hear. "This has gone on long enough. After everything you and Jackal have done, you've lost, so just give it up. He's going to be captured, no matter what, so just let him go already."

Doubts ran through Chimera's head most days, but at this moment, his determination held strong, and he wasn't going to let his doubts take hold. At least, not in this moment.

Rolled to directly engage and got a 10. Choosing to create an opportunity for my allies, and impress, surprise, or frighten the opposition.

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, The Dark of Night

The thrown knife ricochets off Facet and skitters to the floor. Acrid smoke rises from it, giving the impression that letting that land even a grazing hit could have been lethal, and you sense that same volatility as the staff had; the dagger is here for the moment, with a spark of magic keeping it alive, but that'll fade if not contained. Another chance, perhaps?

Mercury defends Facet and Facet gets another chance to try and contain a piece of magic using Unleash.

Facet rushes the Jackal himself and her fractals tear his daggers apart, leaving him vulnerable to a headbutt that leaves him dizzied even in his mind-controlled state. When Chimera follows up with the full-force tackle, the strength of the blow slams Jackal into the ground and drops him like a rock. His eyes roll back even as Chimera starts to speak, and by the time Chimera is done talking the supervillain is completely unconscious.

A trickle of blood stains the cold stone, but you don't think it was enough to deal any lasting damage.

Jackal James marks two conditions and drops. Since there's no opposition to impress, dismay, or frighten, I'll give you both an avoidance of blowback instead.

With that, the fight is over. The air is still and the base is quiet, and that moment hangs in the air until All-Seer breaks it telepathically.

"Nice work, everyone. Now bag the baddie and get moving."

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 4/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Facet stumbles back in surprise as Chimera slams into Jack and takes a few steps back to make sure she's not in the way, she's had enough of getting bowled over today. In doing so she catches herself as she almost steps right on the dagger she's surprised is still there. She freezes for a moment and then carefully places her foot down. Then she realizes she has the opportunity to take this for study or later use, so she carefully lifts it with a small flat plane and takes out a little device that looks like a vial, if vials were designed by rocket ship engineers. As it approaches the vial, and thus her hands, and she can more clearly sense the power of the dagger since there's nothing else she needs to focus on, the adrenaline of the fight wears off enough for her to realize how close she came to being seriously injured or maybe killed by this thing and her hands shake enough that she has to suddenly deal with the fear that she'll accidentally drop it and harm herself too. Thankfully she manages to contain it in the vial (which makes a few beeps as it sucks the dagger into it and then latches closed and the small lights on the side stop blinking yellow and stay on green). But still, what should have been a moment of celebration for her had very quickly turned instead into one of shot nerves.


Got a 7 on Unleash.
Marking Afraid.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://i.postimg.cc/sftCXV8F/6a3342eebf1334e73257e947cabadf49.jpg

Mercury blinks as Jackal finally, finally falls to the ground. His disbelief in the quiet moment that follows slowly builds to the realisation that they'd done it. They'd won. His rising elation is abruptly tempered by the contact from All-Seer. The reminder felt stark. They were still deep in a villain's lair, and they still had to get Jackal out. Still, though, he couldn't help but grin goofily at their accomplishment.

"Alright! Lets get out of here, quick! We don't want to get caught by Jackal's goons while we get him out." He looks over to Chimera, "... Do you think you could help me carry him..? I don't think I could manage him alone."

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 2/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

After a moment or two of staring at Jackal, Chimera turned to Mercury. "Oh, yes, let's do that. But I doubt we'll have any trouble from the 'goons'.... or the other group considering...." His sentence trailed off for a bit. What did happen to the other group and all the other people there? What did the pulse do?... Questions later, getting out of here, now.

"...Nevermind, let's worry about it later. Would you like to carry him between us, or should we get the... puppet to carry him?" Chimera motions towards Hex's puppet man, standing taller than any of them, and probably able to lift at least some weight. "It might be able to lift him easier than we can. Is it able to do that, Hex?"

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo had taken Sam’s hand to get steady, met his gaze, nodded distractedly to the words calling him to action, but ultimately hesitated. Mercury wasn’t wrong, he’d gone hard after Jackal and made good ground getting the villain worn down. But Milo was still off balance... not certain he was ready to take another beating like the last. They had to get Jackal down somehow, but... He was struggling to think as clearly and quickly as before, though Mercury had at least drawn him out of the spiral of ensuing panic.

Thankfully, his team managed to finish Jackal off quickly. Watching as it unfolded, he was proud of Sam, his friend seemed to have become a rather natural leader, quick on his feet and quick to keep the rest of the team going. Hex was simultaneously embarrassed he hadn’t managed to recollect himself in time to do more as well.

“Y... Yeah,” Hex answered Chimera a little belatedly still, though nodded quickly. He made a simple gesture at the puppet and then lifted the same hand to scratch at the side of his head as he turned away slightly and back towards the way out. Meanwhile his puppet moved in towards Jackal, the illusion it wore fading as it handled the man, revealing the seven foot tall construct in its full glory. Taking a little care so as not to use the sharp edge of its sickle hand, it hoisted the unconscious man up and into a bridal style carry with almost robotic ease before moving to follow its creator.


Cleared Afraid thanks to Sam’s Comfort roll!

[Malexia]

Jackal's Lair, Dark of Night

Things move quickly from here.

Too quickly.

Jackal is unconscious and being carried, the dagger has been isolated, and the mission seems to be wrapping up a success, disregarding whatever happened with the second team.

And then, as you're leaving the base, there is a second flare of the Dragon Lines. Too quick, unnaturally quick, they are never this close together. But here one is, arriving quicker than anyone can even start to channel it, and it washes over you like a tidal wave. All of you are knocked to the ground and the breath escapes your lungs. The magic flooding the area electrifies your nerves and overwhelms your senses, but then it passes, and you are still there in the base, slowly recovering from the shock and clambering to your feet.

All of you except one: Tumble is gone.



Parliament, Early Morning

It still doesn't feel real, even after a night's uneasy rest. After Tumble's disappearance you brought Jackal to All-Seer, who carted the supervillain off to a holding area. He gave you his condolences, and his respect for your work, and then he left you to deal with the fallout. To deal with a missing team member and all the aches and pains of going up against a villain who was almost more than you could handle.

Before the crack of dawn you were all contacted and told to come here, to the Parliament of Garuda. It's not a place many kid heroes end up in, given the prestige of it and the seriousness of everything discussed inside. But your operation did something the adults couldn't, again, and it seems people are taking notice.

You're brought to the central chamber and made to stand off to the side of the speaker's podium, with All-Seer again as your would-be chaperone. You've got front row seats to the whole thing, and the eyes of three Houses looking down at you. It would be overwhelming even without the weight of last night.

At the podium right now is the Aegis of the Throne, otherwise known as Shadewalker. She's a superhero with a lot of history and power to her name, having been a key player in the prior Changing of the Guard that saw the ousting of the previous three House leaders - including Nonpareil, the former Knife of Progress who swore vengeance against the whole of Garuda for removing her from power. One of Shadewalker's key allies in the coup was a close relative of Chimera, and Chimera's family has never quite forgiven Shadewalker for being made the Aegis instead of their representative.

Shadewalker has just finished the meaningless preamble part of her speech and is getting into the explaining-things-everyone-already-knows part. You can tell she's just as bored of it as you are listening to it, but she plays her role well and knows how to corral the three Houses pretty well. She gives background on the Stranger and his rise and all the troubles, and then she drops your names.

"The three Houses of this esteemed Parliament are rarely in agreement, so it is rather exceptional that we can unite so readily in the face of this mysterious Stranger. And yet, despite that, it would seem even our united front is lacking in the face of an unknown threat. The heroes and villains of Garuda have balked before the Stranger and his gathering army, or worse, have joined it. One such unexpected recruit was Jackal James, previously a respected member of the Court of Raptors. His betrayal came as a shock to the Court, and they were quick to lend their aid to any efforts to capture and interrogate him."

"That interrogation is being held presently, but rather important information came up during the fight itself. It was not any vaunted pillars of Garuda who took the Jackal down but rather a team of four teenaged heroes. You may know them already from their defeat of Pitch, another servant of the Stranger. Their team was brought onto a mission organized by All-Seer and worked alongside proteges of the Lighthouse Agency to infiltrate the Jackal's base and subdue the villain himself. They were successful, but not without cost: a flare of the Dragon Lines, possibly the work of the Stranger or possibly something more unusual, whisked away one of their team members and all three Lighthouse proteges."

"Still, the heroes defeated Jackal James and captured him. During the fight, Jackal seemed reluctant to engage in combat, at first out of arrogance and then out of fear. When he was about to surrender, a mysterious tattoo unleashed a serpent of energy that seemed to possess Jackal James and empower him. While we are still attempting to ascertain the nature of this power, it is clear to me that this is the mark of the Stranger, and how he has managed to so quickly amass an army here in Garuda."

Whispers and murmurs pass through the crowd, concern palpable. This is big, and everyone can feel the danger in the air.

"I have more to say on this, on what we have discovered and on what our next move should be, but first I would like these heroes to present their own testimony that we might all be operating on the same level of information."

With that, Shadewalker steps aside and gestures for the four of you to take the podium.

Don't worry about taking turns, just have your character say as much or as little as they're comfortable saying to the Parliament. Shadewalker wants each of you to present your version of events.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 4/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




While Shadewalker speaks, Facet is glad for her helmet so she doesn't have to put in effort to conceal her facial expressions. She has very mixed feelings about Shadewalker and the others who pushed her mother out of power. As far as she was concerned, it caused more trouble than it solved and she couldn't help but suspect that Shadewalker's motives for doing so were more about acquiring personal power than doing what she was right for the city. In this situation with the Stranger that kind of motivation could either be a boon or a detriment. She might view the Stranger as a threat to her position and do everything she could to stop him, but on the other hand it meant she may very well switch sides if she decides it's convenient to do so. She doubted Shadewalker had the kind of iron will her moth possesses that would refuse to accept the role of an underling to someone else, especially not an outsider to "her" city.

When it's Facet's turn to speak and she stands at the podium, she turns up amplifier on her helmet's speakers so she can be heard clearly by all those in attendance. "Shadewalker's summary of events is much as I would describe them. I would add that Jackal Jack was clearly unaware and unwilling of the possession by the Stranger's powers. So it would seem to me that anyone considering joining them would be wise to remember that any assurances to the contrary, the Stranger views those working with them as disposable pawns."

She lets that comment sit for a moment as she pulls out the vial she used to contain the dagger's magic and then says, "Here I have contained a bit of the power that possessed Jackal Jack. I will happily submit it for study."
What she didn't say of course was that she had split what was in that vial into two others after. One she would keep for her own study and one she would likely use as a bargaining chip with her mother later on.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Sam's expression is muted as she and the team meet up at the Parliamentary building. Normally, getting called up to rub shoulders with so many big names would get her excited beyond belief. But... Tumble's absence was playing on her mind. She keeps her greetings brief, not giving much more than a "Morning..." to her team or All-Seer, and then they were lead inside. Removing her headphones and letting them rest around her neck, Sam found herself dearly wishing she'd taken the time to put on some kind of suit instead of her more casual wear. She'd expected maybe, at most, four or five people waiting to hear from them.

As Shadewalker starts to talk, she does her best to pay attention to everything being said. Even when it turns out to mostly be stuff she knows, she tries not to forget any of it. If she had to fall back on the knowledge later, she didn't want to be found lacking. The mention of the disappearance of Tumble, as well as the Lighthouse trio, hits her like a truck. Her gaze drops, her stomach twisting. She hoped Tumble was safe...

A hand on her shoulder brings her out of her reverie. Looking up to the podium, she sees Facet is already stepping away. Apparently it was her turn now. Swallowing her nerves, she makes her way down and across the room. She wished she could see Saki's face as she passed her. Some reassurance from a teammate would be nice right about now.

And then she was on her own. In front of a room of people not only a league above her, but in the league above the league above her. Her mouth felt dry, her throat hoarse, and she was painfully aware that there was a very good chance that the people she was talking to had far more important things they could be doing. "U-uhmm..." She winced internally. Good start there, Sam. "W-we, uh, we were contacted to, uh, to work with the, uh, the Lighthouse team to c-capture Jackal J-James." She swallows, closing her eyes a moment as she tries to steady her nerves. When she resumes speaking, she picks a spot on the far wall and focuses exclusively on it, "W-we split into two groups. It was a-agreed that the Lighthouse group would create a distraction in the front o-of Jackal's hideout, whilst we would sneak in through a side entrance to grab him during the commotion. A-after evading some traps, a-and tricking the guards into letting us in, we ran into Jackal a-almost immediately. He was i-initially unwilling to engage with us, dismissing us a-as unimportant, but we ended up facing him in combat."

Sam pauses a moment, briefly reliving the events of the night, before continuing, "He was, uh, he was stronger than we expected. We, uh, we were struggling until we were, uh, we were able to use a flare of the Lines to start to fight back." Her voice falters a little, "The, uh, t-the same flare caused the Lighthouse team to, u-uh, to disappear." She takes a moment to pause again, eventually continuing in a flatter tone, "Jackal tried to surrender. But, uh, but then something happened a-and his tattoo flared up. He, uh, he started fighting like he was possessed. It, uh, it took Chimera and Facet together to, uh, to get him to stop. As we were getting ready to leave there, uh, there was another flare and... A-and..." She closes her eyes, head dropping as she forces the words out, "O-our teammate, uh, T-Tumble disappeared too."

Sam stands quietly at the podium for a little longer, guilt twisting at her gut. She felt like she should've done something to stop her teammate from vanishing, even though her head told her she had no way of knowing about, much less stopping, a Dragon Pulse. Giving a brief bob of her head as an acknowledgement that she was done talking, she makes her way back down to the sidebox and her waiting team.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 2/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Chimera kept a calm and stoic look on his face ever since they arrived at the Parliament building. Even when he saw members of his family here, he didn't show a single emotion. He had to kept himself composed through all of this, or he would pay for it later, no matter how justified his anger was.

The proceedings began, and like always, they were long and boring. The speech, the reviewing of topics over and over again, it was monotony that he couldn't stand. But he had gone through this before, so he could do it again. He was at least participating in the talk, so there was little chance of him falling asleep this time. The mention of the disappearances had made Sam look hopeless. He wished he could help her, tell her they'd be found, safe and sound, so there's no reason to worry, but he couldn't. That would be seen as weakness to the members watching him. He dare not even look at her as he climbed the stand, lest the sight of her face make him break down.

"We were called in to help with the arrest of Jackal James and the group of followers that defected with him. While the Lighthouse group was tasked with the distraction of those followers, we were sent to bring in Jackal. We were able to enter undetected, and were able to take down the traps there with hacking provided by Facet and magic usage by Hex. Sam was able to disguise herself as Jackal and fool the guards, in which she was immediately spotted by Jackal himself. He sent the guards away and we were able to talk with him. When the discussion seemed like it was heading nowhere, Sam and Hex rushed in to get some hits on him before he was able to react. He fought back against us and in the midst of that, the flare started up, the one which made the Lighthouse team and Jackal,s allies disappear. While Facet jumped in to protect the others, I used the burst of energy to transform and attack him with full force. He decided to grab some of his supplies, as we were putting up more of a fight than he was expecting. Facet put up a wall to block Jackal's retreat, and he surrendered moments after, with a tattoo of a snake beginning to glow when he did. The snake came alive and bit him, sending some sort of magic into him, in which he started moving as if someone was puppeteering him. With a combined effort of Facet and I, we were able to knock Jackal unconscious and end the fight for good. Once we started to leave the area, another Dragon Pulse started up, washing over us and taking Tumble with it. We brought Jackal to the base afterwards, and returned to our homes."

The summary was quick and to the point, planned beforehand and acted out perfectly so that he wouldn't have to be on the stand for long. As he left the stand, he looked over the rest of the team for a second, and continued heading back to his place. There may be anger and frustration thrown at him by the rest of the team for how cold and callous he appeared to be on the stand, but at least he wasn't going to have his family do the same. Better have the lesser of two evils happen, than to give in to his emotions and get punished for it.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 1/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


It was early. Too early. Milo was somewhat nocturnal even on a good day, and this was far from a good one. The altercation with Jackal had left a bad taste in his mouth, and even if he was hardly close with Tumble, or most of the ‘team’ for that matter’, the fact that the Stranger seemed to have stolen one of them made his blood boil. He’d never admit he was worried, but angry, sure. Either way, he’d not slept much, and he was feeling all the bruises Jackal had left him quite prominently. Everything wrapped together made for a very grumpy Milo.

Sam was still offered a quiet grunt of greeting in response to her quiet one, the other two were barely spared a glance of acknowledgement for their presence. He did wonder secretly how Sam was managing; she did seem to be closer to Tumble, but he was not sure how much. Either way, he wagered it could be bothering his friend, but it took time to muster enough ‘positive energy’ to push past his sour mood. When Sam returned from giving their speech, he made eye contact.

“Good job, Sam. And hey, we’re gonna get Tumble back. Anyone who messes with us has another thing coming.” He did his best to try and encourage her, but his tone is still too gruff, sounding a little more belligerent than bolstering. Hex winced internally but opted to quit talking before he made it worse, folding his arms across his chest and shutting his mouth.

Hex continued listening in silence. Alistair had given a fairly full but concise explanation, and rather than be angry for any perceived callousness on Alistair’s part, instead Milo had been almost grateful the other young man had provided such a flawless performance. Hex had been quite content to let everyone else go first in fact, and was now somewhat disgruntled that he was still expected to give his briefing even so.

With a quiet sigh, he pushed himself into motion, stepping forward and took his place at the podium finally. If he weren't so tired and grouchy, he would have been a little more nervous to stand in front of such an audience and have to give testimony in such a place.

“Like the rest have said... We were called in thank to our work stopping Pitch, now to capture Jackal James. Lighthouse ran distraction at the front of his hideout, it was our job to go in the back and get the big man. Took down some traps, reached the base, very quickly came face to face with the Jackal. He tried to scare us off a fight, but we engaged.” Hex made not attempt to talk up his own part in the fight, seeming not to be in a mood to strut or gloat.

“When he realized the fight was serious, he tried to book it for his scheming room but Facet stopped him. Just when it seemed like it was over, the weird snake tattoo thing happened...” He gestured vaguely towards the others for their more in depth explanation of that moment. “Ultimately we knocked him out. Everyone played their part. But a second Dragon Pulse came on way too soon after, and our team mate disappeared. We were able to secure Jackal James. The end. But just for now.” Hex grumbled, turning away to trudge back to his team.


Rolled a 3 to try and Comfort Sam. :( Womp womp.

[Malexia]

Parliament, Early Morning

An aide takes the proffered vial from Facet and shuffles off into the corridors of the Parliament building with a nod from Shadewalker. Facet's speech stirs more frowns from watching faces, and the tension in the room is rising.

There are a few snickers when Mercury starts to talk, mostly from the House of Schemes, but those noises are quickly silenced. Despite the nervous presentation, the weight of Mercury's words still settles on her audience.

Chimera's speech is crisp and clipped, and a few members of the House of Justice straighten up when they see exactly who is speaking. One of his relations gives a quick nod as Chimera finishes, as if to say, "Adequately performed."

Hex's closing statement resonates with the crowd. The end, but just for now. The murmurs, which had never truly gone away, intensify.

Shadewalker takes the opportunity to sweep back to the podium. "Thank you for your reports, all of you. I hope now everyone in this chamber can see what is at stake here. Our enemy is dangerous, he is clever, and he is willing to violate any taboo. That is why, in light of recent events and the growing danger of our opponent, I believe we should create a special task force to respond to the threat that the Stranger poses. This group will be backed by the Three Houses but owe direct loyalty to none of them, governed internally and entirely focused on stopping the Stranger. I understand this idea may be a radical one to some of you, so I move that we should take the day to discuss this proposal and come to a solution that is amenable to all of us."

Assent rings through the chamber, marred by only a few objections from the House of Commons - likely concerned that any such task force will be heavily weighted towards the interests of Schemes and Justice. Before you can catch much of the ensuing discussion, All-Seer pulls you all aside and ushers you through a hallway leading into a different area of the Parliamentary structure.

He says, "Well, that went better than I expected. I think you made a good impression. I hope you don't mind skipping out on the dialogue, but those arguments can take hours to resolve and most of it is blustering and empty air. I have a better idea of how you can spend your time."

The hallways of the Parliament are neatly laid out, a pattern designed to evoke much of the architecture of Garuda and the flow of the Dragon Lines. Your route feels natural, and when you reach your destination it feels exactly where you are supposed to be.

All-Seer opens the door and remains by the entrance. "There are quite a few players in the city who have a keen interest in you after your second victory. I advise getting to know them, even if you distrust them. This fight is going to demand a lot from all of us. I'll be watching from outside." The door shuts, and the four of you are left in a room with a mix of familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Raven Calico is the first to greet you. She's Court of Raptors like James, but higher-placed and more hands-off. She manages a significant chunk of Garudan nightlife, and she's dressed to the nines for every occasion. "Ah, the heroes of the hour. Charmed, truly. You should know that I was the one who arranged for the offer that the Court sent your way. I'm very excited to work with you on a more personal basis."

The man next to Calico rolls his eyes. "Save the flattery, they're not interested." You don't recognize him off the top of your head, but he quickly introduces himself. "Name's Daniel Agave, and I'm one of the few non-powereds involved in law enforcement. I do my best to liason between heroes and the common folk, and I deal with a lot of petty crimes that aren't worth sending in the big guns. That role can seem small, but it means I get to see a lot of street-level stuff that can escape the notice of heroes and villains alike."

Calico and Agave are together at one of two tables in the relatively small side room. At the other table, you see Stormwatcher of the Lighthouse Agency and Glyph of the Ruby Market Authority. Stormwatcher looks a bit dour and he greets you with only a nod. Glyph is more energic, practically sprawling in her chair, and she calls over, "Nice to meetcha! This is gonna be a fun week ahead of us, I just know it." She rubs her hands together and grins.

Each table has two empty chairs waiting. The intent is clear.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 0/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




While she listened to the others speak, she got the impression that like herself the others were maybe not feeling so great. It was pretty unsettling to just lose a teammate like that out of nowhere and it felt strange for that outcome to be applauded as a rousing success. And if she was feeling bad about it, perhaps the others were too. As Hex was the last to speak and the one who she owed the most to here, her mind was focused on him as they were ushered away to meet yet more daunting people.

She thought that like herself, the others (except for Sam) were probably just restraining their emotions in public. Though... that was just a guess and she was trained in behaving like this. Were they too? What did that say about the similarities or differences in their upbringings?

This line of thought distracted her as she was also trying to be supportive of Hex as she wound up saying, "It doesn't really matter where I sit. I'm equally comfortable sitting with whoever here." and indicates with a gesture of her hand that Hex (and the rest) should pick wherever they want to sit ahead of her. It doesn't occur to her until several moments later that her gesture of attempting to give him some subtle relief in getting to at least choose to put himself in the least stressful of the two choices for him probably actually came off as insinuating he was somehow less capable of handling the situation.


Rolled a 0 on Comfort/Supporting Hex.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Sam feels a measure of relief as Shadewalker starts talking about the formation of a task group. It was good to know that the situation was going to be put into capable hands. Though perhaps a little disappointed at missing her chance to see government in action, she follows after All-Seer without complaint. The hard job of public speaking now behind her, she takes some time to take in her surroundings as she's lead through the parliamentary building.

Once within the room with the four occupants, she finds she's feeling more like herself. Raven's greeting and countenance, however, rub Sam the wrong way. She hadn't been feeling heroic, the loss of a teammate and an entire unrelated team would do that, so being heaped with praise smacked of politics in the worst way. Glyph's energetic greeting draws her attention away from the Court of Raptors representative and... She feels her heart drop. There was a Lighthouse rep here too.

With just a brief glance at Saki as her teammate expresses her ambivalence toward the whole situation, Sam heads over to Glyph and Stormwatcher, hesitating a moment before pulling out a chair. "U-umm, hi. I'm S-Mercury." She winces, hero business meant hero names. First rule of heroing. Looking to Stormwatcher specifically, she continues, "I, uh, I just wanted to say how, uh, how sorry I am about the team that got lost. It... It was just luck of the draw that, uh, that it was them and not us." She rubs behind her neck, "Well, uh, not all of us, at any rate..."

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 2/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Chimera was relieved when they didn't have to stay for the rest of the meeting. He's been through enough of them to know that very little got done during these things. But with the way they were heading, they weren't leaving the building. Time for more acting, then. Like he didn't have to go through that enough already. But oh well.

And then he saw the spread of people and places. Judging people by who they choose (or don't choose) to sit with. Chimera was about to choose the table with a 'real hero' at it, wouldn't want to let his family know he sat with a public servant instead, and schmoozing a hero would get his family more prestige. He would have chosen Daniel's table if it was anywhere else, but there were eyes and ears everywhere in this building.

And then Facet chose to stay out of choosing. Not to mention the.. attempt at comforting she tried to give Hex. And with Sam sitting at the table with Stormwatcher, he would have to make a choice. Please his family, but put those two at the same table, or sit where he wanted to sit and let Hex choose who he wanted to sit next to, but earn the wrath of his family. It was no choice, really.

He goes over to Raven's and Daniel's table, and sits down. "I'd rather keep my personal life out of business, it tends to complicate things. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Daniel. Keeping the streets safe, no matter how small the crime, is important work. Heroes tend to forget that regular people worry more about their safety than their image, and it's nice to have someone who'll think about others in the court rather than their own ego."

This was definitely going to go back to his family. And he would pay for it, especially with what he said. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Rolled against Fetters. Got a 5. Marking a Scorn and a Condition.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo was more than relieved they weren’t going to be forced to stay for the rest of the show, although he only responded to All-Seer’s comments with a grunt of acknowledgement at best. Once they were shut into the new room with more strangers, Hex glanced around at those gathered with a vaguely guarded gaze, his expression unchanging as the quartet introduced themselves. If anything, his gaze narrowed just a hair at Raven’s emphasis.

He tried his best to ignore a pang of guilt when he realized there was Stormwatcher of the Lighthouse Agency; he could hardly blame the man for his briefest of greetings. The Ruby Market Authority and those aligned with it always interested him, however. Sighing quietly as he noted the empty seats and quickly put two and two together, he’d already quickly made up his mind when Facet spoke up.

Milo gave Saki an odd, unreadable sort of look, vaguely confused when she seemed to address or single him out first. On one hand, there was something in her tone that suggested she was trying to... reassure him somehow. But her words made him feel more as if she were taunting him. Implying he was nervous or... something. He did not reward her attempt with any verbal response, just a bit of a stink-eye and a gesture towards Alistair as he shifted forward to join Sam and take the other empty seat.

Even if he’d wanted to sit at Raven and Daniel’s table, which he didn’t, Alistair had helped make his decision even easier by joining them. Though he was hardly in a chummy mood, there was no contest when it came to Sam or Alistair. And well hey, the guy could probably make up for Facet’s obtuseness with his savvy. Good pair.

Still something of a walking stormcloud, Hex plopped himself down next to Sam. “I’m Hex.” He added after Sam’s introduction, glancing more slowly towards Stormwatcher as his teammate offered condolences, nodding solemnly in echo.

[Malexia]

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning - Chimera and Facet

Raven Calico responds with an easy laugh at Chimera's blunt rebuttal. "Oh, but business is always personal, dear, no matter what some like to pretend. We are but creatures of instinct and ego, are we not? It is human nature to be ruled by emotion."

For his part, Daniel just gives a small nod of thanks at Chimera's words. When Facet sits down, he says to both heroes, "I'm sorry you'll have to listen to her blustering, but it's the price of doing business in Garuda. I don't like it myself, but... I've seen what it's like in other cities out there with empowered populations like ours. Recognized villainy may be a thorn in my side, but its better than letting tensions boil over. Marginally, at least."

Raven continues where he leaves off. "The balance in Garuda is, despite this, quite delicate. It is the responsibility of established heroes and villains to make sure that the next generation understands what makes our darling city so grand, and to make sure that the conflicts that wrack the city will always lean more toward the profitable than the destructive." She pauses, then smiles. "But I'm sure both of you understand that better than your comrades at the other table. After all, you are the children of figures from this city's very history, are you not?"

Daniel growls at her, "Don't pry. That's not what this meeting is about."

She waves a hand dismissively at him. "Oh, I'll get to the focus. But I always savor the appetizer. Chimera and Facet, you come from very different backgrounds. One of you is practically royalty, destined for a seat in the House of Justice an illustrious heroic career, while the other is scion to a terrible legacy of villainy and disgrace. I'm surprised the two of you can even stand each other, let alone work together. So before we get to the boring official part... I want to know about you. I want to know if you represent your legacies, or defy your legacies."

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning - Mercury and Hex

Stormwatcher's dour mood does not improve after Mercury's apology. For a brief moment you think you see his fist clench, but it's gone too quick to be sure if it was real or a trick of the light. He slowly nods, and in a rough, raspy voice he says, "It was... a tragedy. One that you couldn't have predicted. If anyone is to blame, it-" He cuts himself off and shuts off that line of thought, but for another brief moment you see his gaze flit to the door that All-Seer is waiting behind. This time the motion is unmistakable.

Glyph rolls her eyes. "Gosh, grumpy much? Way to comfort a newbie hero that's clearly got some major survivor guilt."

Stormwatcher just furrows his brow and glares at her.

Glyph turns to the two heroes and grins wide. "Hello Mercury! Hello Hex! It is so very, very good to meet you. Y'know, the Court may have beaten us to the punch with chatting you up, but the Ruby Market really appreciates what you did, stopping Pitch. She was a real pain and you just wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am'd her! I bet the Court offered you all sorts of lucrative deals if you signed on with them, and the only price would be selling your conscience and self-respect to some creepy weirdos!"

Glyph laughs and continues, "Well, we're a bunch of creepy weirdos too, but we don't expect you to give up the hero gig and work for us just 'cause the job offer comes with a few extra zeroes. And honestly? That's fine! This town is a great place to do business, and it works best when people are doing what they're good at, yknow? So before you get any ideas, I'm not here to try and recruit you for the RMA. I am, however, here to extend the RMA's hand in other ways."

Stormwatcher sighs and raises a hand, cutting her off. Glyph, who had risen to her feet and started gesticulating while giving her speech, falls back into her chair haphazardly and tilts her head at him quizzically. He coughs to clear his throat, then speaks. "If you let her keep talking, she'll never stop. Let me get to the point of the matter: you have made a name for yourself and have proven your abilities. Under normal circumstances a team like yours would forge connections organically while slowly rising through the ranks of hero society, but your rise has been meteoric and this crisis has been unprecedented. There is no time for you to learn the ins and outs of Garudan politics through trial and error. So four organizations of the city have reached out to offer you your first connections to the city's organizations, and to make sure you understand the nature of this conflict."

Glyph jumps in the second he stops to gather himself. "Yeah, it's kind of important. See, the big bad out-of-towner is causing a real stir right now, and he's not playing the game right. There's an order to things, and he's cheating left and right. He's gonna ruin everything if we let him, and we want to make sure you know just how important it is that heroes and villains work together to fight this guy. Yeah?"

She finally stops her motor-mouth routine, and Stormwatcher doesn't interject, leaving the floor to you.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 1/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Facet took off her helmet as they sit down. As her hair flows out, she gives it a toss so it's out of her eyes and gives both adults a polite and practiced smile. She gives Daniel a rather nonplussed look at his words. This kind of "bluster" as he put it, was something she was exceedingly used to and she has no idea how commentary on who they are could be considering "prying" as its extremely public knowledge whether either she or her teammate would wish otherwise. She certainly would have preferred Raven's previous behavior to the actual prying that was demanding to know who they were at heart.

She smirks a little and comments, "I wouldn't let mother hear you refer to her situation as 'disgraceful'." There's a pause before she continues, "As for Chimera, it is my pleasure to work with such a nice young man and I would say we are as alike as much as we differ." She turns to look at him and considers patting his hand or shoulder or something, but chickens out when she realizes she described in what was probably a patronizing or at least embarrassing way (though in truth she very likely would have chickened out on the physical contact like that anyway). It was just how her mother probably would have described him and she hadn't managed to break those habits yet as she wasn't used to dealing with people, especially not people her own age. On top of that, now that the words were out of her mouth she was afraid he would take the "alike" comment to mean she didn't think his family was "good" or otherwise comparable to Nonpareil, which is not at all what she had meant. Well aside from the controlling nature of their upbringing. She probably had meant that.

Quickly changing the subject she answers the question, "I am on this team as a hero. Clearly the answer is defy. Not that I expect you'll believe me." Her answer is clearly hastier, less secure, and more defensive than she would have liked it to be.


Comfort Support on Chimera got a whopping 4.

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 3/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure, Angry

Labels
Danger: +1
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +1
Mundane: -2

Chimera has to say he represents his legacy. He has to say that he'll represent them to the best of his ability. But he couldn't. He didn't even believe he had any legacy left to represent. What he had was a tarnished reputation and years worth of lying and scheming that the rest of his family had thrust upon him. And him being royalty? Of him being destined for the House of Justice? He certainly didn't feel like he was, with all the years he was discarded and forgotten, and he didn't even want what his family had in the first place. He didn't care about getting a seat in the House, he didn't care about having an illustrious career. He wanted to help people, not play some silly game of politics. So he stayed silent.

He wasn't paying much attention to what Facet said after Raven's question, as his thoughts were rattling around in his head, but he had paid enough attention to get the gist of what she said. And what she said was adding to those thoughts, pilling up on him. They were alike, so much more than she could imagine. His family wasn't good. They weren't kind, or noble, or anything of the sort. The were greedy, power hungry, and just... not heroic. If they weren't trying to defeat villains or protect the city, they would definitely be labeled as evil. And he was a part of that. He had been raised in that environment, had been taught their ways. He was just like Facet. But instead of turning away from his family like she had, shirking his own family to forge his own path, he had stayed by them, and was practically endorsing them by being a hero, by acting like the perfect golden child. He was their ticket to even greater heights, and he let himself be used by them thinking they would let him go one day. But they never would. And he knew this. He had known this for a long time. He just didn't want to say it, he didn't want to admit to his family that he hated them and wanted nothing to do with them. Because then his family would fight back, would start pushing him into things, would force themselves into his life more. But he didn't care about them right now.

And so, through all the thoughts swirling through his head, he was finally able to answer the question. "Why would I want to represent my family when they treat their own children like tools to be used, just to get more fame and power..."

He was burning with rage, glaring at Raven like he hated her for even asking that question. And his eyes were glowing red.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Sam finds herself unsure of how to react, both to Stormwatcher's stiffness, and to Glyph's assessment of her mental state. Fortunately she doesn't need to respond immediately as Glyph provides a running commentary on the going's on behind the scenes of the hero world. She glances to Milo as the situation is laid bare in front of them. Rubbing behind her neck, she looks back to the two representatives, "I, uh, wow..." She glances to Milo again, "So, umm, you're asking us for help?"

She leans back in her chair, letting out a slow breath, "That's, geez..." She can't help but grin wryly, "That's, uh, that's kinda cool..." Abruptly, her cheeks colour as she remembers this is meant to be a formal meeting, and she continues with an attempt to regain a somewhat professional air, "Ah, uh, so, umm, what would the plan be? Do, uh, do you know he's going to be making an attack somewhere..?"

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo kept quiet while Stormwatcher and Glyph spoke, though despite his grumpy demeanour, he remained quite alert, eyes and ears open, although he tried not to draw overmuch attention to it. He did silently note where Stormwatcher looked before cutting himself off, and turned his head briefly to catch a glimpse of the other table and the fact that... the discussion did not appear to be nearly as cordial, if the look on Alistair's face said anything. He’d have to hear what that was about later.

While Glyph’s energy and enthusiasm was at odds with his own current mood, beneath that he was genuinely interested in the opportunity to get acquainted with the RMA. He’d found them rather interesting since he’d learned about their existence upon arriving in Garuda. Even if his father had warned him to be careful who he interacted with, Milo would bet money that his dad hadn’t been exactly a stranger in the market either.

Turning his head slightly to meet Sam’s gaze as she glanced at him, he arched his brows slightly to suggest a mutual interest in how things were playing out, even if he’s far less endearingly talkative about it.

“So what exactly can we expect of you both? What exactly are you offering in aid, or is that yet to be seen, as events warrant? And what do you expect from us? Aside from the obvious... taking down the big bad stranger somehow. Or is that it. No additional strings, or caveats?” He added after Sam was done, seeming unconvinced to let things remain vague.

[Malexia]

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning - Chimera and Facet

Both the Raptor and the plainclothes listen carefully as each of you respond. Facet's comments elicit a quiet nod from Daniel and something unreadable from Raven, but it is Chimera's reply - full of anger with eyes burning red - that gets a proper reaction.

Calico's eyes glitter behind her raven mask. "Oh my, now that is an answer I didn't expect. The prodigal son, so full of resentment toward the family that raised him? The sharpened tool turning its bite upon those who wielded the whetstone? Such a risky statement to make, even behind closed doors. You never know when a little bug might be listening in search of gossip to spread."

Chimera, she's trying to tell you who you are and shift your labels: Superior down, Danger up.

Then she laughs. "Ah, but worry not. I would never risk our budding partnership by spreading tawdry rumors, and this room has been cleared of any prying insects."

Daniel rolls his eyes, then gives you his full attention. "I'll make it plain: if you want to be a hero in Garuda, you need connections. For the two of you, that means the right connections. Facet, you know something of villainy in this town, but you need allies among the hero camp as well, and that's what I'm here to offer. Chimera, you've got a lineage full of recognizable heroes, but you need to know how villains operate too, and that's why Raven is here."

He hands Facet a card with contact information on it. "If you need street knowledge on any threat you're going up against, don't hesitate to reach out. Especially where it concerns the Stranger."

Raven chimes in again. "Of course, you already have the Court's information, and you've already benefited from our knowledge and expertise. And I would like to reiterate: if you ever feel like a change of pace, or in need of extra funds, or just looking to even the playing field... the Court's doors are always open to respectable up-and-comers like you." She winks.

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning - Mercury and Hex

Stormwatcher and Glyph look between each other, and Glyph exaggeratedly gestures for the hero to speak first.

"The exact details of what you'll be tasked with... that depends on how the Parliament meeting goes. I don't claim to understand how Shadewalker thinks, but she's gotten it in her head that the four of you are important. She wants to put you on the special task force she's cooked up, the details of which none of us are privy to. But... I can guess it will involve more of what you've already been doing; hunting the Stranger's agents and gathering intel on how he operates and what he's planning."

Glyph grins and cuts in. "As for what we're offering, well, that all depends on you! At the very least, we want you to have lines of communication to us, so we can chat it up and help each other out. We're all in this together, right? So we should share information as we can! But beyond that... well, the Ruby Market has lots of toys to play with, and I'm sure we can work out a nice discount for such exciting customers. And look at that, you already have what you need to get in!"

Both of you feel a lump in a pocket that was previously empty, and discover two rune-scribed rubies have found their way to you through some trick of Glyph. You can sense the faint, dormant hum of magical energy in them, and you recognize them for the keys necessary to enter the Market.

Stormwatcher curls his lip at the show of magic. "The Lighthouse will give your messages priority, should you choose to send any. We will cooperate in whatever way is necessary to bring the Stranger down... and to bring back those lost during your encounter with Jackal James."

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 3/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure, Angry

Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +0
Mundane: -2

Chimera's eyes were partially turned back to their normal purple color, still holding some of the red that had been fully there just moments before. He was still angry, that was for sure. But now it was towards himself. He wanted out of this cycle, of getting angry at himself for lashing out, for taking back what he says about his family, only for it to get back to them anyway. If he was going to get punished for rightly lashing out at them, then he was going to double down on this, and not take anything back.

"Sorry for the outburst, I had some aggression I needed to let out and I targeted it towards you in a moment of weakness. I'm not taking back what I said, for that would make me a liar, but I will not act out again in your company. Thank you for the offer. If we ever have need of your help in taking down the Stranger, we will make contact." He was holding himself back, keeping himself contained for the sake of civility. But the moment he had privacy, the moment he could let everything out in front of people he trusted, he would. But not now. Now, he had to keep things together for his team, and for the sake of taking down the Stranger. The safety of the people was more important than his own feelings.

I'm accepting the shift of danger up, superior down.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 2/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Facet takes the card with a formal little, "Thank you Daniel." and puts the card away to scan once they're done and she's donned her helmet again.

Facing Raven she says, "There is something I might need of the Court. Though it is probably more in the RMA's field than yours, I feel like the Court would be more inclined to assist given the relationship you wish to maintain with the heroes of the city. Firstly I would need what I imagine is several pieces of difficult to acquire information and then I would likely need assistance completing what I, with no specific knowledge to assure this is the case, assume will be a difficult and perhaps dangerous task. I imagine there would be something for the Court to get out of doing so aside from result of my goal, and given the nature of it I imagine the RMA would be tempted to in the process of achieving my goal do something the might make their help too high of a price for me to accept."

At Chimera's words, Facet feels the urge to comfort him. She's not used to people just outright saying they had those kinds of emotional reactions. She moves to place a comforting hand on his, to show solidarity and empathy.... but then chickens out and just places it down on the table. She tries to think of something to say, and since people can see her face it's pretty clear that she's just struggling to get any words out at all and eventually just gives up and says nothing.


Another failure on Comfort/Support Chimera.

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Being asked for help was one thing, being told you were likely to be chosen for a hand selected team was entirely another. Sam found herself fidgeting in her seat, trying to dispel the energy building up in her at the thought. She needn't have worried, Stormwatcher's closing comment on finding the missing heroes brought her crashing back down to Earth.

She hesitates a moment, then nods, "Y-yeah, we'll do what we can to help. And of course, we'll try and find what happened to the people that disappeared."

She briefly glances to Milo as she makes her comment. If she was being honest with herself, she might've been over-promising there. While she herself could do her best to try and find the people that had gone missing, promising on behalf of the others might've been a step too far.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo appeared to be at least somewhat satisfied with the response Glyph and Stormwatcher gave. It seemed a lot would still be answered once they spoke with Shadewalker again. He wouldn’t pretend he wasn’t a little excited to suddenly have legitimate access to the Ruby Market. Though he could feel the weight in his pocket and the soft thrum of magic, he still slid a hand in to feel the runed ruby that had appeared there. He could make good use of that access, and he didn’t mind doing some actual work too. He might not have known Pep well but he didn’t like anyone thinking they could mess with him or his people. While he might not have been as invested in the politics as some, he could agree the Stranger should be stopped. Might as well be them.

When Sam looked his way, Milo gave her a nod of agreement and confirmation. Though his voice was still a bit gruff, he seemed to be more involved and resolute now despite the attitude.

“Glyph. Stormwatcher. Thanks for your future help. We’ll do what we can to sort this mess out.”

[Malexia]

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning

At one table, Daniel gives Chimera's apology with a respecful nod while Raven turns to Facet to say, "I'm sure the Court would be happy to help. Forward the information to us and we will get right on that."

At the other table, Glyph acknowledges Hex's thanks with a wide grin while Stormwatcher looks pained by Mercury's promise but slowly manages, "I... appreciate that."

Before either conversation can continue, All-Seer steps back into the room. "Time's up. The Houses have made their decision: the task force has been greenlit. Shadewalker will tell you the rest herself."

The telepath leads you away from your new contacts and down a few more halls, into a quaintly decorated room with a handful of couches, armchairs, and endtables. There's a table along one wall with a fresh pot of coffee, a hot water brewer, a box of tea bags, and plenty of disposable cups. All-Seer leaves you there, and just under a minute later the Aegis of the Throne emerges from a poorly-lit corner, using her namesake ability to shadow-step into the room.

Shadewalker immediately zeroes in on the refreshments table and grabs a cup of coffee, slamming back a frankly concerning amount of scalding liquid before setting the cup down on an end table and falling into an armchair. She lets out a deep breath, brushes back her hair, and glances around the room, taking you all in. "Ah, good, you're already here. Guess All-Seer was watching the show. That makes this easier."

"I'm not going to give you the fancy formal spiel because I just got done telling a room of egomaniacs and liars what they wanted to hear, and I just don't have the energy to paint any more pretty pictures over what's really going on. The Stranger is the biggest threat that Garuda has faced since before my time, and too many established powers here are more worried about protecting their own than dealing with the Stranger. You saw it with the Raptors, right? Sure, they gave you intel on Jackal, but they wanted you to undermine your own mission for the sake of getting their man back. That's not going to cut it. So I talked the Houses into forming a task force that can cut through red tape and make the powers that be cooperate."

She gestures at the four of you. "You did good work, you did it quick, and you're not entrenched enough in the scheming and the factions to let that get in the way of the job." She pauses, gives a specific look to Chimera and Facet, and adds, "I'm going to be trusting you to keep that up. To focus on the mission over your other obligations. Don't let me down, okay?"

"You're on the task force, so is All-Seer, and a couple others I've hand-picked. I'll have the others pushing and pulling on the few leads we have, and I expect to have another target soon. You won't be the only team out there hitting the Stranger, of course, but you're going to have an important part to play in all this. I'm hoping the Stranger will underestimate you, see you as children and not as threats."

She takes another long drink, sets it down, and spreads her hands. "So, any questions?"

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Sam rises from her chair as All-Seer returns to the room. She glances to her other teammates, not sure what she ought to say to them in the face of the announcement. She tries to match the pace of Facet and Chimera as they're led through the halls, "How'd the talks go on your end..?", she glances to Milo, "It, uh, was definitely... Interesting for us. The Ruby Market and the Lighthouse both want us to work with them." Despite her nerves, she can't quite keep the grin off of her face as she says that. Despite everything, it felt good to be recognised.

She finds herself not quite sure what to do on arriving in the new room. Fortunately for her, she's not left awkwardly milling around for very long as Shadewalker makes her appearance. Fighting the urge to jump in surprise at the Aegis' abrupt arrival, Sam does her best to pay close attention to the responsibility that was being given directly to them.

She finds herself starting to feel uncertain, however, as Shadewalker stresses just how much of a challenge the Stranger was going to be. Particularly given she seemed to have decided that they were, of course, the right team for the job. Which caused an entirely separate pang of guilt for Sam, was she letting the team down if she doubted their ability?

Hesitantly, she speaks up when prompted for questions, "Ah, umm, what, uh, what leads do we have..?"

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 3/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure, Angry
Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +0
Mundane: -2

A quick glance was given to the rest of the room as Chimera left, wondering what kind of talk the other group had. The question was only partially answered with Sam's similar question, but he was at least relieved that the talk didn't go almost as poorly as the one he and Facet had. "There was a bit of tension, but not enough for anything to happen. We had a similar proposition given to us by Raven and Daniel. Seems that the different factions are at least trying to work together to take down the Stranger."

With their entrance into the room, Chimera approaches the refreshments table and fills a cup with hot water, placing a teabag in the water. He moves out of the way when Shadewalker makes her way to the table, watching with a bit of concern with the chugging of very hot liquids, and sits down in an armchair facing towards the one she sat down on, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

"Thank you for placing your trust in me, I will do my best to not involve any of my relatives in this. They have their own agenda and plans in this, and I'd rather them not muck up the plan for stopping the Stranger." He waited for the end of Sam's question before proposing his own. "And what sort of team will we be working with?"

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 2/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Facet deliberately waits for Chimera to answer Mercury's question and then just nods in agreement as he summed it up well.

She gives Shadewalker a completely blank expression, knowing that she probably can't promise any such lack of involvement of other factions or interests. Her mother at least will get involved when she feels like it and there's nothing Facet, or anyone else, can do to stop that.

[The_Specialist]

Hex (https://discordapp.com/channels/700631156730757220/714287240288796702/714295928001003541)
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Power: 4
Freak: +2
Danger: +1
Savior: -1
Superior: +2
Mundane: -1
Form One
Abilities: Dark Sorcery, Illusions, Elemental Control

Form Change: When you enter your Form, roll + unmarked Conditions. On a miss, your Form is sloppy or provides only a weak connection to your magical source. Hold two Power and take -1 forward. On a hit hold four. On a 10+, clear a Condition.

Crest:
Wilds (Provides protection from harsh environmental and physical conditions, shielding you from the elements, the need for sleep, food or water. In addition, your passage cannot be impeded by natural barriers.)
Mana (Your Crest is particularly well crafted, granting an additional Power whenever you assume your Form.)
Signs
[ ] Mirror: Choose an NPC who you have Influence over. You may expend one Power to use a Move or Flair they possess. If you have Influence over no one you may instead pick another Sign to Mirror.
[ ] Reflect: You may expend one Power when you’re under fire from an opponent. If you must mark a Condition from a Powerful Blow, inflict one on your opponent.
[ ] Thief: You may expend one Power to take a possession from anyone you can see, even if you’re unable to see the item.


Milo’s gaze snaps back to All-Seer when the man enters the room again, a brow arching slightly as the announcement is made. He’s not entirely surprised the task force has been greenlit, but he does reel silently behind the grumpy façade. He definitely wants to take on the Stranger, he just never really saw this path in his future. It’s definitely turned interesting.

Following along to the new room, Milo starts to make himself a cup of tea as well, pausing only briefly when he notices Alistair doing the same, before resuming with the slightest hint of a deeper scowl. He pauses a bit longer in awe or perhaps concern when Shadewalker enters and knocks back an entire cup of scorching brew. Silently he thanks the powers unseen that he doesn’t have her job.

Hex stays quiet as she gives them the short version, happy enough to be spared the formal rigmarole as well. He’s certainly curious about who else is on the task force, especially as he’s not entirely comfortable with his own ‘team’ just yet. But he keeps his mouth shut on that, thankfully not ending up copying Alistair again.

“Are we just supposed to hang tight until you throw us one of these leads? Or see if we can scope something out ourselves? And who do we report any findings to, if it’s warranted?”

[Malexia]

Parliament Side Chamber, Early Morning

Shadewalker sips on her coffee while she gives everyone a chance to speak. When the last question is fielded she sets the cup back down. "Alright, I'll hit that last one first."

"Your team has gotten this far by seizing the initiative. Your first op was a success primarily because you dug in and did the research, so I'm by no means censuring any further investigative work. Avoid undue risks, but if you find anything you can pass it along through a secure channel we're setting up. You all have phones, right?" The Aegis of the Throne reaches into the shadows and pulls out four identical wafers of what almost looks like sand, like sand dollars you find at the beach, but these are covered in complicated arcane patterns. She hands them out.

"Take that, crush it, and sprinkle the dust over your phone. The sorcery involved is a joint effort between the Ruby Market Authority and the Lion's Eye Assembly. The enchantment will let you access a private channel of communication that only other members of the task force can see. Shows up on your phone as a password-protected app, it'll let you choose the password but there's no reset function, so choose wisely." The Lion's Eye Assembly is the Ruby Market's heroic counterpart, though more secretive and esoteric. The organization is primarily composed of old magicians and alchemists pursuing the secrets of Creation, though every generation they let in a few new members.

"Now, as to what leads we have, that's a messier story. Arguably you found the most promising lead in your fight with Jackal James: the serpent rune. Runes like that are probably how the Stranger has been gathering so many allies so quickly; he's mind-controlling them all. A power like that, reproduced across so many victims, with such versatile effects... it narrows down the possibilities by a lot. We're looking into it from a magical perspective, a historical perspective, and plenty of other angles of research. We find how he can make those, we find the source of his power. Or at least, one aspect of his power."

"His luck, on the other hand, is something we've been chewing over since we first tangled with the Stranger. There are dozens of ways to mess with luck, but most rely on small shifts, minor displays. Using luck too blatantly tends to push up against some foundational laws of reality, or so the mages tell me. The way he burns through it, not even trying to pretend that what happens around him is probable, and the way he can seemingly distribute some of that luck to his minions? There's only a handful of powers in this world capable of that, and most are accounted for." Shadewalker takes another long sip of coffee, sighs, and clenches a fist. "Which leaves the Yama Kings."

The air seems to grow colder just at the mention of those abominations. Of all the spirits, elementals, and other entities that play at calling themselves gods, the Yama Kings are some of the most dangerous and the most horrifying. They prey on human weakness and feed on suffering and despair. They manipulate luck, karma, and other metaphysical forces to enrich themselves at the detriment of local communities, and they make bargains with the powerful to keep that status quo enforced. Entire cities have fallen to to the hunger of the Yama Kings, greedy businessmen and powerhungry politicians giving the Yama free reign over the lives of citizenry in exchange for greater profits and guaranteed elections, only realizing too late that the Yama never intended to stop at a few morsels. The Yama Kings have never managed to establish a foothold in Garuda, always held back by ritual and law and the effort of those with power... but if they really are backing the Stranger, then it would seem they've found a new avenue of attack.

"We can't be sure yet, but right now they're the most likely source of his luck abilities. Confirmation will come if he runs out and starts trying to drain more luck from parts of the city. Wards are going up in likely target locations, and the Assembly is watching carefully. If he starts something, we'll know. As far as his other targets, we're still trying to ascertain a pattern to his attacks. It's difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff here; most of his raids so far can be chalked up to recruitment, trying to get close to more heroes and villains to tag with his control runes. But those that can't be... those might tell us something of his real goals here in Garuda. Is he just trying to carve a foothold for his masters? Is there something in the city he's after? The mages are running through every formula, ritual, and cache of magic they know, looking for something that fits the attack pattern. If they find anything, they'll let us know."

Shadewalker polishes off her coffee, giving you time to digest that. When the last of the drink is drained, she rubs her hands together and gives you all half a grin. "So. Now for the better news: the people you'll be working with. You already know All-Seer, he'll be running comms and overwatch on necessary operations. The four you met just now are going to be faction liasons, forwarding us intel from the groups they represent. Lion's Eye is giving us Hierophant for research purposes. Finally, a second team of four will be utilized to perform operations simultaneously to your team, to make it harder for the Stranger to come down hard on a single group. That team will consist of Bleakfire, Exodus, Hedge Sorceress, and Iron Glaive."

Hierophant is a mystery, but the four in your counterpart team are all recognizable as villains of middling tier, only a bit higher than you in reputation after your success against Jackal. Shadewalker sees your recognition and adds, "I chose villains because this enterprise needs to be genuinely cross-faction, and I chose those four in the hopes that the Stranger will underestimate them, but still pay them more attention than your team. It's a delicate balancing act, what we're going to do, but I think it's necessary to take on a threat this dangerous."

She pauses once more, then adds, "And I'll be on the task force, of course. I'll be the one calling the shots. After today, parliamentary action is suspended for a minimum of two weeks to focus everyone on the crisis at hand. And I'm not one to let my hands stay idle."

[Comissar]

Mercury (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24509795&postcount=20)
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5
Danger: -1
Freak: +0
Savior: +2
Superior: +0
Mundane: +2


Straight. Up. Creepin'.

When you scope out a person or place, roll +Mundane. On a 10+, ask two. On a 7-9, ask one.

- What's my best way in/out?
- What happened here recently?
- What here is worth grabbing?
- Who or what here is not what they seem?
- Whose place is this?

On a miss, find yourself in over your head. The GM will tell you why this is a bad spot.

No powers and not nearly enough training

You're always picking up new gear to keep yourself in the game. Whenever you pick up a new piece of gear, you can write it as a new ability if this line is empty (____________)

The first time you use each piece of gear to directly engage a threat, unleash your powers, or defend someone, you can roll +Mundane instead of the normal label.

Drives

Reject someone who tells you you shouldn't be here.

Earn the respect of a hero you admire.

Makeout with a teammate

Help a teammate when they most need you
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287399957430353/714383014607716392/kpqTAmH.jpg

Sam takes the proffered wafer without comment, turning it over in her hands and examining it as Shadewalker explains what it is. She gave Shadewalker a questioning look at her instruction. Privately, she had misgivings about sprinkling sand and dust over a piece of electronic equipment. She might have to get a cheap phone for hero work, just in case it did damage it.

Pocketing the wafer for the moment, she continued listening to Shadewalker's explanations and answers. Sam found herself shivering involuntarily at the description of the Yama Kings. Going up against a mob boss with luck draining magic backing them up all while being functionally one step above powerless herself? Sure. This sounded fine.

And then they'd be working alongside villains..? That... Didn't sit too well with her. Of course, she also couldn't do anything to stop them working to the same goal, but she didn't exactly relish the thought of needing to watch her back against even more people while chasing down the Stranger.

Taking a breath, Sam gave the other three a quick glance to try and get a sense of what they were thinking, "... Without, uh, without wanting to sound rude... How do we know we can trust them..? Bleakfire and the rest, I mean?"

[Abbyqween]

Chimera
Potential: 3/5
Conditions: Guilty, Insecure, Angry
Labels
Danger: +2
Freak: +2
Savior: +1
Superior: +0
Mundane: -2

Chimera sat in silence, listening to every word and thinking over everything said. The situation wasn't the best, if there was a chance the Yama Kings were behind the Stranger. And with the controlling runes, they would have to be as safe and guarded as they possibly could to make sure none of them were 'recruited' into his ranks. Having all the help they could get is something that they desperately needed, so if they had to work with villians, so be it. He would definitely keep an eye on the other team if they were ever around, though. He didn't need anyone's egos or personal goals getting in the way of this.

He finishes his drink, and speaks up after Sam. "The entire city is at stake in this situation, they will want to keep this place free from the grasp of the Stranger, too, even if it is for their own personal reasons or villainous goals. Compromising the situation isn't what any of us want, so it would be expected that there are precautions set up, just in case there is infighting in the group or a betrayal of some sort. Though there is a concern of outside forces moving us to places where we may be easily compromised. What kind of things are set in place to prevent that from happening?" He was mostly concerned about his family or Facet's mother doing this, but with the talk about mind control, it was better to be safe than sorry when it came to the entire group.

[Ramsus]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/714287214883766332/714536813338820759/ssaki-metel-asset.jpg
Facet (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GIa8_99PV5SIPuqe5ocZNwv8UtAoZ7rKRsUbVT7Pi3o/edit#)
Worst Scion
Potential: 2/5



Labels
Conditions
Marked


Danger: +2
Afraid (-2 to directly engage a threat)
[Run from something difficult.]
X



Freak: +1
Angry (-2 to comfort or support or pierce the mask)
[Hurt someone or break something important.]

X


Savior: +1
Guilty (-2 to provoke someone or assess the situation)
[Make a sacrifice to absolve your guilt.]



Superior: 0
Hopeless (-2 to unleash your powers)
[Fling yourself into easy relief.]



Mundane: -1
Insecure (-2 to defend someone or reject others’ influence)
[Take foolhardy action without talking to your team.]
X




Facet doesn't say anything. The others have valid questions and she doesn't want to interrupt Shadewalker from giving them their answers. She does think to herself that even if she assures them that the team of villains can be trusted, that it's not impossible the Stranger will find a way to turn them. So it would be best to do some research on them in addition to seeing what they can find out about the Yama Kings.