[Nexus] WATCHTOWER 6: Like Justice League, but ON LAAAND!

[Ashen Lilies]

Jutting out of the side of Overlook Waterfall like some sort of weird catherdral that got turned on it's side and converted into a fortress, is the WATCHTOWER.
Who built it? Unknown (A sect of mages known as the Dillinites). What purpose does it serve? Unknown (Dillinite Forward Command Base). How do people even know about these things? A sort of sixth sense, really, which tells everybody in Acronymia when a new thread is created (Unknown).


Previously abandoned, the WATCHTOWER has now been refurbished, thanks to the constant attentions of the members. However, due to recent events it still bears several craters and battle damaged bits and the like.

OOC NOTES & RULES

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1. No destroying the place, or doing something to it that'll produce a similar effect (for example, no placing a massive time freeze on the entire area forever), unless it's part of an epic plot, and you've run it through me. You're allowed to damage it, but destroying it just takes the fun out of it for all the other players.
2. No godmoding/godmodding. Even if it's permitted in some ACRONYMs, it isn't in the WATCHTOWER. The occasional mishap's OK, repeated offense isn't.
3. Please try and keep posts longer than one or two lines of speech. Description is appreciated. One-or-two-liners that don't do much are OK once in a while - but not regularly.
4. If you want random smashy hahaN00BlulzFun, here's not the place. Anything spammy, random, or just plain annoying, can go! Of course, if your silliness is in moderation and well-roleplayed, and considerate of other players, then welcome in.
5. Romance/Fanservice/Secks/WOOHOO!/Whateveryawannacallit is acceptable here, but remember to curtain once it goes past the snuggling stage, and be aware that there may be IC repercussions for dropping the curtain whenever you're online, as this is a thread with a mission. And said mission does not involve f***ing like rabbits.

THE BUILDING

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Ground Level/First Floor

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• Courtyard - A courtyard, surrounded by walls. Bare, and pretty much uncultivated, the courtyard is filled with grass, wild flowers and bomb craters. A gravel path leads from the main gates (or rather, what's left of them) to the main entrance. Off to one side is a well and an small, overgrown apple orchard, dotted with stones carved with fading runes of growth and plenty. Off to the other is what might have once been a vegetable garden, and a large animal pen, which is now an ad hoc stable building for the rare occasion people bring horses or other animal mounts to the WATCHTOWER. Near the building, against the cliffs, construction golems are building a sort of lift to the gantry up above.
• Main Room - A sort of wide, square lounge area. There are several low tables and comfy chairs. To one side is a 'fireplace' which is really just a stone recess occupied by the illusion of a fire, and several heating glyphs (restored by KR). No chimney, you see. Several torch brackets hang on the walls but are empty. Light here is provided (as in all rooms of the building) by glyphs in the ceiling. At the back are three doors, leading to the barracks and stairway. Near the fireplace is a secret panel that when pressed by an active member opens up a Doorway to the Safe Room. Non-members pressing the panel will have no result.
• Stairway - A small square room dominated by a spiral staircase which leads up the tower, to identical such small square rooms on every floor. Has two doors, which lead to the Main Room and Kitchen.
• Kitchen - A kitchen. It contains modern kitchen equipment. It's also square. Has a door leading to the stairway. Has never been visited. Ever. For shame, people.
• Barracks (East) - An 'L' shaped corridor, which leads off to several bunk rooms. Each room was originally designed to house four soldiers, but has since been re-furbished to provide a sort of quarters for a single (or perhaps two) member(s).
• Barracks (West) - An 'L' shaped corridor, which leads off to several bunk rooms. Each room was originally designed to house four soldiers, but has since been re-furbished to provide a sort of quarters for a single (or perhaps two) member(s). One of the rooms has become a miniature shrine to the Demon Dalachrech, Lord of Invertebrates.
• Showers - A shower room accessible at the end of each barracks corridor.
  ...
  Wait wait wait, public showers? How barbaric! Public MIXED-SEX Showers? How... Yeah, it's barbaric.

Second Floor

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• Stairway - A small square room dominated by a spiral staircase which leads up the tower, to identical such small square rooms on every floor. Has four doors, which lead to the Library, Offices, Infirmary and Labs.
• Library - A large room, with a large window that overlooks the courtyard. In the center of the room is a statue, perhaps a shrine to some long-forgotten god of knowledge, that has been covered with a purple cloth, and a sign that warns 'Do Not Remove Upon Pain of Death.' How strange. Radiating out from the statue are masses upon masses of shelves, upon which sit books on all topics, but mostly magic. At one wall is a secret panel that when pressed by an active member opens up a Doorway to the Safe Room. Non-members pressing the panel will have no result.
• Offices - A sparse room that doesn't see much use. The office contains a back-up mainframe, as well as filing cabinets where hard copies of important information (and member forms) are stored. The offices also provide storage space for the dozen or so Construction Golems that were left behind.
• Infirmary - A stark white clean room, with several partitions. Each segment contains a bed, as well as various medical equipment both magical and technological. The beds themselves are sturdy, quite comfortable, and also have straps if restraining the patient is necessary. There are several shelves in each section containing medicine and healing herbs and stuff.
• The Labs - Previously where the Dillinite mages performed unholy experiments and summoned volatile beasts. The first room is a semi-circular one, which leads to four labs which are separated from the 'main' room by thick blast doors and decontamination chambers. Access to this room is restricted to Members only, or guests accompanied by a Member, as determined by a magical handscanner. The four labs vary wildly in appearance, due to the differing styles of the resident MAD SCIENTISTS (and mages). Each one, however, contains magical interface panels linked to computers, which can be used to control laboratory functions.

Third Floor

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• Stairway - A small square room dominated by a spiral staircase which leads up the tower, to identical such small square rooms on every floor. Has four doors, which lead to the Security Room, Arena and the two Vaults.
• Security Room - Access restricted to Members only, as determined by a magical handscanner. If WATCHTOWER were a ship, this would be the bridge. Overlooking the courtyard, this room is filled with magical interface panels which control the base defenses, internal and external, as well as the prison cells. Computer wires and ports interlink with the panels, converting mana signals into binary, allowing control from one of the computer terminals in the room for the less magically inclined. The computers are also wired to the WATCHTOWER mainframe, which is located in this room, allowing for access to the main database. The mainframe can only be accessed from the computers in this room. Internal defenses include magical forcefields in every doorway that can be activated singularly, or all together in an emergency. External defenses include extra strong magical forcefields on the main gate and doors, as well as magical forcefields over the windows. There are also a variety of cunning magical traps buried in the courtyard and the path to WATCHTOWER, that may be deployed for explosive effect. Forcefields may remain active for roughly 4 hours before having to recharge (for 24 hours), or until they are beaten down or dispelled. Traps take a roughly 12 hours to recharge. Simply dispelling the forcefield or traps (or indeed, any of the various glyphs in the building) only deactivates them. More powerful spells (like a Mage's Disjunction, for instance) must be used to get rid of them permanently. At one wall is a secret panel that when pressed by an active member opens up a Doorway to the Safe Room. Non-members pressing the panel will have no result.
• Arena - A large, squarish (and yet also roundish) Arena. It's been somewhat refurbished as a training room/gymnasium, with some training equipment, a few dummies and bags and a weapon's rack.
• Prison Cells - A 'C' shaped corridor that surrounds the Arena. The prison cells are actually along the inside of the C, allowing them to open up directly into the Arena. Something that the Dillinites used regularly, to much enjoyment. The cells are sparse, three walled affairs containing a chamberpot and a mattress. The rear wall is hinged, to open into the Arena. The front of the cells is barred, of course, and the bars can be magically charged or supplemented by a magical forcefield, activated from the Security Room.
• Vaults (East) - An 'L' shaped room, this particular Vault acts as an armory, containing racks of weapons and armor (magical or not) left behind from the Dillinite days, as well as a few extra additions.
• Vaults (West) - An 'L' shaped room, this particular Vault holds some gold, and would hold other items of great value (including artifacts) except there aren't any. Has higher security and more traps and forcefields than the other vault, except there's nothing much to guard. Sorry! Come back later and try again.

Basement

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• Safe Room - A large room located deep underground, filled with mattresses and several months of consumables. Virtually impregnable, and accessible from the main building only via secret Doorway in the Main Room, Library, Security Room or Observatory. The Doorway may also be used to return to any of these locations (even by non-members, if they entered through different means or as a guest). In the back is a small door that leads to the Escape Tunnel. There is also a large bronze door, locked and inscribed with runes of sealing and warding, which leads to the Catacombs. This room is teleport proof, scry-proof, psi-proof, spy-proof, teleprot proof, and whatever other proofs you care to imagine (including 180-proof!) save for Epic Magic^TM.
• Escape Tunnel - A long tunnel. It leads to a hidden one-way trapdoor further south, near the Taverna Generica.

Catacombs

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A bunch of catacombs and stuff below the basement. Excitement and plots sure to be found here, as well as a viable avenue for a sneak attack. This isn't technically, part of the building, merely a network of Dungeons^TM under it. NO probably has a tunnel leading into here. If not, they're being painfully lax with their network.

Observatory Level

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• Observatory - Accessible through a trap door at the top of the spiral staircase. The room is enclosed at the front half by a tremendous glass dome, which serves as the focus for the powerful scrying spell etched all around. In the center is a raised circular viewing platform, with more runes etched around. On three sides are magical interface panels linked to computers like in the Security Room. The computers here are partially networked to the Security Room computers, and allow searching to a copy of the Central Database. The computers and interface panels are primarily used, however, to control the view from the observatory. The scrying spell is capable of reaching across a large area of the planet, as well as deep space. Things can also be viewed from any angle, eliminating conventional obstacles, however things underground or inside buildings cannot be seen. The scrying can of course be severed, blocked or traced back to its source using magic. There is a door to the side of the Observatory that leads to the Airship Gantry. At the back wall, opposite the Gantry door is a secret panel that when pressed by an active member opens up a Doorway to the Safe Room. Non-members pressing the panel will have no result.
• Airship Gantry - Jutting out the side of the cliff, and even slightly set into it for protection, is an large gantry, accessible from the Observatory, which acts as the dock for WATCHTOWER's Zeppelin, which has yet to be named. It's pretty awesome. There is room for expansion, and the WATCHTOWER construction golems are starting to build a large lift so that land-based vehicles and mounts can be stored up here as well.
  
  ::Vehicles::
  • A large, heavily armored zeppelin with psychedelic patterns painted all over the envelope, as well as a pair of angry eyes and mouth. The gondola, while not as eye-blindingly colorful, has a memorial to Butler B. Butler painted on the side. The zeppelin has a rather large cargo hold, as well as a separate bomb-bay, which can drop rather large bombs (though they are currently in rather short supply). It's armed with a rather heavy variety of weapons, including: two disruptor quad-cannons mounted in the aft of the envelope (one ventral, the other dorsal); two heavier disruptor quad-cannons mounted on either side of the gondola and two long-range flamethrowers mounted on the fore. The thing is powered by one of DC's zero-point modules, and can pretty much stay aloft and fire forever, carrying no fuel except for that which goes in the flamethrowers. It has energy shielding, though prolonged use cuts into the ship's energy supply significantly.
  • A smaller airship stolen from Lethargia, built for transport. It has controls, two seats for the pilot and co-pilot, and cages in the back for prisoners. It's presumably driven by combustion engines and propellers. Not after KR's done with it, though.

MEMBERSHIP FORM

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Name: (Include Titles and Aliases your character would be willing to divulge)
Alignment: (Your character may well lie here)
Age: (As a rule, we tend to frown on toddlers grouping up to fight Eldritch Abominations and psychotic liches.)
Sex: (People who answer 'yes' or otherwise engage in similar smartassery will be shot.)
Species: (If a dog or other animal/creature without thumbs, a pawprint is perfectly acceptable here. The other fields... get a scribe or something.)
Profession/Class: (Pretty straightforward, really.)
Power Level: (Recorded in case we ever need to put you down. )
Power Source: (Natural, Supernatural, Science, Arcane, Divine)
Other Important Information: (General Warnings, FYIs and death-threats against those who would kick your puppy.)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Submit a Question today!

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What the hell is WATCHTOWER's purpose, anyway?
An excellent question! And one that I've just noticed is not answered in the OP in any way! Which is terrible! Anyway, whereas GLoG concerns itself with redeeming evil-doers (and healing the sick and sheltering refugees etc.), HALO smites them and AMEN are them, WATCHTOWER doesn't typically concern itself with concepts of good and evil in any way. Rather, WATCHTOWER exists to deal with massive scale threats to the Nexus, like apocalypses or vast demonic invasions. Of course, given that evil-doers tend to be the ones who cause those things, WATCHTOWER tends to be pitted against the forces of evil more often than not, but is unlikely to concern itself with muggings, murders or exploding taverns. Also, calling WATCHTOWER a 'Good' organization is likely to draw the ire of some of the more omnicidal members around.

LIST OF MEMBERS

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• KR - Kid Kris
• Darkcomet - Darkcomet
• Wenomir - Morty
• Decker - happyturtle (unofficial)
• Dominic - billtodamax
• Mipaff - Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins
• Squeaky Shoes Man - Reinholdt
• Crodelus - Hyozo
• Terrowin - Earl of Purple
• Briony Davena - happyturtle
  
• Karuka Kurosawa - horngeek Deceased?
• Turtle Brightember - happyturtle
• Yamako - iElf
• Darius Jaezred - Darius Midnite
• Kazio - Beans
• Shawna von Letters - The Bushranger
• Jeremy - Wolfbane
• Ilyena - The Moff
• Sunny Evans - happyturtle
• Merrak - VampireRot
• Efrim - Snares
• Butler B. Butler (restricted access) - Reinholdt
• Catherine - horngeek
• Spyridon - FireFox
• Ilpholin - Reinholdt
• Adir Frescot - Murkus
• The Mask - Maxios
• Keino - Hyozo
• Sakura and Sarget - RPGsr4me
• Haruki - Haruki-kun

ARCHIVED THREADS

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WATCHTOWER 1: I can see my house from here! 07/09/2009 - 13/12/2009
WATCHTOWER 2: Who Watches the WATCHTOWER? 13/12/2009 - 09/05/2010
WATCHTOWER 3: Big Brother is WATCHing You. 09/05/2010 - 30/07/2010
WATCHTOWER 4: Doing Nothing, With Style (since 2009) 30/07/2010 - 12/09/2010
WATCHTOWER 5: 100 Rooms of DOOOM! 12/09/2010 - 14/11/2010

This OP will be subject to updates, so even though major updates will be posted or generally mentioned in the Nexus OOC thread, it would be advisable that you check back regularly. Also, whenever this thread reaches 50, I'd ask no-one else start the new thread, at least until all the pictures are in, or until I say okay.

[Darkcomet]

A fair attempt mortal, but I already know of your psychic powers, as you were only just assaulting one of my shadows with them. I will restrain myself only if you do the same. And finally, should I win, I will recquire you not to attempt to de-animate, transplant, examine, subdue or in any way harm your shadow until three weeks and the traditional one extra day have passed.

"I will refrain from mental attacks, then. I accept your other terms as well." DC is being very specific about that, having not displayed telekinetic abilities to this thing.

Besides, he doesn't usually go for direct telekinetic attacks anyway.

"So I suppose we shall begin?" He draws his dagger, which is also very much black, absorbing all light that strikes it to a point that looking at it looks more like staring into an empty void.

[ThirdEmperor]

Very well, I accept. The Not-Man says, and snaps his fingers. The table and chairs vanish, but their shadows do not, instead they transform, turning into a sword, a machinegun, a shield strappd to his back and a suit of armor. All are just shadows of course, and the Not-Man is certainly not holding a gun of any sort except in his shadow, but nevertheless he raises his hand as if holding one and fires, and shadow bullets shoot towards DCs shadow.

[Darkcomet]

DC just smirks, and a clicking sound comes from inside his jacket.

That is the sound of a cloaking device activating, meaning DC now doesn't have a shadow.

The psychic invisibly smirks, and charges, a transparent red force-blade extending from the dagger's short length, visible through the cloak. He's aiming to put the tip at the Not-Man's Not-Throat.

"I like to call myself an inventor of sorts as well." He sounds very smug.

[ThirdEmperor]

And I like to call the effect this place technological disruption. The Not-Man says smugly, as DC's devices almost certainly fail due to the technology negating effects of the Hedge.

(I'm quite suprised, I thought DC was going to try something completely different. Luckily for me, this doesn't work either.)

[Darkcomet]

The device...fails to fritz out.

"You have no idea how many times people have tried to make these things malfunction." Indeed, DC speaks the truth.

DC's devices are generally made with magic-resistant components whenever possible. This affords them a degree of protection from things like this.

It's because people kept trying to make them explode.

Why yes, getting such components would be very expensive! Luckily DC also owns Inside's power company, so he's not lacking for money.

[ThirdEmperor]

How unsportsmanlike. I give you four out of five stars. The Not-Man says, sinking into his own shadow as the walls of thorns come rushing inwards, trying to trap DC. And it's worth mentioning they destroy the very soul of whatever they cut, so he may not want to try anything.

[Maxios]

A mysterious man enters WATCHTOWER. He wears a red domino mask, black top hat, and a black kevlar suit with "The Mask" written on it.
"New member here!" he yells.

[Darkcomet]

The psychic's invisible smirk doesn't fade. "We agreed that I wouldn't use mental attacks. I haven't."

As the walls come rushing in, DC raises an invisible hand, a red forcefield box appearing around him to stop the walls, and the hand outright glowing with that same red, likely illuminating the room.

'course, with the cloaking device and all, it just looks like a glowing red spot in the air.

"Nor is that an attack, but didn't I specify that no killing was allowed?"

[ThirdEmperor]

It wouldn't have killed you, just taken away all your memories, and left you as a being somewhat akin to what I am. The Not-Man says, materializing inside the box and swinging a very real sword at where he onows DC is. Because he can see through cloaking devices, even if he can't attack shadows through them.

[Darkcomet]

"How predictable of you to up the stakes in such a manner." DC blocks the sword with that extend-o-bladed dagger.

It might be worth noting that that dagger is known for cutting mundane bladed weapons to slivers.

"Ah well. No matter."

Rather abruptly, another weapon appears, next to where DC is. This one is a more normal-length sword, still jet-black, but not quite at the same level as the dagger.

The other difference is that the thing is starting to superheat, to a point that might melt most normal swords, and surges forward in DC's telekinetic grip, trying to strike the Not-Man in the right shoulder.

[Maxios]

"I guess these guys don't have a good welcoming commite." The Mask says.

[FireFox]

Spyridon is still sitting on a couch with the other two men, but he's engrossed in his spellbook.

[VampireRot]

"I guess these guys don't have a good welcoming commite." The Mask says.

"Askepios does not seem to be here at the moment, no. Who are you, exactly?"

Sneaking up in the manner all drow do is Merrak. The scarred dark elf turns his cold and hard stare on the Mask, his hands resting easily on his sheathed mace and longsword.

[Maxios]

"It's a longstory. I was a crime fighter in this city known as Maxiorata, then I got sucked into a portal, and appeared in the Nexus. I was informed of your orginization, and would like to join."

[VampireRot]

"Uh-huh. Have a name?"

Merrak raises a pointy elf eyebrow. And pulls out a joining form out of wherever everyone else keeps them to hand over. Find it in the first post.

[Maxios]

Name: A supehero never tells. I'm called The Mask though.
Age: 29
Sex: Male
Species: Human
Profession/Class: Superhero
Power Level: 3
Power Source: Natural/Technological

Mask hands the form back.

[ThirdEmperor]

I regret this. Says the Not-Man, and thinks. All od DC's devices should fritz, because Not-Man has just removed the laws of physics that allow them to function, replacing them with pure magic and illogic. Private morphic demiplanes of insanity are like that.

[VampireRot]

Merrak glances at the form, his pointy elf eyebrow still raised, and puts it... wherever forms go.

"Okay then."

...

The drow shrugs.

"There aren't any major things happening now that I'm aware of, so you're free to go... do whatever."

[Maxios]

"Alright then. Which way to the TV?"

[VampireRot]

"The what now?"

Merrak's scarred stare shows no emotions. And the drow is not entirely familiar with TV, though he does know there about the shiny box some other members were staring at. He marked it down as Magic: stay away from.

[Darkcomet]

((no response to the sword's strike, TE?))

DC is visible. And quickly figures out what just happened to those things. "I do believe that you just broke the rules of this engagement."

The ones about power-limiting, specifically.

It's not DC's fault the Not-Man fell for his deceptions so easily.

[ThirdEmperor]

(Oh, thought the sword was technology. Also, normally wouldn't have done something so oveepowered, but I checked the book I was basing this guy off of and that's how the Hedge was supposed to work in the first place.)

Not at all. I used this technique against Wenomir, and it is certainly not powerfull enough to cause insanity in one who uses it, and is therefor "sane". You really fail to comprehend what this place is. Contracts woven here often take centuries to be completed, as clause upon clause is defined. You used a word which is based of perspective, and therefor lost. Says the Not-Man, as his blade is shattered and melted, and the sword strikes his shoulder.

[Maxios]

"The what now?"

Merrak's scarred stare shows no emotions. And the drow is not entirely familiar with TV, though he does know there about the shiny box some other members were staring at. He marked it down as Magic: stay away from.

Mask sighs. "Box with moving pictures on it."

[Darkcomet]

((It both is and isn't, by the definition you're using. I would rather appreciate it if you stopped pulling more and more overpowered stuff out whenever it looks like I have a chance here. Because I seriously doubt Mort doesn't want that shadow-thing with Wenomir to be permanent.))

The superheated sword seems to be cooling now, due to the source of its heat being fritzed, but it's still quite hot and sharp, not going back to normal temperature instantly.

"Screw you too."

DC attempts to stab the extremely sharp extended dagger into the Not-Man's left shoulder, the floating still-hot not-quite-as-sharp sword attempting to stab into the right shoulder it already struck, all compounded with the top of the forcefield box abruptly vanishing, the psionic energy behind it focusing into a psychokinetic blast aimed at the Not-Man's back, as if to make the other weapons' jobs easier...

[VampireRot]

Merrak wordlessly points into the "main room". Which is a room that manages to get into every single organizations base, and contains couches and a TV and other generic room stuff.

The drow will go off to plot. Or something. I dunno, his vague plans may not even be evil.

[Hyozo]

A motorcycle pulls up to the front doors of the watchtower. The rider, who is wearing armor which is probably decorative and has a sword which is most-likely fake, gets off and looks around, sniffling. "This isn't a hospital, is it?"

[Maxios]

Mask goes into the Main Room, and pulls out the Mask-Discs, and puts one into the DVD player, and watches TV.
The DVD inserted was The Batman show from the 60s, Season 1.

Edit: Here's a picture of Mask I just made in inkscape

[VampireRot]

Merrak was about to have a nice time not fighting and not interacting with others in his room. But no, someone else had to show up. The drow sighs and comes back down to answer the door for the sniffling man.

".... No. This is Watchtower. We fight threats to the universe."

The dark elf is wearing very real armor, if a bit light, and has very real weapons, a wicked mace and longsword, strapped on his belt.

[ThirdEmperor]

(Don't worry, I'll remove it no matter what. And yeah, I wouldn't do stuff like that normally, but that was how the plane was supposed to work anyway. Plus, this guy was supposed to be just part of a backstory! I never intended for anyone to meet him!)

The poor Not-Man is disarmed! And sadly, we're talking about his actual arms! You're disrespect for rules is appalling. Normally, I would never have used such a ploy, and I only used it on Wenomir to allow him to escape before he bled to death. However, both your cheating and how bad you are at it are intolerable. If you ever wish to leave, I suggest an apology is in order. He says, before disintegrating into more than nothing, fading away ito reality.