New Salem

[DreadPirateH]

After the chilling incursion of Knights of the Vampyre...

Hot on the heels of A Mid-Summer's Knight...

Weird Tales proudly presents a new ongoing series!

New Salem's




Featuring:

Mercury as The Beacon | Niall the Phoenix as The Bull | Blank as The Delinquent | Faelight as The Outsider

With special guest Tim Curry as Voltaire!

[DreadPirateH]

New Salem's MARVELOUS MISFITS
ISSUE #1
Picnic of Pestilence

On the issue's cover is a pleasant vista of a park - rolling green hills, shady trees, and...picnickers being attacked by giant ants?!

---

It's a beautiful summer day in New Salem! Warm sun, mild breeze, fluffy white clouds in the sky. It would be just about perfect if it weren't for the giant insects attacking the city.

Tell us where you are, what you're doing, and what sort of giant insects you're being attacked by.

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

"But yeah, we ended up having to turn him away," There's a wide panel showing Sam walking through one of the open parks accompanied by a teenaged girl of similar age. The panels cut in closer, Sam's attention firmly fixed on her friend (identified as Suzie by an unobtrusive text box), whilst Suzie's attention is caught by something happening further into the park, "I mean, he didn't even really seem to understand the kind've music we're trying to go for..? He kept comparing us to-"

"Beetles!" Suzie interjects, much to Sam's confusion.

"What? No, that's nothing like what our-"

"Sam, stop being dense and look!"

With the urgency of Suzie's tone getting through to her, Sam follows her gesture out to the park at large, a splash panel showing the pair small on the path as a pair of rhino-sized Ground Beetles lumbered after a fleeing family. The panels cut in to Sam's expression, a mix of fear and excitement playing on her face as thoughts of band try-outs melted away. Turning to Suzie, she speaks rapidly as she lays a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Hey, I'm gonna try and get my team here so we can put a stop to this. Just stay safe for now, ok?"

"Wh-..." Sam wasn't quite sure what to make of Suzie's changing expressions, relief..? Acceptance..? Maybe resignation..? "S-sure. Don't get eaten."

Whatever it was, though, Suzie was leaving it in her hands. Turning and heading toward the enormous insects, Sam's clothes distorted and reformed as she shifted into her costume. Pulling out her phone, she started the group call to her team, being sure to get the beetles in frame, "Guys..? It's Mercury. We've got something big going down at All Saints park, I'm gonna try and stop the bugs before anyone gets hurt. Any chance of an assist?"

[Razade]

Niall the Phoenix
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Niall had, operative word there, been working at the cafe as was his usual afternoon time sink. Waiting tables, chatting with customers, bickering playfully with Jessica and the Boss, the usual. That is until the attack of giant ants came on the small TV tucked in the cafe itself. While the Boss didn't know about his super life, he was still afforded a "get out of work" clause just in general and with a quick excuse for lunch and finishing up his last few tables he was off. His above cafe apartment window afforded him clear enough access to the sky and with a quick burst of vibrant green flames he was off. Mercury's communique gave him all the location he needed as he wheeled about in the sky for better vantage.

Darting and gliding through the air it wasn't long before he'd made it to the park. With that he screamed out of the air, transforming back to a mostly human form save one very large talon tipped bird leg as he dove onto the Ground Beetle with an explosive kick. Flames spilled out across the park forming natural barriers to the other beetles as he gave a somersault in midair before landing next to Mercury. "I brought you a latte." he offers, holding out one of the cafe's famed drinks.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Got a 10 on a Directly Engage with the bugs. Going to choose
- Resist/Avoid their Blows because it's literally the first roll of the game
- Take something from them (This being an escape if that's cool)

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

Another establishing panel shows Tesni sitting happily on a blanket spread across the grass, a basket beside them full of food. Just like other picnickers that can be seen in the near distance, albeit they are the only one who appears to be picnicking solo.

Well – perhaps not just like the others, for the blanket appears to be a fitted bedsheet that refuses to lie flat, and the plastic laundry basket contains several items of canned goods. But the concept is solid, at least. Definite picnic vibe.

Visibly hazy lines cross the next panel, and Tesni’s face wrinkles in distress.

”Oh, that’s not a pleasant smell!” the cry, clearly distraught, and behind them one can see some of the picnickers starting to react with alarm. ”Is that...rotting coconuts?” the faerie wonders aloud incredulously.

Standing to their full, nearly five foot height, they look around to try and spot where the stink is coming from. As it happens, the source is easy to spot as a flood of black-brown odorous ants the size of Rottweilers come scurrying over the hill.

”Whoah! Giant ants, neat,” Tesni exclaims. Sure, as difficult as they are picnics are fun, but the chance to be a Super Hero is always something to be embraced! With the exertion of a touch of glamour they suddenly seem more Heroic, and solar fire traces graceful wings in the air behind them as they loft themself into the air.

”Oh, I’ve heard about mortal children doing this, I wonder if it would work,” Faelight wonders, looking down at the ants bowling over baskets and sending people running. With the sun streaming down overhead, they focus on bending it over a large area to concentrate on a small area.

For dozens of feet around them the grass and trees are suddenly cast in shadow, the light intended to illuminate them stolen away for another task. And a brilliant dot about six inches across immediately starts the grass smouldering as the fae begins to direct the focus of their oversized magical magnifying glass to intersect the charging ants.

Spoiler: CRUNCH

Show

Directly Engage: 8
Avoid their blows

[EmperorSpoon]

Blank
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

A sharp RATTLE divides the page, the next panel revealing a can of spray paint tactfully putting the finishing touches on a piece of art. "Perfect!" Solomon remarks to himself, taking a step back and revealing a large piece of intricate graffiti that says 'Vampires Suck'.

Not one to waste so much effort without acknowledgement, he takes out his phone to take a picture. Just before he gets the snap, however, Mercury's message comes in "We've got something big going down at All Saints park, I'm gonna try and stop the bugs-".

Solomon pauses for a moment, commenting "Must be a lot of bugs...", before pulling his hood up, his outfit digitizing over his clothes. "Gross" he whispers before taking off in the direction of the nearby park.

[DreadPirateH]

As Blank rounds a corner near the park, you hear the screams of two teenage girls trapped inside a yellow VW Beetle. On top of the car is a huge plant bug, its chitinous brown-and yellow rapidly beating as it mounts the roof of the car. There are loud pounding thuds as the bug dents the roof of the car, apparently trying to pierce through with an appendage. Nearby, green flames erupt from the sky in the direction of the park.

Faelight succeeds in diverting the ants, which lumber around in confusion as they find themselves being chased by the painful white dot. In your glee, you paint the green grass black as you move the concentrated sunlight around in an erratic path. A panel showing a bird's eye view of the grass reveals Tesni written out in erratic cursive in the grass. But as the white dot chases the ants around a tree, the black gives way to a burst of yellows, oranges, and reds. The tree is on fire!

With a gleaming talon, Niall rends a gash in the carapace of one of the beetles. Ichorous green hemolymph spurts from the wound, gushing and fountaining into the air. The other beetle immediately turns on its wounded partner and attacks it, buying you enough time for a coffee break.

With barriers of natty green flame blocking off paths of egress, the oversize bugs are confined to the park. Or at least, these ones are. Hollers of panic, honking car horns in the distance, and the occasional winged silhouette against the sky are enough to dash any hopes that this is a localized problem. Which is not to say that there aren't local problems as well. Niall catches sight of a plume of smoke rising from the other side of a hill, while Mercury sees a gaggle of people across the park hemmed in by fire. They seem to have attracted the attention of the visiting megafauna!

What do you do?

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

Alert sent out, Mercury started trying to psych herself up to take on the beetles. Getting through the beetle's shells when they were this big was probably a no go, but the joints..? That might be her ticket to victory. All she had to do was... Charge the giant... Angry looking... Beetles. That were getting closer. That was all.

Her fists clench and she starts to take her first steps toward the nearest beetle. Before she gets as far as trying to rodeo one of the gigantic insects, though, Phoenix swoops in like a guardian angel. A guardian angel that takes down one bug, turns the others attention away from the people around them, and even brings her a coffee.

Accepting the drink off of Phoenix with a grin, she gives him a quick salute with the coffee before taking a sip. "Mm... Niall, have I told you you're the best?"

The unfolding chaos around her distracts Mercury from further chit-chat. "Y'know, we should catch up after this, not during." She gives Phoenix a quick questioning look, hurriedly yelling as she starts running toward the imperiled park goers, "Think you can keep the bugs off me while I get people out?"

Drawing closer, she yells to try and catch their attention, waving her arm above her head as she does, "Hey! Over here, we're here to save you!"

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Per the discord, rolled a 9 to Assess the Situation, Mercury will be asking "What here can I use to get these people away from the fire safely?"

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

Faelight had really been having a great deal of fun. The act of magic to concentrate the sunlight was just challenging enough to be interesting, and watching the ants scurry out of the way of their impromptu name-writing session had been highly entertaining.

And then the stupid inflammable tree had ruined everything.

”Whoopsie-doodle!” they exclaim, releasing their grasp on the sunlight and letting the normal levels of illumination resume. The tree was really starting to burn, now, and the ants seem more interested in the picnickers’ food than the picnickers themselves. Gaining a little more altitude, they look around for something to put the resultant fire out with. Solar magics are fun and powerful, but they’re moderately rubbish at putting out fires.

Spoiler: CRUNCH

Show

Assess the Situation: 11
What here can I used to put out the tree fire?
How could we best end this quickly?

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

'The Solstice Sorceress'

Drawing closer to the trapped civilians, Sam recognises the flames keeping them from a safe getaway. The emerald hue unmistakably mark them as flames created by Niall. So she had her escape route set for the people in trouble, now she just had to convince them to walk through fires they were scared of...

As she draws closer, an idea comes to mind. Right now, speed was key, and she was still a fairly unknown hero. They needed a voice they could trust, and who better than The Solstice Sorceress? This kind've situation was something right up her alley, it seemed likely that she'd be able to get them through Niall's flames with none of the difficulty if she tried to persuade them as herself.

Plan set, Mercury's form ripples and shifts for the second time in as many minutes as she takes on the countenance of The Solstice Sorceress. Continuing on to the trapped civilians, she calls out for a second time, "The green fire will not harm you!" To demonstrate, and hopefully allay any lingering concerns, she makes her way through Niall's fire, beckoning to the trapped parkgoers to follow her back through to safety.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Per the discord, rolled a 9 (including the +1 from the prior Assess) and will be Unleashing to mimic The Solstice Sorceress, and marking a Condition (Insecure if I can choose, will provisionally mark it unless I hear otherwise) to keep it from being an Unstable/Temporary Unleash

[Razade]

Niall the Phoenix
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

"I dunno...." Niall trails off even as he jets into the air, giving a few cartwheels as he's covered in bright green flame as he transforms into his full phoenix form. "Think they'll be afraid of a big bird? How awesome am I?" he laughs, giving a few powerful cries as he continues to pull tricks in the air, swooping down to menace the giant beetles before rising to the sky to cast a large shadow with the sun as he hopes to corral the bugs somewhere the people aren't.

[EmperorSpoon]

Blank
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Blank grinds to an abrupt halt as he rounds the corner, and quickly ducks back behind the corner to take cover. Assessing the situation in front of him, after a moment he casts his hands, magic circles revolving in front of them, to the sky.

Incanting a spell, Blank attempts to manifest a giant illusory centipede, but falters, unable to clearly picture one in his head. The finished product ends up looking akin to the gordian knot, made of centipedes.

Stifling a gag at his hideous creation Blank murmurs "Maybe something simpler..." in a voice which, were anyone here to witness it, could be perceived to be shaking.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

On Discord I rolled a 5 for Are you watching closely? hoping to avoid further entanglement. Accordingly I have marked insecure upon the failure, which seems appropriate as my boy can't even imagine a centipede. I'm not totally sure if I should mark that condition on this post or on the next one, so I'll track it on my character sheet until the next one I guess :p

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

A-hah! A stream and a pond! Just the thing for putting out a fire! All Faelight has to do is....

Is....

Huh.

If the Llwynog Eira had been moored nearby they might be able to use it to scoop up some water to dump upon the burning tree, but as it stands a handful of water at a time isn’t going to be very productive, and solar magics are surprisingly unhelpful at moving liquids around.

Oh well! It’s one tree, how bad could things get?

Gaining more altitude on flame-wrought wings, they looked for signs of a pattern in this bizarre insect behaviour; perhaps a starting point, or maybe even an old acquaintance like the Hive Queen causing mischief! Once the big bugs weren’t running amuck, it should be simple enough to get things like a couple fires put out, right?

[DreadPirateH]

As Blank casts their spell, a creature seemingly pulled from the nightmares of HR Giger fills the sky, a looming black tangle of writhing legs and mandibles. The poor girls, already shrieking, abandon their Volkswagon entirely and flee down the street for dear life. Unfortunately for Blank, the illusion seems to have the opposite effect as intended on the overgrown wildlife as a troop of ants the size of Dobermans appear to investigate!

Niall's aeiral acrobatics leave a beautiful jetstream of emerald green flames in his wake. His bird-like shadow terrorizes the bugs in the park below, sending them scrambling around in a panic - except for one. An overgrown bombardier beetle stands sentinel near the tunnel, unleashing a fiery blast of acid and gas at you! Roll to take a Powerful Blow.

Meanwhile, the soaring green phoenix takes some heat off of Mercury who rushes heroically to the aid of the terrified picnicers. Looking for all the world like the (mostly) beloved heroine the Solstice Sorceress, she leads the crowd through the green flames with aplomb. The relieved crowd mobs around her with praise and applause and cries of "Thank you!" and "Our hero!" and "Will you sign my body?" when the roaring sound of motorcycles overwhelms the cheers as the Midnight Riders appear on the scene.

The motorcycle minutemen, decked out in leather vests and tricorn hats, pull up on the street in front of the park. Their leader, none other than Captain Constitution, dismounts from his steel horse brandishing what appears to be a semi-automatic flintlock. "Never fear, the Midnight Riders are here! You're all safe now!" Setting his eyes on Mercury still in the guise of the Solstice Sorceress, he points accusatorily. "Aha, a witch! I told you all there would be magic at the heart of this. What is the meaning of this deviltry?"

Mercury, Captain Constitution is trying to shift your labels. Shift Danger up and Savior down or roll to reject.

As Faelight takes to the air, you can see the whole of the park scene laid out for them, Niall doing his Phoenix routine like a colorblind member of the Blue Angels with arthropods scurrying about on the grassy knolls. Curiously, the smoke from the tree seems to be affecting them - as wind blows smoke at them, the giant insects seem to shake off whatever is causing this frenzy and flee back for their tunnels. But before you have a chance to investigate this, the glint of light reflecting off of polished chrome catches your eye. Is that the Captain Constitution and the Midnight Riders?!

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions: Insecure, Guilty
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +0
• Freak: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

'The Solstice Sorceress'

Mercury finds a swell of pride growing in her chest as she successfully shepherds the park-goers to safety. The press of people around her after she's gotten them all out, and the praise being heaped on her brings a grin to her face. "You're more than welcome! I'm happy to help!" And then a faint blush, "I... Don't have a pen on me!"

The boost to her self-esteem was tinged with a modicum of guilt, though. These people were praising Solstice Sorceress, not her. Was she just stealing the kudos owed to someone else? Even if it was her actions that got them to safety..?

She's kept from sinking too far down the road to self-reflection by the sudden arrival of the Midnight Riders. Switching her attention to them, Mercury felt her guilty conscience blossom under the accusations of Captain Constitution. "Hey hey hey..." She frowns, discomfort building at the thought of getting another hero in trouble, "I, uh, I just got here, same as you. I'm just trying to get these people to safety."

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Rolled a 5 to reject influence. Marking Guilty as Sam realises they're starting down a hold here, but they're hopefully gonna dig their way out of it

Adjusting labels accordingly and marking potential as well

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

Glee!

Faelight starts spiralling towards the gathering of mortals and heroes, and to their delight the see that the Solstice Sorceress is also on the scene! This truly is their lucky day! In their excitement at meeting new heroes, their Glamour is turned up to elevensies as they come to hover above the crowd.

”By Danu, look at all the heroes!” they gush, naturally drawing all eyes with the force of mystical charisma. ”The ants don’t seem to like the stinky smoke, probably messes up how they talk to each other,” they theorise, before promptly addressing more important matters.

”Captain Constituton! That is an adorable hat you’re wearing!” they exclaim, clapping their hands together delightedly. ”You’re here to help, of course; how can we pitch in?” Such a big, burly crowd of mortal heroes. So wonderful.

Spoiler: CRUNCH

Show

Pierce the Mask (Captain Constitution): 8
How could I gain Influence over you?

[Razade]

Niall the Phoenix
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

With a flap of wings Niall shot back up into the air, out of range of the gas and acid though giving ground to the overgrown bug. Another track would need to be taken with this thing, too dangerous to get close for long. With all the people gone he could at least let loose on this last lingering beetle. With quick arcs he spiraled around the park, kicking trees down in the path and hopefully onto the bug, trying to corral it or at least drive it off.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled a 9 on the Powerful Blow and a 9 on Engage. Giving the thing an opportunity and avoiding/resisting their blows. Going to use In a China Shop to get another choice and going to choose Frighten/Surprise/Etc.

[EmperorSpoon]

Blank
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 1/5

Blank turns to the sound of screams from the Volkswagen, seeing the citizens flee from his creation he feels a shiver of embarrassment. Despite being unsure to what extent bugs are affected by illusions, he decides to double down.

Blank steels himself, and positions himself directly into the path of the ants. Incanting another spell, the ball of centipedes floating above him erupts into flame, before swirling in the air and leaving a trail of fire behind it, cutting the approaching ants off.

Realizing that he may not be suited to these enemies, Blank considers sending the fireball skyward to alert other for a moment, before deciding not to endanger his currect illusion. Instead he faces the plant bugs, and prepares to confront the with his illusory fire.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled a 7 for Are you watching closely? hoping to confuse them for some time, and avoid further entanglement directed toward the ants.

[DreadPirateH]

As Blank's illusory ball of now-flaming centipede horror passes in front of the ants, leaving a wall of bright pseudofire in its wake, the ants are seemingly dazzled. They halt in their tracks just long enough for the leaf bug to finish its traumatic insemination of the yellow Volkswagen (now filled with an unspeakable goo). As Blank turns to face the post-coital insect, the ants gather themselves and burst through the flames. However, neither ant nor leaf bug has any interest in Blank, seeming instead to size each other up. We get a few panels of bug-on-bug combat as two of the ants flank the Beetle while the center ant leaps at the plant bug, mandibles clacking menacingly. Blank, the bugs have lost interest in you. What do you do?

Niall's battle with the bombardier beetle leaves the park in ruins. Big, beautiful trees uprooted and laying on their sides, holes in the turf like gaping brown wounds. Neither Niall or the beetle manages to get the upper hand, trading only glancing blows and near-misses. The ants affected by the smoke make it back to the tunnel and the other insects terrorized by Niall's bird-shadow follow their lead. Once the last of them has made it safely underground, the beetle settles for a draw and backs into the tunnel as Niall knocks over one last tree to seal it off.

Back outside the park, Mercury and Faelight engage Captain Constitution and his Midnight Riders. Faelight glitters and glows under the sun's light, their glamour rendering them little more than a talking ball of light to the gathered bikers. A charming ball of light, to be sure.

"Erm...um...thank you," the Captain fumbles, tipping his hat. Is he...blushing? He is! "Yes, of course, here to help. Never fear, the Midnight Riders are here!"

"Boss, you said that bit already," comes a speech bubble from out of the crowd of minutemen.

"Quiet you!" he barks back at the upstart. "You seem like a... magical sort," he says, turning back to Faelight. Quite a sharp one, this Captain Constitution. Even under the effects of the glamour, he can't hide his derision for all things magical. "Perhaps you can explain the origin of these audacious arachnids."

"Boss, those are arthropods. Arachnids have-"

"QUIET YOU! Founding Fathers, is that tree on fire?? Somebody call the fire department! Those people need to be checked for wounds. And the rest of you, get in there and clean up these arthropods."

The minutemen scatter, following Captain Constitution's orders like a well-regulated militia. The situation seems to be coming under control, but the Captain has some questions for you. What do you do?

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions: Insecure, Guilty
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +0
• Freak: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

The arrival of Faelight lets Mercury put her deception, and the difficulties she may be causing with them, out of mind. Tesni's presence was, to put it mildly, distracting to her. Enough so that her attention is taken entirely off of the Midnight Riders. Fortunately for her, she wasn't the only one enraptured by the Fae's glamour. She manages to snap back to her senses partway through Captain Constitution's instructions, catching sight of a wasp ferrying a feline snack to a nearby pylon.

"... Right..."

A quick glance back at the gathered riders seemed to indicate they were more interested in Faelight right now than herself. A good time to slip away. Turning away from the group, she made her way to a rise in the park, shifting back to her own shape once confident that she was no longer being directly observed. Looking over the much less tranquil looking park, she tried to get a sense of what was happening. The burning tree was definitely a concern, but there was nobody directly at risk from it right now. Whipping her head around, Sam shifted her attention to the sounds of chaos out in the city itself. Taking out her phone, she called the group line in the hopes that someone on her team was listening, "Hey, has anyone got eyes on what's happening outside the park? It sounds bad. I could use an assist getting out to it if anyone's free..?"

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Rolled an 8 for an assess on the Discord, asking what here is the greatest threat, hoping to get info from Blank/a lift from Phoenix as well, though if both are pre-occupied Mercury can make their own way out if needed.

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions: Guilty
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

Faelight giggles, pleased to be addressed by the Captain.

”Of course I’m a magical sort!” they exclaim happily. ”Just like the Hive Queen, these might be her bugs. And like—” They break off, looking around before pouting.

”Awww! I wanted to meet the Solstice Sorceress too, she was just here!” they lament. Dumb old Captain Constitution distracting them before they could talk to her too. ”They don’t seem to like the stinky smoke, though. I could always go and take a look around, see if I can find the Hive Queen and ask her to help clean all this up?” they suggest, fingering a pointed little chin thoughtfully.

[Razade]

Niall the Phoenix
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Answering, let alone replying, to a phonecall wasn't an easy task as a giant flaming bird but Niall got the jist of the message and that was what mattered. With a heavy flap of wings he took higher to the sky to survey a wider area as requested.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Got an 8 on an Assess. Going to ask "How can we end this quickly"

[EmperorSpoon]

Blank
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 1/5

Captitalizing on the distracted bugs, Blank takes his spray paint cans and tactfully makes his way to the busier streets leading to the junction, leaving a styalized warning to steer clear.

After that, he surveys the hight of the buildings and compares it to the reach of his illusions, he musters his magical energy into a green ball of light in his hands, which he shoots upwards like a flare, hoping to catch someones attention. Unfortunately, the illusion fizzles out before reaching the intended height, barely cresting the buildings.

Disheartened, Solomon colapses into a self-pitying pile on the curb. "Damn it! This sucks!" he grumbles to himself.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Rolled a 6 to Unleash your powers hoping to reshape the environment.

[DreadPirateH]

Outside the park, Captain Constitution waves his flintlock about in irritation as he interrogates Faelight.

"The Hive Queen? So this is all her doing! Wait, she is a her, right? She/her/hers? Those are the right articles, it's not like a hippie 'queen' thing? I don't understand fairies."

"Sir, I think you mean pronouns?"

Captain Constitution whips his head around. "Tremain, I've had just about enough of your sass! So help me, when I'm finished with you, even Lady Liberty won't want your sorry behind. When we get get back to base..." He carries on like that for awhile, the text in the word bubbles becoming indistinct as the panels move to focus on a streak of emerald fire crossing the sky.

* * *

As Niall turns his attention to the rest of the city, flying higher and further afield than before, we get a birds-eye shot of the full scope of the chaos that has unfolded. Chaos which is surprisingly...orderly.

What first appeared to be random attacks by insects gives way to an extremely discernible pattern: different mixes of insect varieties seem to be dispersed in concentric rings or bands and they seem to wander to-and-fro within the band's range. The team appears to be located closer to the outer edge of the plague's boundary. Blank, swearing to himself on the curb, seems to be closest to the next band. The center of the rings, however, shows a conspicuous lack of insect activity - a warehouse near the piers, the calm center of the storm.

* * *

Blank, you catch sight of Niall doing his fly-by. The details are difficult to make out at this range, but the emerald-green fire is unmistakable.

* * *

What do you do?

[Razade]

Niall the Phoenix
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

Niall gives a few turns in the sky as he takes it all in before spotting blank on their own and another before spotting the apparent epicenter of this whole debacle. With a loud cry he swoops down out of the air before plucking Blank off the street and then with a flap of his wings he's off once more, taking Blank into the wild blue above. Green flames erupt from his wings as he jets out to the warehouse taking only a pause to let Blank off on the ground before wheeling into the air and crashing through the ceiling in cinematic display.

[Captain Jak]

FAELIGHT
Conditions: Guilty
Potential: 0/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Freak: +2
• Danger: -1
• Saviour: +0
• Superior: +2
• Mundane: +0

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Faerie tech: When you alter a human device with your faerie magic, roll + Freak. On a hit, you create a device that can do something impossible once and then fizzle. When you roll a 10+, choose one:
  - it works exceptionally well
  - you get an additional use out of it
  On a miss, the device works, but it has a completely unintended side effect that the GM will reveal when you use it.
  
• Kirby-craft: You have a vehicle, something from your home. Detail its look, and choose two strengths and two weaknesses. When you are flying your ship, you can use it to unleash your powers, directly engage a threat, or defend someone using Superior.
  
  The Llwynog Eira is a fleet and graceful skyship, powered by magic and capable of repairing itself when damaged. Essentially a pleasure craft it is, of course, unarmed, but still far from helpless. Relatively small, it is only capable of carrying perhaps a dozen passengers with any real safety, and half of that to be comfortable.
  
  Strengths: Fast & maneuverable, regenerating
  Weaknesses: Susceptible to iron, unarmed
  
• The best of them: When you comfort or support someone by telling them how they exemplify the best parts of Earth, roll + Freak instead of + Mundane.

Faelight giggles with unfeigned enthusiasm as Captain Constitution proves to be highly entertaining. What a silly man!

A familiar flare of green flames across the sky catches their attention, however, heading away from the park.

”Whoop, this is me!” they exclaim cheerfully, and with a shower of sparks take off into the air on wings crafted of lacy solar flames. They don’t know where the Phoenix is going, but they’re willing to be all the best playtime will come of it!

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions: Insecure, Guilty
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +0
• Freak: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

It might've been too much to hope for a reply in the midst of combat. Sam already knew Faelight was busy with Captain Constitution, and that Niall had been dealing with giant bugs last she'd left him. She hadn't seen Blank, but that didn't mean he wasn't busy with his own battles. Fortunately, Niall was as subtle as a race car at rush hour. She looks up at the sound of his cry, spotting him near instantly with his distinctive green flames. Grinning, she runs after him, headed toward the centre. He'd get there first for sure, but that was fine. She was sure she'd be able to help out by the time she got there. Probably. It depended how far she'd have to run.

[EmperorSpoon]

Blank
Conditions: Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Still wallowing in self-pity, Blank hardly finds the time to yelp before being snatched into the sky. "Put me down! Niall what the hell!? I'm gonna fall!" Blank protests, until the breathtakingly clear view of the city unravelled in front overwhelms them. Unfortunately the moment of wonder ends as abruptly as it began, as he is unceremoniously dumped on the side, left to watch Phoenix show off with a spectacular entrance into the warehouse.
"We get it. You're cool." Blank grumbles to himself, before steeling himself, and chasing after his entrancing, iridescent companion.

[DreadPirateH]

Up in the sky above New Salem, various winged insects patrol in lazy circles within their band. Niall makes a beeline for the warehouse, leaving a trail of emerald fire in his wake, punching through the air so quickly that the bugs don't even notice him. Blank dangles from one talon, hollering and clinging on for dear life until beind dumped on the ground unceremoniously to play audience for the Phoenix's theatrics.

Following Niall's lead, Faelight meanders toward the warehouse on their own fiery wings, heat-shimmer obscuring them as they go. They get a close-up view at a number of the patrols, who seem not to notice the faerie or possibly regard them as one of their own. There are panels of big hairy bumblebees, bulbous ladybugs, and vicious-looking dragonflies.

* * *

The green fire and heat shimmer provide more than enough of a trail for Mercury as she makes her way through the city, but almost a mile of pavement stands between her and her destination. Pavement crawling with giant bugs, terrified people, and...opportunistic looters. Just as she hits downtown, a big CRASH! spreads across the panel from across the street. A man armed with a baseball bat breaks open display windows on shopfronts while his partner hastily snatches goods and tosses them in the open trunk of a car.

Mercury, what do you do?

* * *

Inside the warehouse

Inside the warehouse, crates and shelves have been pushed to the far side to clear space for a large console outfitted with buttons and switches and levers. A big metal cylinder the runs up to the roof with glowing rings stacked the whole way up. The console itself seems to be kludged together from different pieces - some are heavy industrial parts, some are cutting-edge high tech with gleaming chrome, and some pieces look like they were recycled from a 50's-era supervillain's lair or a cheesy Frankenstein movie. A sharp-looking man with a long ponytail and a close-cropped beard presides over a group of armed men and a nebbish technician who fiddles with the controls at the console.

"Hey boss," says one of the men, bored and leaning against a support beam. "How much longer are we gonna keep this up?"

The sharp man sneers at the question. "How long? As long as it takes for the cowardly, superstitious people of New Salem to learn to fear and hate the magicians and fairies that plague this city!"

The man sullenly crosses his arms. "Whatever. You're the one paying for overti-"

At that moment, the ceiling crashes in in a burst of emerald flame with a winged silhouette framed against the sky, and the door is thrown open with another silhouette framed against the light. Blank, what shape is your silhouette?

Niall, Blank, Faelight - what do you do?

[Comissar]

Mercury
Conditions: Insecure, Guilty
Potential: 1/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

• Danger: +0
• Freak: +0
• Savior: +1
• Superior: +0
• Mundane: +2

Spoiler: Moves

Show

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.

Spoiler: Drives

Show

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

Spoiler: Current Appearance

Show

Mercury finds that chasing after her flying teammates on foot is, arguably, not the best way to follow them. While not out of breath per se, she was certainly finding herself red faced after several minutes of running full pelt. An impromptu smash and grab takes her attention away from the potential source of the giant insect source, though. Skidding to a stop, and doing her best to look as though she wasn't working to catch her breath, she turned toward the would-be thieves, "Hey! H-Hey!"

Marching toward them in what she hoped would be an imposing manner, she called out again, "What do you think you're doing?! Put those back!"