[IC] Garuda, The Ringed City: The Delvers

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

"If need be, we'll try the same trick that worked with the Girl," Aaron offers. "I, ah, tried a new variant on my magicks, increased the probabilities that if we just wandered around we'd bump into her by chance," he explains.

Frankly, he’s amazed that it even worked, and wonders what unaccounted for variables just happened to be properly in place for it to have happened. He certainly can’t count on it going as well a next time...but they might have to rely on it anyhow.

[Kubular]

Spoiler: Gravitic

Show

Labels:

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

Conditions:

Afraid:◻
Angry: ◻
Guilty:◻
Insecure: ▣
Hopeless:◻

Hold 0

Potential: ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣ ◻

As the other members of the team debrief in the common room, Deirdre continues to wolf down the curry. She seems excited when the two boys start talking about the possibility of a weapon within the vault, and a conspiracy to exploit it. ”I didn’t really get anything out of Lash.” She gives a glance to Miranda, but doesn’t say anything. ”Glad somebody got something useful.”

”I hope that means that we won’t be knocking civilians off of bridges anymore, Aaron.” she says in response to Aaron’s offering.

”We need to decide on a plan going forward.” she continues to say between bites of hot food. ”Can we keep in contact with the girl somehow? She have a name?.”

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

Show

Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 2/5

Conditions: None

Anwar shakes his head.

"She wasn't giving up much of anything. And she expects not to hear from us again... she said her next stop was going to be the airport and a plane to someplace very far from here."

[Finite State]

Spoiler: Backfire

Show

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

Conditions:
Afraid:O
Angry:O
Guilty:O
Insecure:X
Hopeless:O

Potential: X O O O O

Miranda sits, listening to the others talk.
"The girl leaving is annoying. How sure are you that it's a weapon? Or is that just what they think?"

She flips out her notebook and starts writing down notes.
"Well, I got us all coms from Anima. Other than that not much on my end of this investigation."

Miranda taps her pencil on the notepad then circles "Deeptide".

"Out of our depths or not, I think Deeptide is our next step. Maybe we can be a bit more sneaky... Just ask around and not get into a fight. Do you have a spell that can reduce our chance of being spotted?" She looks towards Outlier. Then seems to just realise there's food out and grabs some to eat.

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Deirdre’s offhandedly callous words, especially since they don’t really have anything to with what he’d said, sends a flare of anger through Aaron...for a moment. It’s difficult to sustain a good mad when guilt uncoils from your stomach to quench it within its chill embrace.

"Um, no. Hopefully not," he mutters. But really? He hadn’t meant to do so in the first place. Sometimes probabilities go wonky thanks to his abusing of them, and that had been one of those times. So he can’t be sure something like that won’t happen again. Which is so very disheartening for someone who’s fighting an uphill battle against negative opinions.

"If not a weapon, some other form of power," he responds to Miranda. "That’s what weapons are, anyhow, the power to affect things. A weapon, a force, influence; whatever it is, it’s got to be worth the effort that’s being put into getting their hands on it." People do a lot for power; and most of the players involved so far would not do anything good with it, no matter what form it takes.

He thinks about Miranda’s question for a moment.

"Unfortunately...no," he admits, faintly ashamed. "With what I’ve learned so far, it’s all about getting from point A to point B efficiently, not subtly. And it’s something that only affects me, not others, unless I’m actually carrying them." Something he doesn’t need to point out isn’t about to happen with the entire team.

"What I did to find the Girl was a stretch, and I’m surprised it worked, really," he admits. "Anwar could come with because he was just following me where I went. I...suppose I could try to find a route somewhere that would let me get somewhere without being noticed, and you guys could follow me," he theorized aloud, running through what he would have to do to make that happen.

"Although, me not being noticed doesn’t mean the same thing as someone following me not being noticed," he realises. "And I’d have to know where I was going," he adds, defeated. "No way I could do both things at once."

Some help he is; why, exactly, does he think he can bring something of merit to a group with, y’know, actual capacity to make things happen?

[Razade]

Pool: 1


With a direction set, our heroes go their separate ways after a nice hearty meal. The night however is not finished with them, both with a sad message from Chameleon. It would seem he's taken to making sure those harmed in the initial attack by Lash are given the best care, tapping the few kind elements in his Uncle's former organization to take them abroad for care. This of course comes with a tendering of his resignation from the team.

The hits keep coming however, as night falls on Noxport. This is easily known even in a place with little light as the Lanterns that provide dim illumination in the shadows burn into powerful life as soon as the sun sets. Another report rings across the Noxport network as another attack on the Vault ripples through the city. What's worse is a familiar face at the front of the assault. Boom, with the rest of his gang sans Lash. Bash, Slash and Blast also seem to have captured The Girl as she is reported in their ranks.

What's worse. The Vault has been opened.

You're all Noxport has.

Mission Critical

-Stop Bash and his crew from taking whatever is inside the Vault
-Save The Girl
-Do not damage The Vault

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Aaron sat bolt upright, nearly falling off his bed as the alert came through.

"Sonuva—" Scrambling to his feet, he swiped the new communicator off the side table and stuffed it into his ear before grabbing his boots and starting to shove his feet into them.

"Outlier here; you guys on? Did you get that report? We need to get to the Vault; like, now." Booted up, he grabs his coat from where it was draped over a chair and shrugs into it as he heads for the door. He’ll have to finish putting himself together en route; it’s already going to be touch and go to get there in a decent amount of time, even with his probability magics.

What the hell had happened?

[Kubular]

Spoiler: Gravitic

Show

Labels:

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

Conditions:

Afraid:◻
Angry: ◻
Guilty: ▣
Insecure: ▣
Hopeless:◻

Hold 2

Potential: ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣ ◻

Spoiler: Moves

Show

▣ Aces High: When you enter a dangerous situation with no plan or trick up your sleeve roll + Danger. On a miss you’re truly woefully unprepared. Expect the worst. On a hit, the tools of success are near to hand. Some assembly may be required, the GM will fill in the details. On a 10+, take +1 forward to see yourself through.

▣ There Will Be Blood: When you scathingly Reject the Influence of a Hero, you may choose to inflict a Condition as if they’d been hit hard even on a miss.

A chill runs down Deirdre’s spine. She was planning on going patrolling, but had been dragging her feet for the past thirty minutes, making sure she was ready to go. Double checking her gear, washing out the stains from her day clothes and hanging them out to dry. Luckily she was already mostly in costume. She grabs her helmet and rushes out the door. She should have been out there already. Damnit. My fault.

Gravitic swears and calls back to Outlier, ”Outlier come with me! Ember! Grab Backfire and get to the Vault!”

She grabs Outlier by the wrist as he gets his second boot on and rushes out the door with him.

”No time to argue, keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times.” She orders, pinning his arms in a bear hug. There is a pause as Gravitic’s power spills over Outlier. Then they drop off the side of the hideout sideways, then change direction with a sonic boom headed towards the scene of the incident.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Marking Guilty to regain influence over Luck
Superior shifts down by default, shifting Savior up

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Travel via his own abilities is, despite their nature, relatively mundane. One moment he’s here, the next moment he’s there, and generally more tired than he was before.

Travel via Gravitic’s abilities? Outlier immediately concludes while he’s not expending any energy personally...the process is terrifying. His jaw clenches on a shriek as his brain tells him he’s falling, and falling fast, and he fights not to struggle against the arms wrapped about him.

Yay, team? They can’t arrive soon enough to suit him, and he closes his eyes and prays.

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

Show

Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 2/5

Conditions: None

Anwar paces around the empty room, silently measuring it against his possessions and the other dimensions of his life. This would be his quarters if he decides to move into the base... or into the basic. Plain stone walls, lit from the outside by only a single small skylight... but his current apartment is certainly no palace. The Council is still paying his rent. Very modest rent for very modest lodgings, a not so subtle reminder of their current disapproval of him. He's just lucky that nobody leases doghouses... Staying here would deny them that satisfac--his new communicator buzzes in his pocket. He fishes it out, and he swears as he reads the text on its small screen. Again?! You have got to be f$@& kidding me...

He pauses a moment to shift into costume, letting his mundane clothes drop to the floor. He clips the communicator to his wrist D1ck Tracy style and rushes into the lounge where the others are already gathered. "Have you heard from anybody else? It sounds like they brought a small army this time." He leaves the obvious fact that they had barely beaten a lesser force unspoken. But Gravitic and Outlier are already rushing out the door...

Ember turns to Backfire. "Ready?" He hopes that she is. He's not certain that he is.

[Finite State]

Spoiler: Backfire

Show

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

Conditions:
Afraid:O
Angry:O
Guilty:O
Insecure:X
Hopeless:O

Artefacts: 3

Potential: X O O O O

Miranda sits at the small desk at the side of the room she calls home. The bulbs on the ceiling revealing walls made of metal, with various notes, images, and printouts attached to them. In contrast to the walls, the desk is relatively clean. A simple keyboard and mouse sitting to one side, and a space that is usually home to her various notebooks, or whatever file she's working on at the moment.
She sighs and sits back, spinning the chair around to face the bed that likely hasn't seen more than a few hours use over the past couple days.
"What's in the Vault? Who wants it? Why do they want it?" She asks the open air, as if that would gain any insights. Untill it does, the comms she had left in her ear shouts out with Outlier's exclamation. Miranda bolts for the door, grabbing her jacket off the handle and tossing it on as she runs down the corridor.

Backfire arrives in the main area heading over towards the exit. "Haven't heard, hopefully some other heroes got the call. Especialy if whatever's in here is as important as people think it is."
She gives a nod to Ember. "Always ready, not that we have a choice anyway."

[Razade]

Pool: 1

It's a scramble through empty streets. The attack earlier already had people spooked, two in one day and on the Vault no less has people tucked away in holes and homes and far from whatever nightmare is about to be unleashed. Sirens continue to scream as you all approach the bridge leading to The Vault. Cars are blasted flaming hunks, large chunks of the bridge have been burst apart and what small fight was mounted to stop Boom and his gang can be seen sprawled out with medics attending.

It is a total defeat for Noxport. The villains came in hard. This was what you were up against all along.

With all the time they had, it's no surprise that the four of you are immediately under direct fire. You can't see where it's coming from but you can see the effects. Storefronts explode violently as you all make your approach, whatever is attacking you doing so quite at range as the volley of brilliant green flames begin the moment you're on a stretch of open road. If you stay out in the open for long you're going to feel more than the heat of the flames behind you. There's no way you're crossing that bridge without taking a withering assault either. It's wide, fairly clear of debris and what debris is there burns with the same intense emerald flame that now smolders in the buildings behind you. It seems that the many wounded also got on the receiving end of whatever or whoever is mounting a defense. The end result isn't pretty.

You need to get to the Vault though, before Boom and his team leave with whatever they came for. What do you do?

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 2/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Outlier isn't great at noting details while falling high and fast, but it's not hard to catch key points like being under fire and no, actual fire, and of course oh, and it's green, did we mention?, even though these elements are decidedly off-centre in their panels due to his scattered focus.

Still, one thing is clear; they can't just go charging in brute-force and expect to bull their way though. They're going to need a good plan, and they're going to need to use a bit of finesse.

"Down!," he yells to Gravitic, completely forgetting about their shiny new comms. "We're too obvious a target, and I need my feet under me!" And not just because he's having flashbacks of dinner that he's not too keen on sharing with the opposition right this very moment.

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

Show

Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 2/5

Conditions: None

As bolts of energy start ripping past, Ember descends to rooftop level for cover with Backfire in tow. He ducks behind a large AC unit and speaks into his new communicator.

"That big laser... or whatever the hell they're using... is going to be a real problem. I can maybe give us some cover as we approach... blanket the whole bridge with smoke. But it's going to block your view as well. I can see through my own smoke, so maybe I can guide you going in..."

He peeks out from behind his cover, to get a sense of where the fire is coming from and to make a mental map of the area and the placement of the enemies if he has to lead his teammates forward.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

(Discord) Assess the Situation [6]

[Kubular]

Spoiler: Gravitic

Show

Labels:

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

Conditions:

Afraid:◻
Angry: ◻
Guilty: ▣
Insecure: ▣
Hopeless:◻

Hold 2

Potential: ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣

Spoiler: Moves

Show

▣ Aces High: When you enter a dangerous situation with no plan or trick up your sleeve roll + Danger. On a miss you’re truly woefully unprepared. Expect the worst. On a hit, the tools of success are near to hand. Some assembly may be required, the GM will fill in the details. On a 10+, take +1 forward to see yourself through.

▣ There Will Be Blood: When you scathingly Reject the Influence of a Hero, you may choose to inflict a Condition as if they’d been hit hard even on a miss.

”If you're sure.”


Gravitic surveys the devastation and is raring to charge forward into the fray, but she drops to the ground to deposit Outlier. She falls as fast as she can without breaking any bones, cushioning the fall resulting in a stumbling landing. She launches herself forward into the air again now that she's unencumbered.

She flies toward the villains to engage them across the bridge flying overhead, making evasive maneuvers while advancing relentlessly toward the vault. Green flame flies past, some debris hits her like shrapnel, but wicks away like rain under her power. More fireballs incoming, she dodges most but has to deflect one with her powers. The kinetic force is dispersed by her equal resistance but the heat burns her fingers.

Not too bad. barely singed and a few scratches.

She'll pause when the villains are in sight. She rises in a deific pose with her chest out and arms spread.

Alone.

Summoning bravado from her posture she calls down to Boom and his cronies.

”C'mon Boom, we've done this dance before. We already know how it ends. Put the Girl down and your hands over your head and we'll tell the boys upstairs you were cooperative. You don't want to get your teeth kicked in by kids again do you? That can't be good for whatever rep you have left.”

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Roll to take a powerful blow [5]
-Mark Potential (5 total now!)

Assess the situation: [7]
-Who is most vulnerable to me?

[Captain Jak]

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

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

The landing upon drop-off isn't smooth or gentle, but Outlier is starting to become accustomed to getting bounced around. That...is part of the problem, of course; sure, he knows one neat trick of getting from point A to point B without passing through any of A! through !B, but....

Well. Look at this! Blazing unnatural fires, numerous people injured, villains who can blow things up just by wanting to do so – what is he supposed to do to make a difference in all this? He feels guilty that his teammates not only have to deal with the opposition, they have to worry about him getting hurt as well. He's just...so...angry at himself for not being able to be of any real use here.

No.

He refuses to be useless, and before he can let his insecurities over his capabilities paralyze him, he begins his magics.

It's...hard. He wants to get from where he is to over near the vault, to spy out what's going on and hopefully provide some actionable intel for his team. And while his magicks will get him there without having to actually cross the contested ground, he still has to have been able to get there, and apparently every route that could be foreseen was filled with danger, pain, and fire.

Refusal to give up is a given. He's an Outlier, the exception to the rule, a statistical anomaly. Pushing harder into the magic, he calculates more and more esoteric routes, ridiculous chances that could only be pulled off one time out of a million.

...there!

One nebulous possibility clicks into place, and without a moment's hesitation he grasps it and vanishes, moving from point A to point—

Oh, hell.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Unleash to get across Dangerous Ground safely: 5
Marking Potential!

[Finite State]

Spoiler: Backfire

Show

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

Conditions:
Afraid:O
Angry:O
Guilty:O
Insecure:X
Hopeless:O

Artefacts: 3

Potential: X O O O O

Backfire hits the roof and rolls to cover behind the lip of it. Peeking over to view the situation.
"That explosion has to be a spell, they've got a mage up there. They have to have eyes on us to cast it, but if I can spot them I can make their use of heavy duty spells backfire."

Gather your thoughts, be mindful of your surroundings. What can you use? A thought box with a background of Anima's symbol reads to the top left of a pannel in which Backfire sits up, looking over the battlefield with intent.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Assessing the Situation: 13 [discord] (+1 question from Be Mindful of Your Suroundings)
• who here is most vulnerable to me?
• what here can I use to get into the vault?
• how could we best end this quickly?

Been Reading the Files: 7 [discord]
On a hit, tell the team one important detail you’ve learned from your studies (That explosion is a magic spell that requires line of sight). The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember.

[Razade]

Pool: 1

Being under fire is difficult, especially at such range. Gravitic moves forward to lead the charge and as they spread their arms they take a withering staccato of the green flaming shots. The shots themselves, being magical, do little for the teen and through the smoke Gravitic can see the source. Blast, another of Boom's gang who uses a powerful magical rifle and no mere mage trick. Like Lash, the weapon keys off Blast's own energy but unlike Lash's weapons, only Blast can use the strange weapon. The villain is set among the pillars of The Vault. For a moment.

Then, in their place, Outlier suddenly appears. The moment before the shift, Outlier can feel all the probabilities suddenly lash out, as if the very attempt at using them in this moment was some heinous affront. The feeling is brief as gravity takes hold and without the gear that Blast had to keep secure in their position...you fall. Hard.

This of course means that Blast appears in an instant between the team on the other side of the bridge. Alone. The armored villain takes a few moments to catch themselves as they also fall from the ground, quick to bring their weapon up. Training closes the sudden surprise. They're still alone, one would say unfortunately considering their weapon is so destructive and ranged however they're more than a match for a single hero even without weapons. Sadly for Blast, there are at least two, and a third flying nearby.

That is, however, the way forward cleared. Boom is too deep within the Vault to answer as our panels shift.

We don't see much of the interior, some clever author wanting to reveal the real majesty of The Vault until the whole team can bask in it for an awesome two page spread. However we do see Boom, along with the last of their team and of course The Girl, roughed up and bleeding, between them. Slash and Bash are the power duo of the team, the former in armor much like the rest of their crew though wielding a sword as long as their body that glows with destructive energy. Bash's armor is by the far the heaviest, her shoulderpads and arms in fact two hydraulic systems that she powers with her water based magics. These systems connect to two fists that drag along the ground, covered in spikes. Boom is fully decked out as well, wearing his armor for the days he served the Court of Raptors. When he was known as Peregrine. Ports along his arms allow for incredible blasts of alchemical energy, making him a speedster to reckon with among the many other applications of creating explosions on the fly provide. The hallway they walk is dim, and between Slash and Bash, they drag The Girl between them. Deeper into the darkness of The Vault of The Primal Vestal.

Spoiler: Outlier

Show

Mark a Condition as you kiss floor.

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Afraid, Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Oh, hell.

That's all there's time for before Outlier falls painfully to the ground. He lies there for a long moment, stunned by the impact, until sense comes rushing back – and on its heels a healthy dose of fear. That...is not the way his magicks are supposed to respond, and he gets the sense that pushing them too hard had come very close to going very wrong.

He recognises the close environs of the Vault, although he's not sure why he'd arrived as high as he had. This is...an incredibly dangerous position to be in, what with an undetermined number of villains in an unknown place in the immediate vicinity. But that's why he's here, after all.

"It's Outlier," he reports, utilizing their brand-new comms. "I've gotten across to the Vault; I'm going to see if I can find out what we're up against." Wishing that invisibility was an option, his fingers flicker and he pops from his current position to one right beside the door to the Vault.

If there's someone on guard there, covering their rear...well, this could be it, for him.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Marking Afraid.

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

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Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 3/5

Conditions: None

Ember finishes outlining his clever plan... and the rest of the team starts rushing in as if they hadn't heard a word. Ugh... He watches for a moment, wincing as bolts of energy flash dangerously close to them. Then he turns to Backfire... "I'm going to try to make an opening, and then we can follow them in."

He concentrates, conjures a whirlwind of smoke and ash and sends it swirling like a midget tornado toward Blast, hoping to sweep him off his feet...

Spoiler: OOC

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(Discord) Directly Engage Blast [9]
Create an opportunity for the team

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Outlier: An Outlier

The vantage from the door is not particular illuminating. Literally or figuratively. The corridor is dark, lined with statues who look almost demonic and cruel in the low light cast from futile flames that hover as if through magic in the gloom and the passing light from out beyond the Vault itself. Dust cakes the floor, a number of feet passing through. Whoever went inside, four people by the foot count, are far deeper in than you can see. The hallway is vast as it descends into the tenebrous depths. You'd have to go in, if you wanted to really get a good look. What do you do?

Ember, and the team: With Blast

Blast is, as one would expect you all to be, quite surprised. Moreso as he's taken over by a sudden whirlwind of smoke. He manages to get a bolt out as he flails which zooms past Ember before it detonates, showering the area with flaming sparks and flack. He's unbalanced all the same, a good chance to either make a break for it for all of you or to hit him while he's off balance.

Spoiler: OOC

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Ember, mark a Condition.

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Afraid, Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

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

Spoiler: Moves

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• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

The dark recesses of the Vault and the dusty footprints leading within are anything but reassuring for Outlier; not in the least because he doesn't have a light source on him, apart from his phone, and using something like that would make him dreadfully conspicuous.

And...he's still not hearing anything from the rest of the team.

"Guys?" he stage whispers into the comms. "I'm at the entrance, still no sign of--" He breaks off as he hears another of the cracking detonations, the dark interior of the vault faintly illuminated in green for an instant.

That came from behind him. Over by...

The others!

"What's going on?" he demands, whirling about and forgetting to be quiet. "Is everyone all right? Do we know where he's attacking from?" He can hardly think straight, so many things are awhirl in his head, but foremost is the fact that he simply doesn't know what's going on!

[Kubular]

Spoiler: Gravitic

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Labels:

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

Conditions:

Afraid:◻
Angry: ◻
Guilty: ▣
Insecure: ▣
Hopeless:◻

Hold 2

Potential: ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣

Spoiler: Moves

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▣ Aces High: When you enter a dangerous situation with no plan or trick up your sleeve roll + Danger. On a miss you’re truly woefully unprepared. Expect the worst. On a hit, the tools of success are near to hand. Some assembly may be required, the GM will fill in the details. On a 10+, take +1 forward to see yourself through.

▣ There Will Be Blood: When you scathingly Reject the Influence of a Hero, you may choose to inflict a Condition as if they’d been hit hard even on a miss.

The comms crackle, and Gravitic replies ”We’re fine Outlier. Are you alright? Do you have eyes?””

At the same time, Blast has been knocked off balance and is unable to fire. Ember is doing work. She gives Ember a nod, and commands, ”Go in ahead! Find Boom! ” She calls to Backfire over the comms, ”Backfire, get in here, I’ve got a shiny new toy for you.”

She sends herself flying directly at Blast attempting to tackle him and wrest control of the rifle from the supervillain.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling to Directly Engage: [7]
-Take the gun from Blast

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

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Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 3/5

Conditions: Angry

Ember is shocked... and more than a little frustrated... that events have spun out of control so quickly. He winces as Gravitic wades into a brawl with Blast. But however much trouble she's taking on, it could easily be much worse for Outlier, suddenly stuck inside the Vault with persons... and things.. unknown.

"On my way!"

He rises into the air, trying to get a good view of what's going on across the bridge and where Boom... or any other threat... might be waiting. The he disperses into smoke as he flies toward the gate, hoping to give the enemies less of a target...

Spoiler: OOC

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(Discord) Assess the Situation [8]
Who/what is the biggest threat (or where is it located)?

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Afraid, Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Outlier’s relief at hearing from the team leaves him feeling as if the sun has come out, for just a moment.

"Uh, can’t see them, no. It’s dark in there, and all I can make out is some footprints. I'll...try to find them. " Not that rushing in there is something he’s all that keen on doing at the moment, but...that’s the job.

Taking a breath, his fingers flicker and he’s abruptly further in, deeper into the dark. He hasn’t actually travelled the distance physically so he’s made no sound that might be picked up from those ahead.

A glance back to see the extra set of footprints that lead to where he stands is less reassuring, however. Although he hadn’t actually walked to this location, he effectively had, and appropriate evidence of his passage is part of that.

More than a little creepy.

Focusing forwards again, he repeats his hop and goes deeper into the Vault. Against his better judgment, but in accordance to the need.

[Razade]

Pool: 1


Gravitic, Blast: Other side of the Bridge

With a flurry of motion you feel the gun give way though as you wrest it from Blast's hands and he staggers back you hear a high pitched whine before it detonates in your hands. You, and Blast, are at the epicenter of a powerful blast that rocks the very foundation under your feet. You have no idea where Blast went though you've other troubles as you take the explosion to the face.

Spoiler: OOC

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Roll to take a powerful blow please.

Ember, Outlier: The Vault

Ember flies off, leaving Gravitic and Backfire alone with Blast who even disarmed is not to be trifled with it seems as another explosion rocks the ground and a pillar of green flame erupts behind him. The flames cast their strange light further down the hall though still not nearly far enough to see the other side. Not even for Outlier who creeps along the path, the light quickly receding.

It's only a few more hops for Outlier however to find himself illuminated once more. The room is massive, a large triangle shaped affair lined on all three sides by statues worn down with age so only their vaguely human shape remains. The air is stale and the dust continues to show the other occupants and their flight. At the center of the room is a smaller walled off building where the feet lay, vast gears above with ropes and pullies indicating some form of mechanism inside. Considering there are no baddies to blast you out of your profession Outlier, one can make the reasonable guess that it's some kind of elevator. Leading down by the look of things. There seems to have been a struggle hear, the dust disturbed in a wild array and the very start of some frenzied flight down one of the two other similarly large and dark pathways on either corner of the triangle.

This is most certainly it. Going down is the only way, might be best to wait for the others. No telling who or what is waiting down there. Or even on the return travel of the presumable elevator.

[Captain Jak]

OUTLIER
Conditions: Afraid, Angry, Guilty, Insecure
Potential: 3/5

Spoiler: Labels

Show

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

Spoiler: Moves

Show

• Breaking Out: Whenever you break through an impediment placed upon you or subvert a Hero’s expectations of your Heroic Tradition, you may roll + Danger. On a miss, you escape but you leave something behind and mark a Condition. On a hit, choose one. On a 10+ choose two.
  • You may ask one question as if you’d rolled a hit on Pierce the Mask
  • Clear a Condition or Mark Potential.
  • Place your captor in chains
  • Create an opportunity for your teammates
  
  
• Like the Good Old Days: When you Directly Engage an opponent alongside a teammate, you may mark a Condition to provide them an additional option, even on a miss. If they are a member of a Heroic Tradition, add 1 Team to the Pool.

Finding light is yet another relief, for without enough illumination to go on Outlier would have been reduced to groping his way slowly forward on foot. The layout of the room is...decidedly unusual, feeling like he’s at the focus of some great funnel.

"Um, I’ve found some kind of central chamber, a big triangle, two more corridors leading away from the points," he reports over the comms, hoping that the signal can make it through the mass of the Vault.

”Looks like there’s some kind of old elevator in the centre of the room; they went down. We’d, um, we’d better hurry,” he urges the others.

He is certainly not going down there on his own, not when there are several perfectly serviceable teammates who can fly on their way. He does, however, carefully advance to where the disturbance on the floor grows more chaotic, keeping a sharp eye out for anything that he might step on that could trigger some sort of trap.

He’s seen those old Indiana Jones movies; not watching where you step when investigating an ancient site never, ever goes well.

[Kubular]

Spoiler: Gravitic

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Labels:

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

Conditions:

Afraid:◻
Angry: ◻
Guilty: ▣
Insecure: ▣
Hopeless:◻

Hold 2

Potential: ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣ ▣

Spoiler: Moves

Show

▣ Aces High: When you enter a dangerous situation with no plan or trick up your sleeve roll + Danger. On a miss you’re truly woefully unprepared. Expect the worst. On a hit, the tools of success are near to hand. Some assembly may be required, the GM will fill in the details. On a 10+, take +1 forward to see yourself through.

▣ There Will Be Blood: When you scathingly Reject the Influence of a Hero, you may choose to inflict a Condition as if they’d been hit hard even on a miss.

The blast knocks Gravitic off of her feet. Normally, that’d be fine, she’s used to falling. But her senses had been overwhelmed in the explosion. Her vision is blinded and her ears are ringing and she reels back unable to keep balance. She swings a blind hook out in front of her as she stumbles.

Someone is talking to her but she can’t really hear the words. She feels sick.

Spoiler: OOC

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Rolling to take a Powerful Blow: [7]
-Give the opponent an opportunity

[Swami Monsoon]

Spoiler: Ember

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Labels:
Danger 0
Freak 0
Savior +3
Superior 0
Mundane 0

Potential: 3/5

Conditions: Angry

Ember nearly forgets his communicator as he fades into smoke. Of course it won't disperse with the rest of his enchanted costume... At the last moment he catches it in a tendril of mist and carries it along with him as he crosses the bridge. He pauses for a moment as he enters the gate, ready to be ambushed the moment he moves inside. But instead it's quiet. He heads down the corridor, a bit unnerved by the sudden, eerie silence after the racket outside. He finally reaches the central chamber and reforms next to Outlier. He looks down the elevator shaft.

"So they went down there... but are we ready to follow them? This is like something out of a horror movie, creepy old tomb and all. And right now I'm thinking of what happens in that movie when people split up. Speaking of which..." He activates his communicator. "I'm inside with Outlier. It looks like there's at least one more floor below us, and the bad guys have headed down. How's it going out there? We could really use some backup in here..."

[Razade]

Pool: 1

Gravitic, Blast: Other side of the Bridge

With the explosion, Backfire and Blast are sent through the air as the blast washes over Gravitic. When it clears, Blast is scrambling off into the city with no sign of Backfire anywhere. You could certainly give chase Gravitic but it seems Blast is doing his best to simply high tail it out of the area and you've a team ahead. If Blast did this much to you, how much more danger are your teammates in?

The panels are quick to answer that: None.

Ember joins Outlier in the large sprawling anti-chamber of The Vault. Silence, beyond their own words, loom as does the way down. You both could risk it, going down now and waiting for Gravitic to catch up. There's no telling what's going on down there after all, the Girl might already be gone. Waiting would give you more backup however. It's your choice of course. What do you do?