Agent America dreamt he was running beneath a full moon, through a burning Asian jungle with a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. The knife was red with blood. Now he remembered whose blood. It belonged to the woman in Brussels. Blonde. Not yet thirty. Agent America seduced her and then murdered her in her hotel room, with the same moon outside their window. He slit her neck as she slept, the crimson blood soaked her pillow, the sheets, the carpet, and wouldn’t stop coming. He backed away from the growing pool and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It wasn't who he expected to see.
A truck rumbled by outside the hotel window and snapped him out of it and suddenly he was in Paris at an outdoor café under a flat grey sky. He heard sounds of a carnival and people murmuring but saw neither. That same truck rumbled past him as, across the street, the Sudanese politician entered his car under heavy security. America touched a button on his cell phone and watched the car explode in clouds of roiling smoke.
He glanced down at his phone and now he was on the roof of a Manhattan building watching more roiling smoke. Building 7 was coming down on the afternoon of September 11, 2001. He put the phone away. The man in sunglasses next to him smiled, “They did it. Pulled it off. With the ‘hijackers’ dead, no one will ever know,” he said before Agent America blew his brains out with the silenced pistol.
He smiled at the perfect mayhem of Ground Zero and wanted to bring all the corrupt and oppressive governments of the world to their knees. To expose to their citizens the black truth of a vast system that enslaved them, mind controlled them, fashioned them into soldiers and consumers and breeders. He would force them to see. And then burn it all down. He wished the ruling class of the world had but one neck and that his hands were around it. In the meantime the Commander of MEDUSA’s neck would do.
He and the Commander were together again in the briefing room reviewing Doc Avery and the metahumans, only this time Agent America leapt across the table at him and brutally murdered him with his ball point pen. Agent America sat back down to enjoy the moment and then the room went dark and his hands were bound behind him, his legs duct-taped to the chair’s legs and another man was hitting him. Again. He was old but powerful. Wide. Strong. His eyes glinting with fierce intelligence behind steel rimmed glasses. He didn’t enjoy this work but was professional enough to do it right.
Behind the old man, out of the darkness, a woman was coming. Coming for Agent America. The old man turned to face her. To defend America. They were fighting now, but not with their bodies. The woman lost and Agent America opened his eyes and he was still tied in the chair but now the chair was in a tent and the old man was gone. The woman remained, still standing in the same place. There were sounds of the festival outside, and in the tent cultists murmured over the orbs.
Agent America managed a smile at the woman, “Looks like bathing suit season snuck up on you, honey.”
She looked him in the eyes and slapped him across the face. “You might have been able to resist my mind control spell but you are still my captive. I am Mystic, Leader of the Cult of Stellar Propitiation and a member of the Magi of the Black Rose. Obviously you are a thief sent to scout out our defenses before the rest of your party attacks us”.
Mystic looked out of the tent. “Our Star-Devourer is here. Soon we will control it and the Refuge Islands will be claimed as sovereign lands of the Domain. Ah, I see that you have a Paladin in your party. Never the less, he will not slay our dragon.”
Looking past Agent America, she says, “More energy, more passion my cultists. We must finish the Ceremony of Control before the others arrive”.
Without looking at the captured superspy, she said, “I am aware that Grand Magus Gygax published his manuscripts telling this world how to battle creatures from other realms. In fact I have studied them myself so I know the makeup of your party just as well as you do”. She starts counting off on her fingers. “One is the thief, which you are obviously him.”
“Two is the cleric. Outside is the righteous warrior or Paladin as I have called him earlier.”
“Three is the warrior.”
“Four is the wizard.”
“Just because you have formed your party per the manuscripts will not guarantee your success. The Magi of the Black Rose has a long history of championing the Domain in this world.”
“The Star-Devourer will feed on the Refuge Islands. When it is full it will burrow itself into your precious planet’s core. There it will lay its eggs. Its larva will transform this planet to be more accepting of its future inhabitants.”
“But we will control its feeding. It will eat the iron from the bridges. Then it will eat the buildings of the Refuge Islands. Once it reaches the prison then it will release mayhem and chaos on Megalopolis. What will you stop first, thief, the Star-Devourer or the crazed super criminals bent on taking their revenge on Megalopolis?
The captive took all this in as he attempted to escape his bonds.
Flashback: before the appearance of the Star-Devourer
*Whoump*
Commander Rose had returned to the mansion with the cultist he had captured. After neutralizing the cultist with duck tape around the eyes, mouth, hands and ankles, Joshua contacted Kevin Vanderiaan on the StarCorp communicator. "Hey Kevin, something big, I mean really big is up at the Refuge Island Festival. I'd tell you how big but I'm not sure you'll believe me til you see it on the news. If there's anything you can do to get any meta-human and emergency crews out here you might be saving hundreds of lives. Sorry to leave you hanging with this but our teams on the move and things are going Khyber Pass quick"
Using the amulet DarkStar said, "Doc can you get anything out of this guy? We still have a chance of stopping this thing before it begins if we can get those Orbs, right? And if God forbid, we can't, what's our best bet for shutting this thing down if they do finish the ceremony before AA locates the Orbs? We need a Plan B Doc.”
Dr. Avery sighed, “No luck, Joshua. The cultist has magical protections which are slowing me down. I won’t be able to get past his defenses in time. Plan B? If you can’t stop the first ceremony, then stop the second ceremony?”
Adamas looks down upon the turmoil of clouds appearing above the Festival. It looks eerily like a brood of vipers roiling, nothing like the calm stationary look of natural clouds, even during a storm natural clouds never looked like this from above.
As he sees the Star Devourer he begins to curse in a language he does not even understand.
Adamas calls into his comm., "Agent America, Why didn’t you tell us the ceremony had started?"
DarkStar thought, Started? Dammit that means the Monster has been summoned. "Adamas! The Beast, where's the Dhole? Gigs up time to collect the team and mount up. Using the amulet to contact Agent America and Windblown.
"Windblown! Get your butt in here, time to go, now! AA We're on the way, what's your current situation?" Grabbing the survival pack he had used in the jungles of Juompur "duck tape, flares, flash light, gas mask, zip ties, water bottle, Bowie knife, first aid kit, good to go.”
Emptying the one he had prepared for Adamas "Who knew the guy could survive in space for days at a time? It'll make a good rucksack for the Orbs" . . . "That's odd, nothing from AA?" Touching the amulet around his neck, focusing his thought harder than before. "Agent America report . . . ?”
Adamas said, "Rose, we have to deal with those orbs if we are to save this world. Focus on that, I'll distract the beast."
Commander Rose thought, Dammit we've lost contact with AA. "Doc I can't get in touch with AA what's up?"
“I don’t know. He is not wearing his amulet. I thought he had removed it to prevent his detection while he was in disguise. Unfortunately I have no way to contact him” replied the Doctor of the Arcane Arts.
"Cybil please project Agent America's current location on the holo-map using available satellite telemetry. Doc you told us if the Orbs are active you could locate them. Can you sense if they're in the same area as AA?"
“Yes, Joshua the orbs are in the large Pavilion near where you acquired the cultist from”
As soon as Windblown arrived from the Gazebo, DarkStar prepared to teleport the two of them into the Pavillion Tent now known as Lion's Den. Everyone agreed the Primary Goal will be to locate and secure the Orbs, following any direction's Dr. Arcane gives in order to stop the ritual. Secondary Goal is to locate Agent America and do what it takes to get him back into the fray. Tertiary Goal is to subdue and capture Cultist if possible.
DarkStar spoke into his comm. unit, "Adamas we're on our way, the Dhole is all yours. Only 70,000 lives at stake, no pressure." Turning to Dr. Avery and Donnah "Doc ... maybe next time you send us out against the likes of a Balrog, you might at least offer me the use of Anduril for the fight." Joshua gently placed a hand on Windblown's shoulder.
Before DarkStar left, Dr. Avery looked at Cmd. Rose with a sly smile. "Joshua, you can lift 2 tons and generate an electrical discharge that is the equivalent of a bazooka blast when you strike. But that isn't enough? You wish I would give you a sword."
"What you don't realize is you are MY Anduril."
*Whoump*
Adamas grabbed the largest thing he can find nearby that he could lift and flew at full speed upward.
Two loud cracks like thunder sound as he broke the sound barrier going up and again as he hurtled toward the huge monstrosity. He accelerated to near his maximum in atmosphere speed, and released his projectile in time to veer off.
He had little hope in doing significant damage, but hopefully he would be able to get its attention.
His plan worked. The Star-Devourer turned from the direction of the bridge. It started to move toward Adamas. A liquidly strand shot out of the beast. Adamas did a barrel round to evade from being hit. In the back recesses of his mind, he knew the stand would solidify around him sticking him to whatever the strand came into contact with. He knew of foul insects and arachnids that shot webbing or globs of fiber to trap their prey. He didn’t know if the ones he knew were from this world or a different one.
Adamas keep his flight path erratic to prevent the beast from targeting him. Hopefully, his companions would prevent the cultists from gaining control.
*Whoump*
DarkStar and Windblown appear in the middle of the Lion’s Den. In front of them are the four orbs and 18 cultists. The cultists are in robes and appear to be normal humans. They are in a circle around the orbs in six trios holding hands and chanting
On the other side of DarkStar and Windblown they see a man sitting with his back to them. His bonds are loose. A woman stands in front of him, facing them. She said, “Ah, the warrior and wizard make their appearance. So thief has your plan worked?”
<Due Date is May 7th, Actions or Replies>
-----------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
Adamas
Adamas shook his head in frustration and confusion. Pietor had fallen off his chair and continue to lie on the floor laughing. The good Dr. had almost choked on the tea he had been drinking. Adamas continued to look at the two of them expecting some type of explanation as to why his situation was so humorous. He had come to them expecting an explanation or at least their understanding, not this.
It had all started that morning. Adamas was sitting in his room, continuing to search the internet for some hint of his history. Some events that had occurred about the same time he had been found orbiting the Earth. He had read hundreds of news articles in several languages, but felt no closer to discovering any clues as to his past. About that time he had heard a voice singing in the mansion. This was not a normal occurrence and Adamas was curious. Adamas did not usually enjoy music. Most of the music he heard was digital reproductions of Earth artists, and to Adamas heightened senses, they sounded tinny and mechanical. He also found that most of them were modified and changed so much that they sounded choppy. He had not really had the opportunity to listen to someone singing in person, and found himself appreciating the sound of the human voice a capella.
He could tell the voice was feminine, and could soon identify it as Donna’s. He came to her door, and knocked as he had been taught. He had been told that if you are in your residence, no one answers after a knock, and the door is not locked it is acceptable to enter a room. So he did. He could hear the voice more clearly now, she seemed to be emulating an artist he had heard of named Lady Gaga. He continued to listen, appreciating the music. He could hear the singing as well as water running in the lavatory. The door to the bathroom was not closed, so he stood in the doorway listening intently. This is where things got a little confusing. Donna turned off the water, stopped singing for about a minute, and stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her head.
She looked behind Adamas and screamed with a look of terror on her face. Adamas quickly spun about, ready to face whatever menace might dare to attack them inside the Doctor’s mansion, but there was nothing there. He made sure everything was clear, and felt some small items pelting him from behind. He turned to find Donna, having now removed the towel from her hair, loosely holding it in front of herself as she hurled small toiletry items at Adamas with the other hand. They were not doing any damage to him, and did not appear to be items he would be able to use himself. He tried to ask her what she had seen to scared her so terribly when she began to yell at him to get out of her room. He again tried to explain that he had knocked, and only come in when no one responded. She crossed the room to him, and tried to push him toward the door. Of course her attempts were in vain. Adamas’ then tried to tell her how much he had enjoyed her singing, but she would have none of it, and continued to interrupt him requesting adamantly that he leave her room immediately.
After this bit of confusion, Adamas went downstairs to try to better understand what had just happened, bringing this confusing story to his “mentors,” only to be laughed at by Pietor and Dr. Avery. Maybe he would never truly understand humans. Adamas gave up on expecting a response, as every time it seemed one of them was about to say something he would begin again laughing uncontrollably. He turned and continued to shake his head, flying up the stairs back to his room.
Shaking his head at the sight of Pietor on the floor, Joshua had caught the last of Adamas query to the two "gentlemen". Caught between wanting to smack the big guy in the back of his head and feeling sorry because of the poor education the government had provided his alien ally, Joshua opts to put an arm around Adamas's shoulder and lead him to the sociological section of Avery's library. "Adamas my friend, when the current crisis is over you and I need to spend some time in the real world showing just what it means to be human." Chuckling deep in his own chest, Rose raises and eyebrow and gives his buddy a grin. "You’re lucky that poor girl didn't turn you into a frog or something"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agent America
Hi,
Cool issue.
So that I know what to respond to this turn, does AA see anything in the tent?
Thanks,
Jeff
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GM Reply
Agent America is unconscious and taken captive. He had his comm-unit and amulet removed from him. He has not lost any hit points or power points.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GM Reply
GM information to players which can be played out with PCs:
You are not going to be able to talk with Agent America before next turn.
Dr. Avery will not be able to reach him on the amulet. He will not be able to determine if the amulet was removed by AA when he changed into disguise. If AA did that it would have been a wise decision because the amulet gives off a slight hint of magic that a Wizard within 2 feet could detect. Dr. Avery cannot tell if it was forcibly removed. Since the amulet is removed it is now inert and can’t be traced.
DarkStar cannot raise AA on the comm-unit. A trace of the unit shows it is in a pavilion tent on the Festival grounds. Heat scans shows there are 20 people inside the pavilion tent which was AA’s last known location. There are 6 people whose heat signature could be AA’s in the tent.
All four Orbs are active and in the same pavilion tent.
Adamas doesn’t know which tent AA is in or what AA looks like in his disguise.
Windblown doesn’t know the Star-Devourer has appeared. He is still controlling the clouds.
The Winthrope Bridge is heavily congested with traffic. It is busier than normal because of the popularity of the Festival. The Star-Devourer will be in striking range of the bridge at the end of next turn. [On phase 1 of the next issue it will attack the Winthrope Bridge]There are approximately 71,000 people on the festival grounds.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agent America
OOC:
I love it when a plan comes together!
:)))
Jeff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DarkStar
AA OOC:
I love it when a plan comes together!
DS OOC:
Jeff either you have a creepily sharp memory or some nasty de ja vu. That's exactly the
same damn thing I had DarkStar say at the start of the Dragon of Juompor Adventure
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DarkStar
*Whoump*
<Commander Rose: IC> After neutralizing the cultist with duck tape (yeah I looove duck tape) around the eyes, mouth, hands and ankles, Joshua contacts Kevin Vanderiaan on the StarCorp communicator. "Hey Kevin, something big, I mean really big (from the description we received earlier) is up at the Refuge Island Festival. I'd tell you how big but I'm not sure you'll believe me til you see it on the news. (there must be some news crews at a festival with 70k+ in attendance) If there's anything you can do to get any meta-human and emergency crews out here you might be saving hundreds of lives. Sorry to leave you hanging with this but our teams on the move and things are going Khyber Pass quick"
<Commander Rose: IC> "Doc can you get anything out of this guy? We still have a chance of stopping this thing before it begins if we can get those Orbs, right? And if God forbid, we can't, what's our best bet for shutting this thing down if they do finish the ceremony before AA locates the Orbs? We need a Plan B Doc.
Agent America follows her into the tent.
Adamas watches below. He wasn‟t able to see the switch so he is looking for anything unusual. Then he sees it.
The Star-Devourer appears near Winthrope Bridge. It starts moving toward the bridge which is full of traffic.
Adamas calls into his comm., "Agent America, Why didn‟t you tell us the ceremony had started?"
There is no response.
<Commander Rose: OOC> Okay I need a little breather - I'm going to make a second post using the info Tom gave us concerning our ability to contact AA and put it "In Character". At that point I can stop playing radio-operator and we can get this baby rolling. Tom's presented us with multiple problems (big surprise there huh:) ) that we'll need to prioritize and address.
1) Big Monster attacking Damned Bridge full of civilians
2) Location of Cult Ritual summoning said Monster
3) and of course missing teammate needs located and brought into play asap
I have some ideals here but would like your guys input asap. I hate splitting up but it looks like it might be necessary to address all the issues. Doing the standard V&V math in these kind of scenarios it's almost always a bad ideal to take on these big monsters head on but there's no way we (I) can leave the civilians on the bridge without a Defender. We either need some outside help (thus the call to Kevin) or to find AA uber-asap - preferably both. - Anyway back in an hour or so with the comm-set up
John R
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adamas
Adamas looks down upon the turmoil of clouds appearing above the Festival. It looks eerily like a brood of vipers roiling, nothing like the calm stationary look of natural clouds, even during a storm natural clouds never looked like this from above.
As he sees the Star Devourer he begins to curse in a language he does not even understand.
Adamas IC: "Rose, we have to deal with those orbs if we are to save this world. Focus on that, I'll distract the beast."
Adamas will grab the largest thing he can find nearby that he can lift and fly at full speed upward. Two loud cracks like thunder sound as he breaks the sound barrier going up, and again as he hurtles toward the huge monstrosity. He will accelerate to near his maximum in atmosphere speed, and release his projectile in time to veer off and grab another heavy projectile and repeat.
He has little hope in doing significant damage, but hopefully he will be able to get it's attention. If he gains it's attention, he'll lead it away from the bridge. Hopefully, his companions can prevent the cultists from gaining control.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DarkStar
Good start for Adamas, even with the minuses due to your velocity you should be taking chunks out o the Monster.
Personal issues require I follow up on my initial response tomorrow
Probably have to teleport me and Windblown to the Festival - maybe he can rip all the tents up with a wind storm?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adamas
OOC: I think the minuses for velocity will pretty much be awash with the size change factor and the plusses for the weapon weight/size. Hoping so anyway. I don't think there's any way Adamas can defeat it (without a supply of nuclear weapons), but that's not really the intent. Just trying to keep it away from the bridge, and give the rest of the team time to take care of those orbs!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DarkStar
2nd set of responses for DarkStar: take place after Adamas notices the Big Monster on the Bridge. Tom I'm going to make some commentaries based on the post-issue info you gave us. I assume you'll slip it all into a narrative form as we go.
Adamas calls into his comm., "Agent America, Why didn‟t you tell us the ceremony had started?"
<Commander Rose: IC> Started? Dammit that means the Monster has been summoned. "Adamas! The Beast, where's the Dhole? Gigs up time to collect the team and mount up. Using the amulet to contact Agent America and Windblown. " Windblown! Get your butt in here, time to go, now! AA We're on the way, what's your current situation?" Grabbing the survival pack he had used in the jungles of Joumpur "duck tape, flares, flash light, gas mask, zip ties, water bottle, Bowie knife, first aid kit, good to go. Emptying the one he had prepared for Adamas "Who knew the guy could survive in space for days at a time? It'll make a good rucksack for the Orbs" . . . "That's odd, nothing from AA?" Touching the amulet around his neck, focusing his thought harder than before. "Agent America report . . . ? "
Adamas IC: "Rose, we have to deal with those orbs if we are to save this world. Focus on that, I'll distract the beast."
<Commander Rose: IC> Dammit we've lost contact with AA. "Doc I can't get in touch with AA what's up?"
>
"Cybil please project Agent America's current location on the holo-map using available satellite telemetry"
>
"Doc you told us if the if the Orbs are active you could locate them. Can you sense if they're in the same area as AA?"
<Commander Rose: OOC> As soon as Windblown arrives from the Gazebo I'll teleport us into the Pavillion Tent now known as Lion's Den. I assume he'll want to power his defenses up right before teleport. Our Primary Goal will be to locate and secure the Orbs, following any direction's Dr. Arcane gives us in order to stop the ritual. Secondary Goal is to locate Agent America and do what it takes to get him back into the fray. Tertiary Goal is to subdue and capture Cultist if possible.
<Commander Rose: IC> "Adamas we're on our way, the Dhole is all yours. Only 70,0000 peoples lives at stake, no pressure." Turning to Dr. Avery and Donnah "Doc ... maybe next time you send us out against the likes of a Balrog, you might at least offer me the use of Anduril for the fight." Gently placing a hand on Windblown's shoulder.
*Whoump*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GM Reply
[IC] Before DarkStar leaves, Dr. Avery looks at Cmd. Rose with a sly smile. "Joshua, you can lift 2 tons and generate an electrical discharge that is the equivalent of a bazooka blast when you strike. But that isn't enough? You wish I would give you a sword."
"What you don't realize is you are MY Anduril."
[OOC] I couldn't wait for the issue for Dr. Avery's response
Tom
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon
Nice...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DarkStar
Har Har Har
Fine, be that way, gang up on the blue guy you two. Just might have to rethink that 1st edition of the Hobbit, Rose was going to get Doc for his birthday.
LMAO surprised Jeff's not getting on some of this
John R
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agent America
"LMAO surprised Jeff's not getting on some of this"
It hasn't been a day yet. And these guys are doing just fine without me. ;)
Best,
Jeff
